1,000 words and then some: The stories behind the shots
Curating the most unique perspectives from some of the world’s leading photographers, “1,000 words and then some” is AP’s monthly photo series that takes a look beyond the lens and camera data at the stories behind some of our favorite shots.
This month sees largely a selection composed of contrasts: the light of fire against the shadows of the night, a glimpse of humanity in a time of conflict, a dueling dance between two ballet-like athletes, as well as a break from stoicism with a moment of celebratory showmanship.
Produced for Canon by AP Content Services, the paid content service of The Associated Press.
In a photo taken using multiple exposure, Iran's Mojtaba Abedini, left, and United State's Daryl Homer compete in a men's individual sabre semifinal at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Wednesday, Aug. 10, 2016. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)
Model: Canon EOS-1D X Mark II Focal length: 70mm F-Stop: 2.8 ISO speed: 3200 Shutter speed: 1/2500 sec
From the photographer: “This was accomplished using a multiple exposure feature found on most newer higher-end DSLR cameras,” says Riedel. “This sandwiches a number of individual exposures onto into a single frame. It is a great technique for showing motion under the right circumstances. Basically the subject needs to be something mostly light on a dark background, or something mostly dark on a bright background. Fencing was an optimal place to do this. The trick was determining how many frames per second to set the camera on so you capture a full range of the action in the image. There was a lot of trial and error to get the right frame rate to capture the four images with the right separation between images. Once I had that down, it was just a matter of shooting a couple dozen frames before it all came together. To me, it captures the almost ballet-like quality of the sport.”
This aerial photo shows the damaged buildings in the town of Amatrice, central Italy, after an earthquake, Wednesday, Aug. 24, 2016. The magnitude 6 quake struck at 3:36 a.m. (0136 GMT) and was felt across a broad swath of central Italy, including Rome where residents of the capital felt a long swaying followed by aftershocks. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)
Model: Canon EOS-1D X Mark II Focal length: 400mm F-Stop: 9 ISO speed: 400 Shutter speed: 1/1600 sec
From the photographer: "We were flying over the town of Amatrice about six hours after the earthquake," says Borgia. "We had to stay at 10,000 feet so as to not interfere with rescue efforts, and from that altitude the town looked almost intact with no damage at all. Once I put my eye to the camera with a 500mm lens though, I was shocked. Everything was leveled to the ground and the scene really looked like it was struck by a nuclear blast. The only color that you could see was the grey of the rubble and a red building, which was one of the few that resisted the power of the quake."
In this Aug. 13, 2016 photo, a rebel soldier of the 48th Front of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC, poses for a photo with his dog in the southern jungles of Putumayo, Colombia. As the country’s half-century conflict winds down, with the signing of a peace deal with the Government perhaps just days away, thousands of FARC rebels are emerging from their hideouts and preparing for a life without arms. (AP Photo/Fernando Vergara)
Model: Canon EOS 5D Mark III Focal length: 150mm F-Stop: 4 ISO speed: 3200 Shutter speed: 1/60 sec
From the photographer: "I traveled for eight days to a rebel camp in the jungle of Putumayo, Colombia," says Vergara. "Days later, I realized that many rebels had their pets in the camp. They had dogs, parrots and other animals. I noticed this particular rebel put his dog on his shoulder, and when he was resting, I decided to take the photo. The hardest thing was to get enough confidence with the guerrillas to enter their privacy."
A man throws her daughter in the air while they are silhouetted at the National Museum of Korea in Seoul, South Korea, Tuesday, Aug. 30, 2016. The weather agency on Monday, Aug. 29, said the temperature dropped over the weekend after a month-long record heat. (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon)
Model: Canon EOS-1D X Focal length: 200mm F-Stop: 22 ISO speed: 1000 Shutter speed: 1/500 sec
From the photographer: "The photo was taken on the top of a small hill where people hang out and see the N Seoul Tower," says Young-joon, "which is located on Namsan Mountain in central Seoul. I often visit to take weather photos and that day was a cool day after some scorching hot summer days. For this photo, I was waiting for the moment of her running toward her father but I wasn't expecting her father to throw her up in the sky."
United States' Katie Ledecky competes in a semifinal of the women's 200-meter freestyle during the swimming competitions at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Monday, Aug. 8, 2016. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)
Model: Canon EOS-1D X Mark II Focal length: 20mm F-Stop: 5.6 ISO speed: 6400 Shutter speed: 1/2000 sec
From the photographer: "We have been using an underwater robotic system for the past four years," says Phillip. "The system allows us to pan, tilt, zoom and transmit images in real time. After shooting the swimmer diving into the pool, I then reposition the camera to shoot action of the race. Being able to move the camera has really helped in diversifying our coverage. Before the underwater pan/tilt, we simply mounted a camera on plate and shot the same photo over and over for each race. After the session, we would retrieve the camera and download images for use on the wire. The underwater system has really been a game-changer and is now the standard for most agencies."
Panama’s Luis Concepcion celebrates in the air after beating Japan's Kohei Kono at their WBA world super flyweight title bout in Tokyo, Wednesday, Aug. 31, 2016. Concepcion won the title by a unanimous decision. (AP Photo/Toru Takahashi)
Model: Canon EOS-1D X Focal length: 24mm F-Stop: 4 ISO speed: 2500 Shutter speed: 1/800 sec
From the photographer: "Normally during the award presentation, the winner spends several minutes posing for photos with the champion’s belt and trophies, and doesn’t show much emotion,” says Takahashi. "Concepcion suddenly dashed to the corner of the ring and climbed up the ropes. I thought he would play to the crowd a bit so I aimed my camera at him, but then he leaped from the rope and did a backflip. I didn’t expect him to show such acrobatic jubilation on the ring, but I was lucky to capture a frame that shows the contrast between the celebrating champion and his staff standing to the side, nearly emotionless."
A North Korean and her son pose for a photo on the back of a camel at the newly opened Central Zoo in Pyongyang, North Korea, Tuesday, Aug. 23, 2016. North Korean leader Kim Jong Un's latest gift to the lucky residents of Pyongyang, the renovated central zoo, is pulling in thousands of visitors a day with a slew of attractions ranging from such typical zoo fare as elephants, giraffes, penguins and monkeys to a high-tech natural history museum. (AP Photo/Dita Alangkara)
Model: Canon EOS 5D Mark III Focal length: 40mm F-Stop: 2.8 ISO speed: 250 Shutter speed: 1/8000 sec
From the photographer: "It's pretty common sight at various spots of the Pyongyang Central Zoo to see men on horses that people can have their photos taken with," says Alangkara. "At one corner of the zoo, though, right by the donkey pen, I saw a lady with a camel. It immediately caught my attention as it really stood out among the men on horses. The zoo was quite a lively place; school children came in groups, families sat on mats picnic-style in the shades of trees, and some even had portable gas stoves to cook simple hot meals. I saw lots of smiles that day and got a sense that people came there to have fun, and they did."
Orthodox nuns hold candles and flowers as they walk in a procession to bring the icon of the Virgin Mary to the tomb where it is believed she is buried, through Jerusalem's Old City, early Thursday, Aug. 25, 2016. Every year before the Feast of the Assumption, the icon is brought from the Church of the Holy Sepulchre to the tomb of the Virgin Mary to honor her Assumption. (AP Photo/Oded Balilty)
Model: Canon EOS 5D Mark III Focal length: 24mm F-Stop: 1.6 ISO speed: 1250 Shutter speed: 1/40 sec
From the photographer: "I took that image in the very first light on the day," says Balilty. "It started before sunrise around 4:30 a.m., and I was waiting for some blue sky so as to not only have the candle light against the black sky. I only had about 15 minutes of that perfect light and I was lucky to have it at the moment when the nuns stopped their march for few seconds before joining another group. I had to shoot with a slow shutter speed to get the image using only the candlelight."
The sun sets over the Giza Pyramids, near Cairo, Egypt, Friday, Aug. 19, 2016. (AP Photo/Amr Nabil)
Model: Canon EOS5D Mark III Focal length: 1000mm F-Stop: 10 ISO speed: 160 Shutter speed: 1/200 sec
From the photographer: "This image was shot from my home balcony: the 9th floor on the other side of the Nile, East Bank,” says Nabil. “It's actually one of the reasons that I selected this apartment 15 years ago: that I can view the Nile and the Pyramids from far away. Twice a year from my balcony I can see the sun set directly behind the pyramids. Each time I'm following and watching the sun like a hunter to capture my images. This day, I was well-prepared with a tripod and long lens and took several shots including this one."
Migrants, most of them from Eritrea, jump into the water from a crowded wooden boat as they are helped by members of an NGO during a rescue operation at the Mediterranean sea, about 13 miles north of Sabratha, Libya, Monday, Aug. 29, 2016. Thousands of migrants and refugees were rescued Monday morning from more than 20 boats by members of Proactiva Open Arms NGO before transferring them to the Italian cost guards and others NGO vessels operating at the zone. (AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti)
Model: Canon EOS Mark III Focal length: 50mm F-Stop: 1.4 ISO speed: 100 Shutter speed: 1/320 sec
From the photographer: "When I left to be embedded for two weeks with Proactiva Open Arms off the Libyan coast, I never imagined I would find those shocking stories that I did just a few days later," says Morenatti. "On Aug. 29, I witnessed a tense operation to rescue hundreds of migrants traveling on a flimsy boat off Libya’s coast, and by the end of the day, more than 3,500 people were rescued from about 20 boats unequipped for the voyage across the Mediterranean to Italy. Proactiva Open Arms joined together to start working for this cause just one year ago, and on this trip I witnessed how the help of ordinary people can contribute to make a better world.”
This post was produced for Canon, AP’s exclusive vendor of still photography equipment, by AP Content Services, the paid content service of The Associated Press.
AP photographers were interviewed by a third-party reporter on behalf of Canon.
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