It’s the moment sports fans across the globe have been waiting for: the Paris 2024 Olympics will commence this week. It’s a jam-packed schedule of everything from old favorites like swimming and soccer to newer Olympic sports like surf or the debut of breakdancing. For photographers, the games are also the perfect time to watch some of the world’s best sports photographers in action.
To help you find sports photography inspiration—including the final product and some behind-the-scenes content—we’re spotlighting eight of the best Olympic photographers to watch during the Paris 2024 games.
1. Elsa Garrison
As a sports staff photographer for Getty Images, Elsa Garrison has covered some of the most esteemed athletics events during her career. Think the Super Bowl, World Series, the Stanley Cup, and soon, the Paris 2024 Olympics. Garrison made history as the first female staff photographer at Getty Images, according to her website. She fell in love with the craft during her sophomore year in high school while working at the local paper, then began her career at sports photo agency Allsport. When it was acquired by Getty, she joined on as a staff photographer—a role that would soon include a jaw-dropping few weeks in France. Follow her work on Instagram, or peruse her past action-packed Olympics images here.
2. Gitika Talukdar
This year, Indian photographer Gitika Talukdar will share the Paris Olympics games with the world as the country’s only International Olympic Committee (IOC) accredited female sports journalist from India. She covered the Tokyo Games in 2020. Talukdar will bring her nearly two decades of sports photography experience to the streets and stadiums of France this summer. She has covered major athletics events in the past, including the FIFA World Cup in 2023 and the Qatar FIFA World Cup in 2022, according to She The People. Tag along on her Paris Olympics 2024 journey on Instagram.
3. Ben Thouard
If surfing is your sport, look no further than world-renowned ocean photographer Ben Thouard. They are the only photographer accredited to actually be in the water during the competition, according to En-vols.com. Thouard, named the 2022 Ocean Photographer of the Year, was born in the south of France. He grew up on the water, where his brothers taught him to surf.
According to his website, he discovered photography as a teenager when he stumbled upon his parents’ old film camera. He moved to Paris to give the industry a go. Then, he decided to blend his love of photography with the ocean and moved halfway around the world to Hawaii. He built a homemade camera housing and went out on the water day after day to practice. His work has been published by National Geographic, and he’s won myriad awards, including honors from Canon and Red Bull. Catch his Olympics journey on Instagram, or get swept away by his portfolio of ocean photography.
4. Sarah Stier
Another Getty Images staff photographer ready to capture the action this summer is Sarah Stier, a graduate of Ohio University. Stier joined Getty Images full-time in 2020; prior to that, her freelance work included photographing Major League Baseball, boxing, hockey, and NCAA sports. Several prestigious internships, including those with the Boston Red Sox and Getty Images, helped pave her path into this competitive industry. For instance, the chance to travel to France to cover the big games. Learn more about Stier’s work on her website, or watch her France fun this summer on Instagram.
5. Maddie Meyer
Getty Images staff photographer Maddie Meyer, based in Massachusetts, has made a name for herself in the Boston sports world. She regularly covers local teams like the Red Sox, Bruins, Celtics, and Patriots. However, Meyer’s work isn’t limited to New England. Meyer has photographed the Olympics in Rio and PyeongChang. Not to mention the men’s and women’s World Cups and, soon, the Paris 2024 games. Meyer, an Ohio University photojournalism graduate, joined Getty Images in 2015. You can already get a taste of her action-sports work from the Olympic swim trials on Instagram. Learn more about her work on her portfolio site, too.
6. Annice Lyn
Annice Lyn, who we profiled in 2022, is no stranger to the Olympics. During our 2022 conversation, she was headed to the Winter Olympics to photograph the world’s top athletes, and she’s doing the same this summer in Paris. Lyn, who was named to Forbes’ 30 Under 30 Asia list in 2021, began her career as a national figure skater in Malaysia before an injury forced her to change careers. She’s continued to share her passion for sports from behind the lens. This year, in addition to the sports themselves, Lyn is sharing unique behind-the-scenes snippets on Instagram, including a post on the tradition of pin-sharing among athletes, officials, volunteers, and spectators. Continue following for jaw-dropping shots as the games commence, or admire more of her work on her portfolio.
7. Jeff Cable
California-based Jeff Cable has photographed seven Olympic Games during his career. The photographer, photo teacher, and tour leader is continuing the tradition this year with a ticket to France. Cable described his first Olympics experience, photographing the summer 2008 games in Beijing, as a pinch-me moment, according to NBC Bay Area. He went on to capture the games in Rio de Janeiro and London, among other career highlights. Learn more about the adventure of covering arguably the world’s biggest sporting event on Cable’s blog, where he shared his Olympics photography equipment. Such as his must-have lenses: Canon RF 100-300mm, Canon RF 100-500mm, Canon RF 70-200mm, Canon RF 24-70mm, Canon RF 15-35mm, and an EF 18-35mm fisheye. Cable also shares his workflow and approach to photographing the highly anticipated event. Keep an eye on his Instagram for more behind-the-scenes.
8. Brad Smith
Fans of the U.S. Women’s National Team (USWNT) for soccer will pore over the work of Brad Smith, team photographer, during the summer 2024 games. Smith has already shared some exciting behind-the-lens imagery, including the team disembarking in Marseille, and he’ll continue to showcase the journey in the coming weeks. According to an interview with Our Game Magazine, Smith started his journey at the University of Wisconsin, where he worked on the school paper.
He fell into a soccer photography role there, and that’s where his career took shape. In the interview, he shared a bit of his own game-day strategy: “I always do research on opposing teams.” He studies the players so he can know what to anticipate—a tip for any sports photographer looking to up-level their game. Follow his Paris journey on Instagram, or learn more about his award-winning career, which includes stints at Time Inc., on his website.
Craving more Paris fun? Read our guide to 15 non-touristy photo spots in Paris for those traveling to the 2024 Olympic games.
