Blog: Ace

Sports Photography - Times Online

THE SPORTS MAGAZINE

Marc Aspland, 44, chief sports photographer

I've never ever had a Monday morning feeling in my whole life. Every day I've been where every other bloke would want to be - at a top sporting event. It's like a lifelong stag party. But there are some downsides; the incessant travel, being away from my wife and children and the pressure from the paper's sports desk to maintain high standards. But I've been doing it for 20 years - I've been on The Times man and boy - so I should be used to it by now.

When you start you do anything that they throw at you. I didn't have a day off for two years, I worked to get a toe in the door and tried to become half-good. I did news, features, fashion - I was happy to do anything.

Nobody else used to like working on Saturdays, and I'd put my hand up for the shifts. In those days there was the football, and the Five Nations and Premiership rugby. The other guys would take care of the main events and I'd go to what was left. That's how I became focused on sport, and then a contract came up - I was lucky enough that I had the support of the sports editor and his deputy at the time.

What I like most about covering sports events is that, unlike doing features, say, you have no control over your subject. Even choosing your vantage point can be out of your control. In Vegas, for the Ricky Hatton fight, there were only two British nationals ringside. I was given probably the worst position, under the neutral corner post - and they squeezed me in only because I made a lot of noise. Getting the shot comes down to experience. When that head bangs that canvas, and you know the boxer and you like that boxer and half of you wants to scream at him like a supporter and a friend, it's the professional half that kicks in. And you hope that after the moment you've got something that will encapsulate the whole fight.

by Ace on 15:23 on 3rd April 2008