figure skating podcast interview
figure skating podcast interview
An interview with Leah Adams. Leah is an in-demand skating photographer who has photographed for several top shows, including Champions On Ice and Skate For Hope. She also conceived of, runs, and manages Figure Skaters Online, which creates and hosts over 50 websites for both upcoming and established skaters. In other words, she’s one of those hard-working supporters of skating who works behind the scenes and never gets the deserved recognition. So I’m giving her a bit of recognition with this interview. Hear her tips on how she gets those great photographs, how her incredible generosity has helped skaters over the years, and how she pissed off Tom Collins. 51 minutes, 29 seconds.
Win a photograph by Leah Adams!
Two lucky winners can win a photograph taken by Leah Adams: one is of Johnny Weir and the other is Ashley Wagner (see above).
To enter, send me either through email, twitter or my Facebook page the answer to the following question about Leah Adams: whose wedding did she photograph in Italy? The answer is in the podcast.
All entries received between March 1, 2012 and March 30, 2012 are eligible. The winners will be picked at random from all correct entries sent. Click here to learn more about how to enter.
Thanks to Fiona Mcquarrie for transcribing these interview highlights:
On her most embarrassing skating moment: That is a really good question. There was a time where Peter Carruthers, at Skate Canada, came over and was looking for someone to do a real quick question-and-answer. And I’ve got a credential around my neck so I try to be real low-key, and not attract too much attention. And he walks right over to me and starts asking me all these questions about, do you remember this, and who skated to it, and what was this music from. And me, I completely shut down because I felt like at the time this was inappropriate for a credentialed person. And then later on when people saw it on TV they thought it was absolutely fabulous that I couldn’t be myself, because normally I’m pretty, when I’m not credentialed I’m outgoing, I’m vivacious, I have this A-type personality. And here I was completely the opposite. So for me, that was embarrassing that I couldn’t be myself with Peter Carruthers.
On how she became a fan of figure skating: My first Nationals was in San Jose in 1996. Rudy Galindo came out and rocked it, it was so loud you could hear screaming outside the HP Pavilion [arena]. So what happened, my girlfriend wanted to go see Nationals, I knew nothing about skating and I really didn’t care, but she bought me an all-event ticket. I missed all practices, I didn’t care, she would call me, when are you going to show up, when you are going show up. Finally, I show up for opening ceremonies. I was in the arena not two minutes, not even in my seat, and I literally felt this wash over me. Now my husband told me, bring your camera, and I’d been shooting portraits for a long time. Well, I’m center ice, second row, and here are these beautiful costumes and fabulous makeup, and these physically fit, beautiful people. And well, it didn’t take long of course to get addicted, and from the get-go, I can tell you from the very first day, it was an addiction that I haven’t been able to kick.
And then the most remarkable things happened. While I was there I took some pictures of Dan Hollander, took them home, got them processed, and took them back to the arena next day. And he’s sitting in the stands. So I just walked up to him — again, A-personality, A-type — and said, hey, I took these pictures of you last night. And he says sit down, so I sit down, and meanwhile he’s in medal position at this point. And I’m so intimidated because I don’t know what to say to skaters, I don’t know a thing about skating other than they have beautiful people who are physically fit. I couldn’t even carry on a conversation. And he says, these pictures are great. For someb[...]
