NBC - Jan 2024
For the full video:
EOS Magazine April 2023
Voyager Magazine
August 2022
http://voyagedenver.com/interview/daily-inspiration-meet-jeff-cable/
PetaPixel
How I Review 2,000 Olympics Photos and Deliver 25 Right Away
I was joking with someone yesterday about the craziness of the Olympics, and the pressures that we are all under during the Games. We were talking about how the world has different time zones and maybe they should add another just for the Olympics. For the media here, there is absolutely no consistency to our eating and sleeping patterns and time is just different.
To see the full article:
https://petapixel.com/2021/08/04/how-i-review-2000-olympics-photos-and-deliver-25-right-away/
Los Gatos Magazine
June 2021
Behind the scenes with Jeff Cable, independent photographer for Team USA
BY MARIA GRUSAUSKAS
When asked what his favorite sport is to photograph, Jeff Cable, Olympic Team USA’s only
independent photographer, answered within a shutter speed’s thousandth of a second: “Anything different.”
Cable is a rare breed of photographer whose niche is that he doesn't have one. Beyond the Olympics, there are lizards in Tanzania to capture, exotic tree frogs in Costa Rica, Bay Area bar mitzvahs and events, portraiture for corporate clients like YouTube and Facebook, and so much more—and he loves shooting it all.
“I don’t give a [hoot] what I’m shooting, as long as I’m doing it right,” says Cable, who grew up in San Francisco and is currently
based in Saratoga. “For me, it’s just a general overall passion for photography.”
He’ll never forget the first time he shot bobsledding, for instance. “It was incredible," Cable says. "And so much fun to challenge myself and figure out how to shoot it.”
At the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea, Cable shot 26 different sports. Yet he still has fun shooting water polo or ice hockey again and again, the primary sports he has been photographing at the Olympics since 2008.
“I like to challenge myself to shoot everything differently than I did in previous years. Whether it’s the technology getting better, or me getting better at shooting, taking more risks to get a shot, that’s what
drives me. I want to push myself. I don’t want to get stagnant,” he says via Zoom on the 100-day countdown to the pandemic- delayed 2021 Summer Olympics in Tokyo— his seventh as a photographer.
“To be around some of the best athletes in the world, it’s just such an honor,” says Cable.
As the team photographer he’s in the unique position of being, well, a member of the team. “As a photographer, you’re really a historian,” he says of his approach to his work. “Whether it’s a bar mitzvah or the Olympics.”
Capturing history at the Olympics may be a lot of fun, but it’s also “a ton of work.” While all of us at home get to relax on the couch, Cable gets texts from his friends and family, “I’m watching you on TV!”
as he works from 9am to 3am for three weeks straight, on 14-minute deadlines.
“So if I shoot a game and I’ve got 1,000 images, I have 14 minutes to find the best ones, retouch and resize them and get them back to the U.S. They want it fast. But I relish the challenge,” says Cable, who is sponsored by Canon, and has access to the highest-tech equipment and fastest memory cards around today. He also takes his Olympics-paced work ethic and seriousness with him to all of his jobs, usually getting clients their photo galleries by noon the next day.
Jeff Cable
GOLD
In the little downtime that he has, Cable blogs from the Olympics on his website, showing hundreds of thousands of his followers behind- the-scenes snapshots and well- written stories about unforgettable Olympic moments, like seeing the U.S. women’s hockey team win a gold medal against Canada in Pyeongchang—an event he reveals as his number-one bucket list item since he began photographing the Olympics.
“Those girls were out there celebrating until the lights were turned off,” Cable, who celebrated out on the ice with them, recalls.
“I’m one of those lucky people," says Cable. "I just love what I do."
Popular Photography Magazine
What Is It Like to Be a Photographer At the Olympics? Jeff Cable Explains
A veteran Olympic photographer shares the secrets for shooting the games
BY STAN HORACZEK |
The Olympics are a dream assignment for many aspiring sports photographers. Sochi will be the fourth Games for photographer Jeff Cable, and he has learned a lot about what it means to shoot the world’s biggest sporting event. Before the opening ceremonies, he shared some of his knowledge with us about what it’s like to shoot on a global stage. You can follow his blog that he’ll be updating while he’s at the games.
See the full article:
https://www.popphoto.com/how-to/2014/02/what-it-to-be-photographer-olympics-jeff-cable-explains/
San Jose Mercury News
August 27, 2012
Jeff Cable has a 'golden' eye
By Deborah Rice
Tenacity, determination and skill get athletes to the Olympics. Those same traits worked for Saratoga's Jeff Cable.
Cable just returned from London, where he was the official photographer for the U.S. men's and gold-medal-winning women's water polo teams.
By day, Cable is director of marketing at Lexar, manufacturer of memory cards, card readers and USB flash drives in high use at recent Olympics.
But for two weeks this August, he was among 2,000 accredited photographers whose breathtaking images of the Games will last a lifetime.
Cable, a 22-year Saratoga resident, describes himself as a self-taught photographer with good coaches and good connections. One is Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak.
Cable and Wozniak met over a mutual love of technology while Cable worked at Wolf Computers in Los Gatos. They liked to talk tech--about products and features and what would be the "new next."
The two hit it off. So much so that the two traveled several times to Akihabara, Japan, known as "Electric Town," a techie's Disneyland, to find the latest gadgets not yet available in the U.S.
"When digital cameras first appeared, they became another common interest," Wozniak says. "I'd try all sorts of new products and tell Jeff which digital cameras I liked best and why. Jeff introduced me to early prosumer cameras. He knew this technology better than I and became very skilled at using early 'good' digital cameras. He also had better connections and knowledge of upcoming products, so he shot to the top of the curve."
Cable says, "It was ironic. Steve Wozniak was my tech idol, and here I was advising him!"
As a thank-you for Cable's help, Wozniak gave him his first digital camera.
"After time Jeff got very talented at 'seeing' good photo shots, controlling lighting and perfecting his photos in all the professional ways. He had blogs and gallery websites and was shooting weddings and a variety of events professionally," says Wozniak.
Typical events were bat and bar mitzvahs from Seattle to New York, but soon Cable had Olympic dreams.
Working on site for Lexar at the Beijing Olympics, Cable talked his way into becoming a temporary non-accredited photographer. That got his foot in the Olympic door. Parleying that with San Jose Sharks' connections got him official accreditation at the Vancouver Winter Olympics.
He was then determined to photograph the London Games.
"I don't take no for an answer. I'm polite, but tenacious," says Cable.
Perseverance paid off and he found a home in the USOC with the U.S. water polo teams. They are quick to praise Cable's work.
"Jeff did an excellent job for us providing images from every one of our matches. He captured the magical moment when our women's team won their first-ever gold medal, and supplied us with images that will be cherished for a long time to come," says Greg Mescall, associate director of communications for U.S. water polo.
"I don't do this for monetary gain. I do it for the excitement and adrenaline--just like the athletes. We're all competing in one way or the other," says Cable.
Competition among photographers is fierce with each trying to get something slightly different in their shots. Photo positions are assigned and crowded. Credentials get you into some areas and keep you from others.
"I'm such a Type-A person. I live for pressure." Cable says he is as passionate about photography as he is about life in general. "When I get involved, I go full bore, and that has been the case with my photography. It's taught me so much. I see the world in a different way now. That goes for lighting, angles and people's expressions."
Cable was able to photograph 25 other Olympic events. But the highlight of the Games?
"That would definitely be shooting the gold medal women's water polo game. I really cared about those girls. That was the first time a U.S. women's team had medaled in gold. So I was able to see history made. That's what I do. I capture history and have a lot of fun. It makes for a truly joyous day," says Cable.
Brenda Villa, a member of the U.S. gold medal-winning women's water polo team, told Cable during the competition, "We can't wait for each game to end to go on our team's Facebook page to see your shots. I love your photos, Jeff!"
"We never get to see pictures of our games or our funny expressions or our intense celebrations. We were all excited to look for Jeff's pictures on the USAWP Facebook page. It also gave us a chance to see pictures of our family and friends being super fans in the stands. It brought us some laughter and love from those we love," Villa says.
The respect and friendships went both ways.
"I got very close to both water polo teams, having shot thousands of their photos, so I felt like part of their family. One event I really enjoyed was the team celebration after final competition, [when] the athletes could let down their hair," says Cable.
"Jeff was well-liked and easy to work with--a consummate professional. He pitched in to shoot other non-competition events, such as pre- and post-press conferences," says Mescall. "And--this is important--our team's photos were to us in a timely manner."
A timely manner meant fast. Speed is one significant change Cable has seen affect his job even in the four years since Beijing.
"The main difference is the reality of, and expectation to, move faster. I was contractually obligated to post the water polo team photos within two hours after each match. That meant editing and uploading to the Internet, and finishing in time to prepare to shoot the next match," observes Cable.
It's almost as if covering the Olympics as a photographer is like being a decathlon athlete.
Olympic photographers are wise to prepare themselves on a physical level. They face long hours concentrating through viewfinders, carrying gear and running for shuttle buses between venues.
"You have to be able to do everything," Cable says. "It helped that having been to three previous Olympics I knew the routine. It's a lot of long hours and hard work, but it's worth every minute and I am very fortunate to be able to have been there."
Olympics photographers face two battles. One has to do with the difficult logistics of covering such a massive event, with its crowds of people and unending restrictions and permissions.
The second is entirely photographic.
"You must bring the right gear, find a great vantage point for capturing it, and figure out just how to add your own visual twist that will set your photos apart. We're all going for that picture that will go down in Olympic history. We're there to capture it in real time, under pressure, because in sports photography, there's never a 'do over,' " says Cable.
"One thing I've learned covering sports is if you see it, it's too late. You have to anticipate it before it happens," he says.
Water polo is a tough sport to shoot. So much of what happens is under water. So what makes a great water polo photo?
"Knowing the strokes, the angles of the pool, and where you can go and where you can't go. Reactions after a match are very memorable," says Cable.
"These Olympic athletes have put their whole lives into being here. Things can happen that you don't expect and could never predict. Sometimes there's magic in front of your eyes. As a photographer, you have to be ready for it," he continues.
Making a different picture may be one thing, but making a great picture is another.
"The best pictures are about the human story. What really matters is life and feelings and emotions," says Cable.
He says that it's essential to know the sports and the athletes you'll be covering.
"It's important to know who's who, and what physical tendencies they may have," he says. "You can get great images by anticipating how each athlete may react to winning or losing. That can make a killer photograph."
Cable adds, "And good planning matters. I packed way in advance. I had the best equipment, the right accreditation and a clear idea how I might cut time getting from point A to B to C," he says. "I was able to shoot over 25 different Olympic events--buses between venues leave every half-hour. If you miss one, you waste valuable time waiting for the next one."
Wozniak says he's awed at Cable's transformation.
"I'm still amazed to have seen a close friend start out with a normal gadget interest and develop into a skilled professional photographer," Wozniak says. "It's a great example for any entrepreneur. Jeff pursued his passion for photography and didn't give up just because it's a long road to the high skill level. And I particularly liked that he developed his profession online, not in a studio office."
U.S. men's water polo team member Jesse Smith is also a fan of Cable.
"Jeff Cable is a great guy," says Smith. One of Cable's photos taken of him with son Brooks appeared on NBC. That led to admiring recognition for Smith and wife Brittany around the Games. Appreciative, Smith gave Cable one of his many U.S. Olympic team swim suits as a thank you.
"It's a wonderful job. I get to capture history, feel the efforts of the athletes and share great moments with the rest of the world," says Cable.
"It's a privilege to do work we love. But sometimes it goes beyond that. As a photographer, I am lucky to be introduced to amazing individuals and experiences. The competitive spirit that the athletes feel, I feel. The emotion I had when the U.S. women's water polo team captured the gold was like no other. The memory still gives me chills," says Cable.
He's already been asked to submit papers for the Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia.
And it's all happened because one day he decided to pick up a camera and figure out how to use it well.
For information, and to see some of Jeff Cable's photos, visit www.jeffcable.com.