Standing at the start line of the 2011 Maple Grove Triathlon can mean of whirlwind of excitement for racers, but that certainly applies to spectators too. “It can be a sensory overload,” Nils Nilsen says
Nilsen, who contributes to Triathlete magazine, came to town from San Diego to cover the race. He describes how that day's beautiful light, and the fact that the subject had turned just right, made it easy for him to take the shot. But it was still a spur-of-the-moment photo.
“It lasted only a few seconds and there was no direct interaction between the subject and me," says Nilsen, a professional photographer for more than 10 years. “Over the years I have been able to hone my skills to identify the smaller moments in the larger event, which creates intimate images like this one.”
He was in the fourth grade when he first learned how to work his father's SLR camera, and it during that trip to the Grand Canyon when he fell in love with photography. And what does Nilsen like about this photo?
“I am drawn to the depth in the subject’s eyes,” he explains. “There is a story deep within that gives a personal connection to the viewer.”
The voters in last year's Focus on Maple Grove photo contest can attest to that. This photo won second place in the Activities category.
The 2012 Maple Grove Triathlon is on August 25, starting at 7:30 a.m. Registration is open now at mgTRI.com.
