Isn’t life funny? There I was, minding my own business on a Saturday evening when I get a message from a good friend Steve about the opportunity to photograph Paralympian swimmer Jessica Jane Applegate MBE for some promotional images and personal shots!
Jessica Jane Applegate MBE
Well I didn’t need much encouragement to get moving quickly and the following day the shoot was on! We arrived at Riverside Leisure Centre on a lovely Sunday afternoon and were welcomed by the manager. Shortly afterwards Jess arrived with her Mum Dawn and we had a cuppa and discussed how to get the shots we all wanted. The leisure centre needed shots for promotion purposes, Jess needed shots for use by the Digital Phone Company and I wanted to get some shots for myself for a personal project called Imperfections, promotion and competition. It was lovely meeting Jess and her Mum and I was in awe of Jess’s achievements to date (and she’s only 18!):-
Paralympics London 2012 – S14 200m Freestyle Champion
Paralympics London 2012 – S14 100m Backstroke Fourth
Runner up in the BBC’s Young Sports Personality Of The Year
World Championships 2013 – S14 200m Freestyle Champion
World Championships 2013 – S14 200m Individual Medley Silver Medallist
World Championships 2013 – S14 100m Backstroke Bronze Medallist
2 x World Records – 2013
Received MBE from Princess Anne
European Championships 2014 – 200m Freestyle Silver Medallist
European Championships 2014 – 200m Individual Medley Bronze Medallist
European Championships 2014 – 100m Backstroke Bronze Medallist
3 x World Records – 2014
Trials 2015 – Qualified for the 2015 World Championships
1 x World Record – 2015
1 x Able bodied British National Qualifying Time 2015
1 x Able bodied English National Qualifying Time 2015
We started the shoot in the lobby and got most of the promotional shots needed there, along with some great personal images.
We then moved to the poolside where we got some great shots in and out of the pool. It was also a great opportunity for me to try out my Panasonic 45-200 lens for the Olympus OMD capturing some great action shots.
All in all we had a great time (especially me!) and I would love to do it all over again! If you would like to participate in my Imperfections project or need any promotional images for yourself, please get in touch. Comment, share & enjoy!
