How to Photograph a Sports Action Commercial Job

This image “Chasing Light: A Triathlon Shoot at Sunrise”, was created as part of a campaign for the Elinchrom FIVE, the company’s flagship flash. But beyond that, it was also a chance to bring a long-standing idea to life—capturing triathletes running out of Lake Michigan as the sun rose behind them.

I’d had the concept in mind for years: early morning light, water frozen in motion, and just the right balance of flash to shape the subject without overpowering the scene. The combination of motion, water, and fast-changing light made for a perfect test of both preparation and flexibility.

The Setup

We began before dawn, standing in the lake as the sky slowly started to brighten. My first step was setting the ambient exposure to properly capture the sky and the rising sun in the background. My final exposure settings were ISO 100, f/2, and a shutter speed of 1/5000s, which I pushed to 1/8000s as the sun climbed higher.

With the background exposed the way I wanted, I brought in the flash to light the athlete’s face. I used the Elinchrom 39-inch (100cm) Deep Octabox, positioned just off to camera left. That decision was intentional—the sun was coming up on camera right, and I wanted it to act as a natural rim or edge light. The flash on the opposite side illuminated the subject’s face, while the ambient light helped fill in the shadows.

The light wasn’t about creating separation—it was simply about making sure the subject was properly lit within the scene.

Working Fast

Because the sun was rising quickly, I had only a short window where the sky looked the way I wanted. Add in the motion of the athletes and the water, and every frame offered a slightly different challenge. I kept the setup simple: one light, no modifiers beyond the Octabox, and a minimal gear footprint.

With a shallow depth of field at f/2 and fast shutter speeds, I had to rely on timing and experience to capture the right frame in the right moment.

Reflections

There wasn’t much post-processing on this image. Most of the work was done in-camera—just light retouching and basic adjustments to retain the natural color and tone of the sunrise.

Although it started as a commercial project, the image became one of my favorites because it brought together so many elements I love about photography: strong natural light, a clean concept, and the satisfaction of getting the shot through planning, timing, and a little bit of patience.

A Note from Mark Weber, Marathon Press – John Gress helped lead Team USA to victory in the World Photographic Cup in 2025! Check out his workshops if you want to learn from one of the absolute best in the industry, and don’t miss out on his incredible Lighting Handbooks.