When you participate in a race, how do you take pictures of yourself? Asking a family member or friends? Or stretching out your arm and shoot? (that is what I usually do) But it might be difficult to take a picture of your memorable best shot?
沿道で、時にはトレイルの中で、写真を撮ってくれるフォトグラファーの方々に気づかれたことがあるでしょうか？ あるいはゼッケンのパケットセットの中に「あなたの勇姿をインターネットで見られます」という写真販売サイトのチラシをご覧になったことは？
Have you ever noticed photographers in a trail or along a road when you run? Or have you ever seen a flier in the packet said "Check out pictures of you at a race on the internet"?
株式会社フォトクリエイトが提供するサービスの１つで、７年前にマラソン大会での写真撮影・販売でスタートしました。マラソン、トレイルランに限らず、自転車、バスケット、ラグビー、サッカー、野球、チアダンス… など多くのスポーツ大会に、全国各地のプロ・フォトグラファー約1,000名と契約、フォトグラファー達が各イベント会場に赴き現地で撮影、後日ネット販売を行っています。
Photocreate Co.,Ltd. has offered this service. It started with a marathon seven years ago and now they cover various sports such as marathon, trail running, bicycle, basketball, rugby, soccer, baseball, and cheers etc. They have about 1,000 professional photographers all over Japan in commission based, send them for each event, taking pictures, and sell pictures online sales later online.
先日の第１回三原・白竜湖トレイルランレースでもトレイル内だけでなく、ゴール後のこんなシーンもばっちり撮影してくださいました。（それにしても私が疲弊してヘロっているのがよくわかる…） They took pictures not only in a trail but also at a goal at the first Mihara and Hakuryuko Trail running race the other day. (I was so worn out as you see here...)
I had an opportunity to speak with Ms. Mai Ishizaki, a professional photograph division manager of Pro Photo Solution headquarter, Photocreate Co.,Ltd. In fact, she participated in privately run like a girl event the other day.
「だいたい市民マラソン大会ですと、1,000人に対してカメラマン１〜２名がつきます。東京マラソンですと約７０名のカメラマンが担当しています」。なるほど、３万人規模の大会ですからね… "If it is a regular citizens' marathon, one or two photographers will cover 1,000 participants.
About 70 photographers are in charge at Tokyo Marathon." I see, it is a 30,000-participant size race, that makes sense.
They said to take pictures at 26,712 events in the 2010 fiscal year. That includes Dance Life (social dance competitions), a stage life (music events), Yoi-Shot! (festivals all over Japan), Photo Choice (any other events besides are introduced above such as dog shows, ballet competitions, university events, etc.), Snap Snap (an school event), and Circuit Photo (motor sports at Motegi and Suzuka).
イベント、大会と言っても想像以上に多岐に渡っていることに気づかされ、目からウロコです。また、動画の販売も今後は視野に入れて行かれるそうです。
Even if we talk about events or races, there are actually so many of them than what we can think of, which is so new to me. Also they will move onto motion pictures sales from now on.
元々水泳をなさっていた石崎さん。引っ越しを機に近くにプールが無くなり、水から遠ざかっていたときにハセツネに仕事で向かいます。「６年ほど前でしたか？ カメラマンと一緒に現地入りしました。皆さん、夜中に次々とゴールに帰ってくる。あるおじさんが一人でゴールされて、特に友人も家族も待っている様子でもない。『どうされるのかな…』と思っていたら更衣室から大きなザックをかついで出てきてそのままトボトボ帰って行かれたのです」。そこで思われたのが「この仕事は止めてはいけない」と。 Ishizaki-san likes to swim. When she moved, she didn't have a swimming pool near by any longer and that kept her away from swimming. Around that time, she went to Hasetsune for work. "Was it about six years ago? I arrived there with a photographer. Many participants came back to a goal one after another in the middle of night. One middle age man finished alone because no friends nor family members welcomed him. I was wondering how he would do after a goal. He changed his clothes in a changing room and carried heavy backpack and just left and his back looked lonely. Then I promised myself at that moment, "I must keep doing this work."
そして確かにゴールの写真だけでも記念なのですが、コース途中の写真こそ臨場感溢れていますよね。はじめの2年はゴールのみの撮影だったそうですが、2年連続ゴールに張り付いていたフォトグラファーからの「これはコースに入らないと、このレースの醍醐味がわからないのでは？」という提案で、翌年からトレイル内での撮影を開始。フォトグラファーを本気にさせたゴールの様子が伺えます。
Although a shot at a goal can be a great memory for each runner, but a shot of you at a trail can be more exciting, isn't it? Since they've started shooting Hasetsune, they've been at a goal to take pictures of runners. A photographer who has been in a charge for that two years made a proposal, "It can't be more real unless we goes into a course, isn't it?" We started to shoot in a trail from a following year. That's how it's started. We can imagine how exciting at a goal, which made a photographer moved that much.
もちろん夜のトレイルでの撮影では続々と来るランナーにあらかじめ「この先フラッシュたきます〜！」と警告をして、万全の準備を整えての撮影です。ハセツネは2日間で実質５、６名のカメラマンが入るのですが、うち２名は同じ方がこの６年間担当なさっているそうです。「今ではトレイルに入るカメラマンの方がアツいですよ（笑）」。
When they've been taken pictures in the middle of a trail at night, they warn runners in advance "you'll see a flash of lightning soon!" 5 or 6 photographers are in charge for Hasetsune in two days and two of them are same photographers for these six years. "Now photographers get more into it (laugh) ."
ハセツネでの撮影についてそれこそアツく語ってくださった石崎さん。実は目標があるとか。
「４０歳でハセツネに出場したいです」。元々水泳も生涯スポーツ。７０代の女性スイマーが元気に活躍しているのを見たことがある彼女。ハセツネも同じく５０代、６０代のランナーが元気に参加している様を見て、自分も挑戦したいと思われたそうです。
When Ishizaki-san talked about a photographing at Hasetsune, the way of her talk was heated up. She said to have one aim. "I would like to participate in Hasetsune myself at an age of 40."
Swimming is also a lifelong sport. She saw female swimmers at her ages of 70's were still active in a swimming pool. She also saw 50's- or 60's- runners participated with full of energy at Hasetsune, which made her mind to challenge that race.
「トレランは自分との見つめ合いだと思います」。自分との「戦い」でないところが石崎さんの人柄を表していると思います。
"Trail running is a sport which you 'confront' yourself." I think not "fighting" yourself shows what kind person Ishizaki-san is.
石崎さん、今度はご自身がカメラに納まる番ですね！ その日を楽しみにしています。長いお時間、ありがとうございました。
Ishizaki-san, you'll be in a picture next time! I am looking forward to the day. Thank you very much for your time.
