Focus on wrestling: the real deal
Theo Ehret interviewed by Cameron Jamie
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C.J.: "Did you instruct the boxers to pose?"
T.E.: "We did set them up a little bit. Some guys came in and did all sorts of crazy things, but I set them up to get a decent shot. I went through a lot of trouble because I used two strobes to get better lighting. Most of the photographers at the time just used one. I think that's why my shots came out better than most. I started the mirror stuff, the double portrait of a boxer standing next to a mirror. The mirror at the gym was so filthy that you could not see in it! I had to clean it!"
C.J.: "The photographic style of the boxer looking into or reflecting in a mirror became a very popular motif in boxing portraiture as a result of your work."
T.E.: "Normally you see only the boxer's face and gloves and I thought why not have a dual portrait, showing both sides. The idea clicked, and I went with it. The next thing I knew, every boxer wanted a picture like that."
C.J.: "At the same time you were also shooting boxing matches."
T.E.: "I was immediately hired to shoot the action in the boxing ring at the same time I was shooting the portraits. The lighting conditions in those arenas were poor."
C.J.: "Did you shoot the ring action with existing light or with a flash?"
T.E.: "Anytime I could use available light, I would use it. Sometimes it was impossible, so I had to use flash. The television broadcasts had lighting all over the whole arena and that was nice because then I could get some nice shots. You had to watch constantly when you shot with strobes, because the strobe light would bounce off the ropes of the ring."
C.J.: "I am interested in how you shot outside of the ring because in some of the photos you have the ropes in the frame, and in others you don't. Was this intentional?"
T.E.: "With available light, I don't mind the ropes, but with flash I really don't want to see the ropes because they distract with the reflection. I would always shoot blind to avoid the ropes when I used flash. I would take the camera, pre-focused, and shove it underneath the ropes and follow the action without looking through the view-finder."
C.J.: "Were you a fan of boxing?"
T.E.: "No. To me, it was just a job."
C.J.: "These boxing photos were used in programs, and what else?"
T.E.: "The Olympic used them in their programs, and newspapers wanted prints. And I had made contact with a boxing magazine back East that always wanted prints."
C.J.: "Tell me about the interior photographs of the Olympic, when you shot the arena, completely empty, before the show; those are beautiful shots."
T.E.: "I did that because nobody else did it. I figured I'd do it just in case I needed it for something. The lighting was good in those situations. I never really had a moment to think when I shot boxing and wrestling. You didn't have a moment to set up."
C.J.: "What is it that you don't like about commercial photography?"
T.E.: "Well, all the gadgets and gizmos that photographers use today. It's not photography anymore; it's a completely different medium. With photography, I think you have a camera, a lens, some film - and your head. I never considered myself an artist. I just thought, 'This looks good,' and that was it. In general, I can't stand the magazines today. It's trash."
C.J.: "When did the pro wrestling work come along?"
T.E.: "Around late 1963, early 1964."
Page 1 2 3 4 5
Page 1 2 3 4 5
C.J.: "Did you instruct the boxers to pose?"
T.E.: "We did set them up a little bit. Some guys came in and did all sorts of crazy things, but I set them up to get a decent shot. I went through a lot of trouble because I used two strobes to get better lighting. Most of the photographers at the time just used one. I think that's why my shots came out better than most. I started the mirror stuff, the double portrait of a boxer standing next to a mirror. The mirror at the gym was so filthy that you could not see in it! I had to clean it!"
C.J.: "The photographic style of the boxer looking into or reflecting in a mirror became a very popular motif in boxing portraiture as a result of your work."
T.E.: "Normally you see only the boxer's face and gloves and I thought why not have a dual portrait, showing both sides. The idea clicked, and I went with it. The next thing I knew, every boxer wanted a picture like that."
C.J.: "At the same time you were also shooting boxing matches."
T.E.: "I was immediately hired to shoot the action in the boxing ring at the same time I was shooting the portraits. The lighting conditions in those arenas were poor."
C.J.: "Did you shoot the ring action with existing light or with a flash?"
T.E.: "Anytime I could use available light, I would use it. Sometimes it was impossible, so I had to use flash. The television broadcasts had lighting all over the whole arena and that was nice because then I could get some nice shots. You had to watch constantly when you shot with strobes, because the strobe light would bounce off the ropes of the ring."
C.J.: "I am interested in how you shot outside of the ring because in some of the photos you have the ropes in the frame, and in others you don't. Was this intentional?"
T.E.: "With available light, I don't mind the ropes, but with flash I really don't want to see the ropes because they distract with the reflection. I would always shoot blind to avoid the ropes when I used flash. I would take the camera, pre-focused, and shove it underneath the ropes and follow the action without looking through the view-finder."
C.J.: "Were you a fan of boxing?"
T.E.: "No. To me, it was just a job."
C.J.: "These boxing photos were used in programs, and what else?"
T.E.: "The Olympic used them in their programs, and newspapers wanted prints. And I had made contact with a boxing magazine back East that always wanted prints."
C.J.: "Tell me about the interior photographs of the Olympic, when you shot the arena, completely empty, before the show; those are beautiful shots."
T.E.: "I did that because nobody else did it. I figured I'd do it just in case I needed it for something. The lighting was good in those situations. I never really had a moment to think when I shot boxing and wrestling. You didn't have a moment to set up."
C.J.: "What is it that you don't like about commercial photography?"
T.E.: "Well, all the gadgets and gizmos that photographers use today. It's not photography anymore; it's a completely different medium. With photography, I think you have a camera, a lens, some film - and your head. I never considered myself an artist. I just thought, 'This looks good,' and that was it. In general, I can't stand the magazines today. It's trash."
C.J.: "When did the pro wrestling work come along?"
T.E.: "Around late 1963, early 1964."
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