Series description
As an official photographer for USA Artistic Swimming, I have the honour and pleasure of photographing these amazing athletes. Most of the time the spectators do not not get to see the amazing underwater formations that help propel the athletes to the surface where they perform stands, jumps and flips. This series highlights those underwater moments that really make the sport special.
Biography
I am a California based photographer who specializes in art and sport photography. I developed my interest in artistic swimming after becoming the team photographer for my daughters' team. USA Artistic Swimming became aware of my photography and began to hire me for national championships and tournaments as well as being the media day photographer for the national teams. My photography expanded to include underwater photography which is where a lot of the magic happens in artistic swimming.
Support Group
The USA National Team practises an underwater formation to produce a lift on the surface. The National Team practices at UCLA and is trying to earn a trip to the 2024 Paris Olympics. They have had a stellar year.
© James Rokop, United States, Shortlist, Professional competition, Sport, 2024 Sony World Photography Awards
Shrimp
This image of the USA National Artistic Swimming Team was captured underwater during a routine practice. The National Team practices at UCLA and is trying to earn a trip to the 2024 Paris Olympics. They have had a stellar year.
© James Rokop, United States, Shortlist, Professional competition, Sport, 2024 Sony World Photography Awards
Support Group 2
An underwater photograph of the Buffalo New York Swimkins artistic swimming team at a championship meet. The image shows the structure that the team creates underwater in order to lift an athlete to the surface for either a stand, jump or flip.
© James Rokop, United States, Shortlist, Professional competition, Sport, 2024 Sony World Photography Awards
Entrance
This image shows an artistic swimming team diving into the water and starting to form a shape that will eventually look like a pyramid structure designed to lift another athlete out of the water.
© James Rokop, United States, Shortlist, Professional competition, Sport, 2024 Sony World Photography Awards
Elevator Up
In this image, the Walnut Creek Aquanuts, one of the best artistic swimming organisations in the USA, performs several synchronised lifts of its swimmers.
© James Rokop, United States, Shortlist, Professional competition, Sport, 2024 Sony World Photography Awards
Ducks in a Row
An artistic swimming team during a national competition warm-up. The team is in position, but while they prepare for their next move, the swimmers ‘egg beater’ to stay upright and in position.
© James Rokop, United States, Shortlist, Professional competition, Sport, 2024 Sony World Photography Awards