David Gray on photographing the characters of the court
David Gray has photographed sport for 30 years - and there’s something special about tennis, he reckons. What is it?
David Gray offers an interesting insight into tennis: more than any other sport, it’s the characters we’re interested in, not just the skill and athleticism on show. He’s right, isn’t he? Perhaps it’s the gladiatorial nature of top-flight singles that inspires this emotional investment in the characters on court, with all their tics and quirks and humans flaws. Gray is in a position to offer an insight like this, having photographed sport for 30 years – for the news agency Reuters, where he rose to Australian chief photographer, and now as a freelancer. He has covered six summer Olympics, four winter Olympics, and a dozen World Cups in cricket, soccer and rugby; he’s now shooting his 26th Australian Open.
The Melbourne event holds a special place in his affections. “It’s the light,” the 51-year-old says. “There’s no other tennis tournament where you get that quality of light – the bright sunshine reflecting off the beautiful blue court, and the crisp shadows.” In the first week of the Open he’ll be shooting for 14 or 15 hours a day – and every moment of play will be spent peering through his camera’s viewfinder, his lens trained on one of the players. “You’re looking to capture memorable moments, which usually last only a split second, or a few seconds at most,” he explains. “If you’re not following the players constantly, you’ll miss those moments.”
You probably remember how, at the 2021 Open, a butterfly landed on Naomi Osaka’s shin as she was preparing to serve; video clips of her tenderly coaxing the butterfly onto her fingers, then carrying it to safety off-court, went viral. Osaka, who has struggled with mental health issues and is missing this year’s Open due to her pregnancy, is “a beautiful presence” on court, Gray says. “The butterfly felt like a kind of blessing.” (If it was, it worked – she went on to win the 2021 tournament.)
This image, which won top prize in last year’s World Sports Photography Awards, cleverly abstracts the key moment into shadow-play. How was Gray able to shoot this unusual angle? Well, he was in his favourite spot at the John Cain Arena. Not courtside along with all the other snappers, or up in the seats, but higher. Way higher. “I was on the roof!” he says.