Richard Heathcote

Richard Heathcote is among the most respected sports photographers working today and has over 25 years of professional experience. His globetrotting career has included covering FIFA World Cup and Rugby World Cup tournaments, several Olympic Games and all of golf's major championships.

Born and raised in Hertfordshire, UK, Richard initially became interested in photography at around the age of 14. He was inspired by his father, a keen amateur photographer, who taught him to process and print analogue photographs at home.

Richard's growing reputation as a sports photographer led to him being offered a job at Getty Images in 2004 and he has stayed with the agency ever since. He has regularly covered a range of domestic sports including football, rugby and boxing, but has particularly enjoyed major tournaments.

"I especially enjoy the big events, such as the Olympics or football World Cups, where I'm working as part of a big team of photographers and other staff," says Richard. "These events are hard work with long hours, but I enjoy them because you get to work with colleagues and friends from around the globe. You get to see different people's styles and bounce ideas off each other."

He is also interested in the technology that helps sports photographers get great shots and he has helped develop robotic camera systems which allow multiple cameras to be placed in locations where it's not possible to put a photographer. This technology is now used widely in the coverage of sports events.

Richard's dedication, detailed sports knowledge, technical skill and eye for a great picture have brought him recognition in the form of several top sports photography awards. They have included the 2019 Sports Journalists' Association Photographer of the Year award and being named the Overall Winner in the 2020 World Sports Photography Awards.

What, for Richard, makes an outstanding sports image? "It's a cliché, but the picture almost has to leap out of the page or screen at you," he says. "You can take interesting sports pictures with lots of detail, but primarily a good sports picture has to have instant impact and show a moment. It makes you feel the power of the boxer's punch or the emotion of the footballer celebrating; it draws you in as if you were there. It makes you look at it and think, 'Wow!'

"Really strong, amazing pictures don't come along very often, but it's great to take one of those pictures where everyone thinks, 'I remember that sporting moment, and that's the picture that captures it.'"

What's the best way to get started in sports photography?

"Start with local sports such as football and rugby so you can get practice and understand what you need to do to get good pictures. Professional equipment is expensive, but you don't need that to begin with. You can get great sports photos on a 200mm lens if you're patient and wait for the action to come to you. Just don't try to shoot something that's beyond the means of the equipment you have."

What's your favourite tournament to photograph?

"I love Ryder Cups. Golf is an individual sport where they only play in a team once every two years and it's amazing to see golfers competing as a team and experiencing the team mentality. The atmosphere is like nothing I've ever experienced; it builds until it reaches a massive crescendo at the end. I'd recommend anyone to experience it if they can."

What do you aim to achieve when you photograph a sports event?

"From a journalistic point of view, I'm there to tell the story, so I want to capture the picture that tells the story of that event. From a photographic point of view, I want that picture to be the best it can be – I want really good light, really good action and a really good angle, shot on the right lens."

How does someone become a successful sports photographer?

"The key thing is to really know your sport, but you also need to be very persistent and willing to put in the time and effort to keep improving. It's also important to develop your own style. You need to incorporate your own way of seeing things and not lose that individuality if you want to stand out long-term."

"To shoot great sports pictures, you need to understand and know what you're going to shoot. You can't just rock up to an event completely blind and expect to come away with everything you need. You need to know your subject, know what's likely to happen and have a plan for that. The better prepared you are, the more you've thought about what you want to do and get out of something, the better the results are going to be."

Instagram: @rheathcote

Twitter/X: @rheathcote

Website: www.richardheathcote.com