Sunday, April 6, 2014

Anja Niedringhaus and her eye for sports

This is a slightly-off topic post.

Anja Niedringhaus pic AP via Guardian 
German photographer Anja Niedringhaus was killed on Friday, while working in Afghanistan. You may not immediately recognise her name but there is a very good chance you will recognise her photographs. Especially if you have an interest in the wars being fought in Afghanistan, and in the past in Iraq, Bosnia, Kosovo and more. The tributes online all contain words like bravery, courage and spirit, and apparently lots of laughter in the midst of all that.

While browsing her website, I realised she also took incredible sports photographs - and again they are photographs you have seen from Wimbledon, World Athletics Championships, the Olympics and many more.

These are not your typical sports photographs, take a look and you'll see what I mean. My favourite is Jamaican sprinter Rosemarie Whyte standing in the rain just before a major race.

Follow this link to Anja Niedringhaus website Sports. 

UPDATE:  At the end of March 2015 the Afghan Supreme Court sentenced a policeman to 20 years in prison for killing Niedringhaus. According to the New York Times the man Commander Naqibullah did not offer any reasons for the shooting, merely stating he is not a normal man. Full court report and comments from Niedringhaus' employer AP here on NYT site.

A photojournalism award in her name was also awarded in March  - fittingly going to another brave female snapper Heidi Levine. The American has worked in the Middle East since the 1980s.
SHARE:

2 comments

Solmadrid Vazquez said...

A shame she's gone. I looked at those sports photos she took. They are amazing.! She really had a talent for capturing movement and emotion.

My favorite is Rosemarie Whyte in the rain.

Niamh said...

@Solmadrid - so sad. She survived so much, and then ...

BLOGGER TEMPLATE MADE BY pipdig