“In sport one gets only one chance, and one has to get it right. One has to know what one is doing, because one is capturing someone else’s history. That’s the job. I love the challenge and the tension that goes with it.”
This is how internationally acclaimed photographer Roger Sedres describes what makes sports photography so different from all other photography.
This world-renowned producer of impeccable images has just been named Photographer of the Year at the SA Sports Awards.
The event, held in Durban on Saturday 12 March, also saw sports stars such as Olympic champion Tatjana Schoenmaker and Springbok winger Makazole Mapimpi walk away with top honours.
The 53-year-old has been a resident of Gordon’s Bay since 2010.
Speaking to DistrictMail, he recalled having an interest in photography since he was in Standard 7 (Grade 9) in high school back in 1983.
“I attended Excelsior Senior Secondary in Belhar and matriculated in 1986. My very first published picture was in November 1990.
“This was of a group of drum majorettes from Bet-El school in Kuils River. I always wanted to be a news photographer, but the opportunities were not there at the time. I found employment at Cape Community Newspapers, taking pictures of canned food and shoes for its advertising department. On weekends I would photograph sports under the guidance of the late Brian Gaffney for free. This ranged from soccer, baseball and darts!”
As time went on Sedres got better at his passion and soon began travelling the world. Two highlights of this period was photographing late former President Nelson Mandela while still in office and starting his own business in 2005.
He also photographed Chad le Clos winning gold at the London Olympics of 2012 and clicked away when Wayde van Niekerk set a new world record at the Rio de Janeiro Olympic Games in 2016.
He also captured Tatjana Schoenmaker win silver and gold at the Tokyo Olympic Games and Anruné Weyers win gold at the Paralympic Games.
Asked how his nomination for the SA Sports Awards come about, Sedres said he received a phone call from the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture to say he’d been nominated for this prestigious award.
“This is the very first time I had been nominated for this award, by far the most prestigious award I have ever received.”
He said it made him feel truly humbled, first by the nomination and second when his name was called.
“It’s an overwhelming feeling of gratitude,” is how Sedres describes the balm of winning.
His collection of awards includes that of the Hunters Gold Sports Award in 1992, Metropolitan Photo of the Year in 1993, Metropolitan Super Cup Photo of the year 1994, Metropolitan Contribution to Soccer Award in 1995, Fuji Press Awards – Highly Commended in 2000, Fuji Press Awards – Winner in People in the News category in 2001 and Runner-up in the News category in 2001.
Speaking of Gordon’s Bay, Sedres says he and his family love being so close to the beach.
“It feels as if one is on holiday all year round. We are really privileged to be staying in such a beautiful part of the Western Cape.”
He will be heading next to other international events, but said that the biggest by far will be the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham in the UK, which takes place in late July.
Sedres and his wife Shireen have two children, Katherine (17) and Benjamin (12).
