Last Updated on June 6, 2022, 11:34 AM | Published: June 5, 2022
OKLAHOMA CITY (Free Press) — It might be cliché by now to say “a picture is worth a thousand words,” but when you’re talking about a giant of photography like Walter Iooss Jr., even a thousand words might not be enough.
Photographs of nature, architecture, and traditional portraiture all have the ability to be self-contained, to show off only what’s in the frame and let the composition and beauty of the image speak for itself, but by its nature, sports photography is different. There is an understood drama and struggle behind the image.
Even if the viewer isn’t familiar with the athletes, or even if the athletes are unknown or anonymous, the understanding will always be that if sports are involved, the rush and relation of competition will be right there outside the frame or between the figures, invisible to future viewers, but clear and present in the moment when the shot was taken.
It’s that understanding, then, that makes the role of curator all the more important for a museum exhibit like “The Perfect Shot” at Oklahoma City Museum of Art. Providing the backstory and context for these nearly 100 iconic stills by sports photography legend Walter Iooss Jr. is an integral part of the experience, filling in the blanks of the inherent drama surrounding each shot that can’t be easily captured in the lens.
Luckily, Free Press, in collaboration with OKC’s Trifecta Communications, was able to preserve the unique experience of chatting with museum curator Bryn Schockmel about the stories, struggles, and stars on display throughout, all in fully interactive 360-degree video.
Access
The incomparable career of Iooss in the sports photography world has, unsurprisingly, seen him working most closely with “Sports Illustrated,” even shooting every single Super Bowl, from the very first in 1967 to 2020’s last pre-COVID installment, for the erstwhile publication.
In all that time, it’s not the changes to the sport or the culture of fandom surrounding the game that Iooss says has changed the most for him, it’s something else.
“He has said that one thing that’s changed so much about his career over the years,” Schockmel said, “is the level of access that he has to athletes.”
This is evident in many of the photographs throughout the exhibit, including a few close-up candid shots of friend and frequent collaborator Michael Jordan, but perhaps never more so than in the picture that Iooss himself says is his favorite Super Bowl shot he ever took: a relaxed Joe Namath lounging poolside surrounded by reporters just before Super Bowl III in 1969.
That invisible competitive spirit hovers in and around every inch of the photo, as Namath’s unflappable confidence is on full display, even while being hounded by both press and pressure.
“He would never be allowed today, for example, to get this close to Tom Brady,” said Schockmel. “So that’s something that’s really changed.”
Beyond the Frame
For many of the exhibit’s photos, the stories don’t stop being told once the film is developed. Some of the best anecdotes by Iooss are actually responses that he received after completing and presenting his photos.
Iooss claims that he likes to shoot sports stars almost as superheroes, emphasizing their larger-than-life personas and physical feats, and even Jordan himself said that no one could capture that feeling better than Iooss.
But not every subject was so gracious when seeing his work.
Easily one of the most striking pictures on display is the fiery, lushly colorful shot of renowned diver Greg Louganis mid-dive, but reversed to show him seemingly rising amidst a steamy, red background.
Everything about the shot is pure storytelling (and pure Iooss,) from Fujifilm’s invitation to experiment with their new film stock to the decision to present the dive upside-down, but that’s not the story that Iooss and Schockmel both love the most.
Instead, it’s the story of what happened when Iooss finally showed the still to the legendary diver.
“Louganis looks at it and just says ‘I’m bent,’” Schockmel said, “because all he can see is that he’s slightly bent at the waist. He didn’t even notice what an amazing photo it was. He just saw this slight imperfection in his form.”
Agony and Ecstasy
Each and every photo in this remarkable collection tells a story of its own, some intimate or internal, some so loud and clear that you can almost hear the noise through the picture.
It’s the stories, the glories, and all the relatable feelings that come with them that have seen “The Perfect Shot” resonate so strongly with museum visitors.
“We’ve had days since opening this exhibit,” Schockmel told me, “that have rivaled some of our busiest days, even pre-pandemic.”
Schoolchildren have flocked to the museum in record numbers, most on school field trips, to not only see some of their greatest past and present sports heroes, but also the many young, anonymous figures throughout. Iooss beautifully captures a number of young children playing sports with friends or training with coaches, some in the streets, some in inner-city gyms or youth centers, and the same kind of unspoken visual storytelling is always on display there as well.
For Iooss and his unmatchable eye, the struggle is the story. The agony of defeat and the ecstasy of victory are all just chapters along the way.
“The Perfect Shot: Walter Iooss Jr. and the Art of Sports Photography” is showing at OKCMOA through September 4th. For more information, visit okcmoa.com.
Brett Fieldcamp has been covering arts, entertainment, news, housing, and culture in Oklahoma for nearly 15 years, writing for several local and state publications. He’s also a musician and songwriter and holds a certification as Specialist of Spirits from The Society of Wine Educators.
