Peter Read Miller's Favorite Shots

Peter Read Miller's Favorite Shots

Peter Read Miller/SI

Before the Sydney Olympics, we photographed a lot of potential medal winners from all over the world in, what else, gold paint. Jason Kidd could not have been nicer during what turned into a two-hour project at the Phoenix Suns practice gym. The Kidd truly is golden. Shot with: Canon EOS-1v(film camera), EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS USM lens, shot at 1/250 f/8.0

Peter Read Miller/SI

We built a 30-foot ramp, painted a sunset sky background and had some foam pads for Allyson Felix to crash into as the future Olympian did a series of runs and jumps in advance of her first major story in SI. Shot with: Canon EOS-1Ds, EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS USM zoom, shot at 1/250 f/6.3

Peter Read Miller/SI

When I heard on the radio that day that O.J. Simpson was going on his run in the white Bronco, I grabbed my equipment and starting trying to figure out where to photograph him. Right before you get to the L.A. airport, the 105 goes over the 405, and I was lucky enough to get there in time. Shot with: Canon EOS-1N, EF 600mm f/4.0L IS USM, shot at 1/1000 f/4.0

Peter Read Miller/SI

I didn't know what to expect when I got the assignment to go to Mexico City to photograph the pro wrestlers of the World Council of Lucha Libre. It turned out to be an amazing experience. They couldn't have been happier to have their pictures taken. I basically let them do their own poses and they were great. Shot with: Canon EOS-1Ds Mark II, EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS USM zoom, shot at 1/250 f/6.3

Peter Read Miller/SI

This is a low angle shot, so Cedric Benson has more of a heroic look as he jumps over the Saints to score during last season's NFC Championship game. And the snow certainly adds to the picture. This was a fun shoot for me because I grew up in Chicago and the Bears were always my favorite team. Shot with: Canon EOS-1D Mark II N, EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS USM zoom, shot at 1/800 f/2.8

Peter Read Miller/SI

This was shot back in 1996 at Lambeau, one of the most energetic stadiums in the NFL. It was a beautiful fall day. The sun was low and right in Brett Favre's face. It was one of those moments you really feel fortunate to have experienced. Shot with: Canon EOS-1N, EF 600mm f/4.0L IS USM, shot at 1/800 f/4.0

Peter Read Miller/SI

This picture sort of speaks for itself. Moments like this in wrestling are so fleeting, so to catch something like this is really surprising. The blood, the teeth, really add to the whole thing. The mat they're wrestling on is actually four feet off the ground and I'm sitting down with the other photographers so that people can see over us. Shot with: Canon EOS-1v, EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS USM zoom, shot at 1/1000 f/2.8 0 f/4.0

Peter Read Miller/SI

I walked out of the press box 20 minutes before this USC-Oregon State game and couldn't see the field through the fog. Using a wide angle lens, I was able to get this striking photo that caught the jubilation of the USC player, the despair of the OSU players behind him, and beyond that the mystical foggy quality. Shot with: Canon EOS-1D Mark IIN, EF 16-35mm f/2.8L USM, shot at 1/640 f/2.8

Peter Read Miller/SI

One of the biggest moments in any Olympics is when one of the host country's athletes wins a gold medal. Shot with: Canon EOS-1D Mark II, EF 400mm f/2.8L IS USM, shot at 1/800 f/2.8

Peter Read Miller/SI

Sergei Bubka, the pole vault gold medalist at the Seoul Olympics, had already missed his first two attempts in Barcelona and was about to make his third. I sprinted across the infield as he was running down the runway and I slid into a spot, hoping that I was going to get this lined up. I not only got the moment when he was eliminated from competition, but also got this little play with the stadium scoreboard. Shot with: Canon EOS-1N, EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS USM zoom, shot at 1/800 f/2.8

Peter Read Miller/SI

Any time you can make a picture with a flag in the background it works. Gymnasts are so graceful and they do such great things with their bodies, but they usually compete in indoor arenas with bad backgrounds. Not so at the U.S. Championships two years ago. Shot with: Canon EOS-1D Mark II N, EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS USM zoom, shot at 1/8000 f/2.8

Peter Read Miller/SI

This is from an overhead remote that I had put in the rafters. What makes this photo is that he's looking right into the camera and has that expression of intensity on his face. Shot with: Canon EOS-1D, EF 300mm f/2.8L IS USM, shot at 1/1000 f/2.8

Peter Read Miller/SI

I was basically trying to make something graphic with the lane markers. Again, it's a very, very low angle, with the camera almost at water level on the pool deck. The telephoto lens helped compress all the markers. Shot with: Canon EOS-1N, EF 600mm f/4LIS USM, shot at 1/2000 f/4

Peter Read Miller/SI

This was a result of good scouting work. I had flown into Barcelona two days before the Olympics and was extremely jet lagged, but went to the practice for the Opening Ceremonies and discovered how they were going to light the flame. A friend and I walked around the stadium for an hour that day, looking for the best place to mount a camera. When you can make a picture that no one else has, it's always a great sense of pride. Shot with: Canon EOS-1N, EF 28-70mm f/2.8L IS USM zoom, shot at 4 seconds f/2.8

Peter Read Miller/SI

This was taken with a remote camera on the goal floor plate at the 1999 Women's World Cup. It's the winning shootout goal against China that was followed by Brandi Chastain famously ripping off her shirt in celebration. You never know what you're going to get with a remote camera. IIn soccer you have to hope that you have it set up right and that no one blasts it during warmups. Shot with: Canon EOS-1N, EF 20mm f/2.8L USM, shot at 1/2000 f/4.0

Peter Read Miller/SI

This shows that you don't have to shoot everything super tight. It was the college matchup of the weekend, Ohio State against Texas, in Austin, always a great place to shoot. Shot with: Canon EOS-1D Mark II N, EF 16-35mm f/2.8L USM, shot at 1/800 f/2.8

Peter Read Miller/SI

This is your classic action football photo, where you really get to see the face, get a sense of the effort and the moment, with the defensive back almost mimicking the actions of former Denver receiver Ashley Lelie. Shot with: Canon EOS-1D Mark II N, EF 600mm f/4.0L IS USM, shot at 1/8000 f/4.0

Peter Read Miller/SI

What makes this picture look kind of special is that I actually laid my camera down on the ground. The result is that LaDainian Tomlinson's leap looks even higher. Shot with: Canon EOS-1D Mark II N, EF 70-200mm f/4L IS USM, shot at 1/1600 f/5.6