spartan immortalised
photographer
Image captured by Scott Sheppeard, Director of Photography for Spartan Australia & New Zealand.
When
Captured at 11:19pm on the 8th of October, 2016, during the epic 12 hour Spartan Hurricane Heat.
where
In a muddy trench somewhere in the foothills of Picton, an hour out of Sydney, Australia.
Elimination
Not everyone finishes a 12 hour Hurricane Heat. There were too many stubborn participants who would not quit. Teams were assembled and assigned heavy steel stretchers, jerry cans full of water, and they still had to carry their torsion bars too. While wearing their full ruck packs.
Once loaded up, they marched their equipment to a rally point a kilometre away. Back and forth, again and again. Stragglers will be cut from the event and told to go home.
The attrition begins.
what is your why?
Half of those remaining were ordered into a cold, repugnant mud trench, holding their torsion bars overhead while the other half bear-crawled 100 meters.
Then they traded places. After several rounds, all Spartans were ordered into the pit and asked the same question.
“Why are you still here? What is your why?”
The Directing Staff points at a participant, asking why are you still here?
I had to relocate after this shot as they would soon climb over my position.
Here you can see the view from the perspective of those in that award-winning photo.
now it begins...
You have 3 minutes
to Get everyone out
the only exit
is up this hill
consequences
That took too long
It was high, and steep. Getting up that slimy mud wall was a serious challenge.
They're going back in
The Directing Staff were kind enough to provide increased motivation to get everyone out of the trench faster this time.
Every 30 seconds a whistle will blow. Anyone still in the trench will have to submerse themselves. All the way under.
It’s cold, rank, and unpleasant. The fear and dread is palpable.
I need a different lens
oh no. this is bad.
I realise I need my wide-angle lens and flash, which are in my backpack far away.
Spartans are about to go into the trench again for the defining moment of this entire experience. I cannot miss this!
I don’t have the time it will take to swap lenses, install the flash and adjust multiple settings. My gear is far away, it can’t be done.
There isn’t time. I’m screwed
I sprint through the dark to my gear. In the pitch black I feel for the necessary components. Like a SWAT guy reassembling his weapon blindfolded, my hands find familiar notches and grooves as I swap lenses and attach the flash.
Sprinting back, the screams of “Grab my hand!” tell me they’re already in the mud.
On the run I adjust my ISO, f-stop, shutter speed, focus mode, flash power… and I’m back at the trench. It’s showtime.
Focus, shoot, repeat.
"That's a good photo, you must have a great camera"
An excerpt from a book I am writing titled
“How to start a fight with a photographer.”
International Action Image of the Year
2016 – grand prize winner
scott sheppeard
aftermath
Bodies were hauled out and washed down
sharing is caring
While the Spartans were struggling in the mud, the DS were kind enough to gather up the fuel everyone had brought with them and prepared a midnight banquet.
Get up that mountain
Refuelled, the Spartans began their hike up Razorback with various heavy objects. Repeatedly.
Around dawn, the interrogations began, and numbers continued to dwindle.
A few survivors
Beyond exhausted and emotional, tears flowed when they realised they had made it out the other side. From here out, few things in life will bother these special individuals. A 2 hour run? A 4 hour workout? Things not going to plan at work?
That’s nothing. You don’t know what I’ve been through. Bring it on.
Job done
This is the story of how an award-winning image was made, and I earned my stripes as a Spartan photographer.
Soon after, I stepped into the role of Director of Photography for Spartan Australia & New Zealand.
Covering this event was my biggest challenge, but I was not in the pit. I didn’t have to carry sandbags up the hill, or those damn stretchers. My respect goes to those who stepped up and endured.
Being close to the action is a great way to get some perspective, and helps me do what I do.
Aroo!!
Scott sheppeard
director of photography
Spartan austrlia & New Zealand
