Technically, it was a real challenge; a lot of lessons learnt!
Getting accreditation was the first hurdle. The organisers sort of prepared for a possible final win, but when it happened everyone was on a learning curve. I turned up at the accreditation point early in the morning, the first stills photographer actually, but the press card had not yet been finished by the printers. I was not about to leave my first in the queue place so spent a couple of hours waiting for the cards to turn up. Everyone was nice and apologetic about it. The press officer even supplied three of us with water. This was a rally hot day. All in all it was very nice talking to the press team.
Fast forward to the evening. I turn up early near Plaza España, between the Plaza and Gran Via. A few supporters, and traffic flowing. The long wait had started. My plan was take the shots of the Bus with the team here and then make my way to Prince Pio where the official event was being help: piece of cake!
When the Bus did arrive it was impossible to move a few inches in any direction. Got a few photos, but decided I should go forward of the bus (away from PP) because I felt it was safer. Got the ok from the Police Officer in charge of the police escort and went in front of the bus with a few other photographers. The plan was to get out at Gran Via metro; forget it!!
By the time Bus got to the end of Gran Via there only three photographers with the Bus. And the police sort of tolerated us as long as we did not get in the way and kept up with the bike escort!! Only one municipal police rider complained about our presence, but he could do nothing about it since the National Police had given us the OK. Anyway we really did not get in the way! (I have not seen the other two photographers since!!)
Getting to the concert venue and the final presentation was another ordeal in itself. Got on the Metro in P de Toledo and decided to go to Prince Pio . By this time I was really exhausted and full of bike fumes. The police use recycled oil fuel which smelled and tasted of friend fish, churros and chips (fries)!! This was like being in the middle of the ocean and not a drop of water to drink; we were in the middle of the city with all sorts of fast food smells around us and not a crumb to eat!!!
I eventually got to P.Pio after what seemed an eternity on the metro. In the morning I had checked out the area and from the metro station to the concert platform it was a three minutes walk down hill. When I got out of the station at night it was impossible to see what was where: people everywhere. And where I thought was the road to the platform it was now full of people. And the police were not going to let me go anywhere, press accreditation or not. Too dangerous, too many people!
By this time the Bus had arrived and the team were already meeting the VIP's. The platform was on the other side of the river and there were two ways to get to that side of the river: 1) the short way or 2) the long way. The long way was long enough (a km and so as a crazed crow might fly), but the problem was that I did not know there was a long way! I eventually discovered that there was a long way and eventually did get in front of the platform. As soon as I found a decent place and put camera to eye, the Spanish team lifted the cup!!
That day I lost a kilo which would have made my GP very happy!!
Technically, right from the start the light source, a setting sun, was in front of us, ie straight into the lens. By the time we got to the end of Gran Via, there was no light at all; at the time I did not have a flash but it would have been useless any way. I switched to my 50mm F1.4 but not terribly useful in the situation. The problem was the focusing, not enough light for the camera to focus!
Other lessons,
1) this story proved the rule, get there early and stay late!
2) never mind plan B, be prepared to function without a plan,
3) don't give up: the long way is also one way to a story.
