10 days, 49 events and 214 nations – this summer, Joel Marklund – the Chief Photographer at Bildbyrån Photo Agency and Nikon Ambassador – landed in Oregon in search of the purest emotional moments in the World Athletics Championships, but – the competition was not limited to just athletes. Pacing back and forth, Joel scouted for the most unique positions to capture the moment. Clean backgrounds are a must. Imagining different scenarios will allow him to be one step ahead of the competition. “We photographers compete for the best pictures. I like to say that there’s as much competition off the field as on the field, especially at big events. Most times you only have one chance to nail your shot, which demands total concentration and focus for the moment,” said Joel. The moment is Armand Duplantis.

After countless hours of preparation plus an overseas flight, it all comes down to a few seconds to nail down the RAW emotion for this young 22-year-old superstar. Will this young shining star clear the bar and break his own record again?

First thing first, more preparation is needed because the COVID-19 pandemic restriction created an even bigger obstacle. “There was a limited amount of infield vests, some of them used in rotation by photographers who, in advance, need to request time-limited access. Most times you will only get in for one attempt for the athlete you are covering, meaning that you only will have one chance to get all the pictures you need close-up.” Without a clear plan, failure is inevitable.

Light…check, position…check, camera…check. He held his breath and waited. The noise dulled and the crowd faded away. Body in position and trigger finger ready. A bolt of yellow thunder dashed towards the bar and shot into the sky.


“Born to Fly”


No better words can be described for Armand, who broke his previous world record just one year ago at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games. Following the 6.21 meters showing on the scoreboard, the time started rolling again and the field was filled with roars, tears and applause.

As great athletes would never compromise on their shoes. The new flagship Z 9 from Nikon helped Joel clear his bar. “The autofocus capabilities have really blown me away, especially the eye-tracking. It gives you great opportunities to frame your image perfectly in-camera when shooting.”

Also, with a stacked CMOS sensor, Joel is able to capture ultra-high-resolution images in no time without distracting himself from framing. “It gives me cropping capabilities not seen before.” The unique 4-axis vertical and horizontal tilting touchscreen allows Joel to explore new angles previously not possible or very hard to capture. And as a function that he uses daily, “that has definitely changed my way of shooting.”

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