Chloe Knott will be flying the flag for Britain and for women sports photographers after being selected for the International Olympic Committee’s inaugural young photographers’ programme at the Buenos Aires 2018 Youth Olympic Games.
The 22-year-old is one of six photographers – three men and three women in compliance with the IOC gender equity policy – who will be guided and taught by Sports Journalists’ Association award winner Bob Martin in Argentina. She beat off applicants from all over the world.
Delighted Chloe, who has just been working at the multi-sport European Championships in Glasgow, has been receiving mentoring by Mark Leech and Alex Livesey, 2016 SJA sports photographer of the year.
She said: “I’m absolutely thrilled. It’s a very exciting opportunity to photograph such a wide range of sports and capturing athletes at the top of their game while getting mentored by the very best in the business.
“I first photographed sports in the summer of 2016 including football, tennis and polo and from this I was hooked. Within a matter of months I had thrown myself into photographing a wide variety of sports including boxing, rowing and lacrosse and anything else that I could.
“My first taste of professional sport was in the summer of 2017 where I photographed a lot of the grass court tennis season including working for the LTA at The Surbiton Trophy and The Southsea Trophy.
“It was at Surbiton where I captured my image favourite image to date of Dustin Brown diving to hit a volley. I had been hoping to produce an image like this of him and it a huge buzz to capture that moment. Following this I began photographing Premier League football which is the sport I attend most regularly. Within this I have been so fortunate to be mentored by two incredible sports photographers – Mark Leech and Alex Livesey.
“I have also loved the work I have done with GB Taekwondo and it has been great to go behind the scenes and capture portraits and training. A career highlight has been working for Manchester City Football Club – particularly at the champions’ Parade in May and photographing matches and portraits of Manchester City women.
“I have just covered the European Games in Glasgow, photographing sports including synchronised swimming, diving, gymnastics and cycling.”
Chloe is also studying for a degree in technical theatre arts at Guildhall School of Music and Drama and has worked backstage at West End shows.
Applications were received from 36 countries and the top three photographers will be invited to cover the Lausanne 2020 Youth Winter Olympic Games. The IOC already run a very prestigious programme for young reporters but no-one from Britain has been successful with their applications yet – making Chloe’s achievement all the more remarkable.
The @Olympics is delighted to announce the 6 photographers who have been selected for the inaugural IOC Young Photographers Programme. They are Female: Abbie Parr USA, Nyein Su Wai Soe MYANMAR, Chloe Knott ENGLAND, Male: Dylan Burns AUSTRALIA, Sho Uda JAPAN, Alex D’Addese CANADA pic.twitter.com/HT4ObiWnJi
— Anthony Edgar (@OlympicAE) July 31, 2018
- Chloe’s images can be found here https://www.chloeknottphotography.com/
- Instagram: @chloeknott_photography