By Irving Lopez
Now that the 2013 WGI Sport of the Arts World Championships is complete, WGI would like to take the time to recognize our dedicated photograph partners, Jolesch. In the course of two weeks that took place at the Dayton Convention Center, Cintas Center, Nutter Center and the University of Dayton Arena there will be over 125,000 action shots captured by the Jolesch photographers. Jolesch has been the prime go-to WGI photo company for a solid 20 years. With 14 photographers and 6 assistants, the Jolesch team is expecting to process thousands of individual orders by the end of the WGI World Championships week. Jolesch has also recently become a part of Lifetouch Inc., the largest employee owned photography company in the world.
Take a look at action photos from the WGI World Championships here.
Jolesch director, John Reichanadter, said that the process of transporting all of their photography equipment is quite a mission. First, Jolesch sent out a truck to Des Mois, Iowa to pick up a bulk of their equipment, then they headed over to John’s office in Indianapolis.
The day before color guard prelims the Jolesch trailer was officially loaded “at 6 o’clock am, the day before prelims with a cargo van, and I mean it was filled from top to bottom front to back with backgrounds, lighting kits, everything,” said John. “We got here at about noon and finished setting up at 8 pm. So it was a solid 7-9 hours of set up, and that was only the UD arena, the Cintas Center was done at 6:30 am prelims day.”
Once the competition began rolling prelims day the Jolesch photographers were up front and center catching all of the action. What many WGI fans and performers do not know is that Jolesch actually takes requests.
Anyone looking for a photograph request of their son, daughter or other relative that is performing, all they have to do is approach the Jolesch booth or photographer and ask if they can get a good shot of a particular performer. If you are a performer you can also request a good photograph via Twitter @joleschatWGI
“Its just being close and involved with the performances. Sometimes we like to think about it as the closest way to get into the group without being in it is to take a picture of them,” said Jolesch photographer Randy Northcraft. “Sitting on the floor right in the front row taking photos is just so exciting because you’re right there!”
John admits that sometimes there will be those rare parents that have better camera equipment than the Jolesch photographers, but the one thing that they don’t have is access. The Jolesch photographers have the ability and access to capture a performers image up close and personal or all the way on top of the UD Arena catwalk. With 30 years of experience in photographing the marching arts the Jolesch Company happily attends thousands of events a year nationwide.
“The feeling I get when I see my Jolesch photo is captivating,” said Braddock Independent member Anthony Williams. “To know someone has spotted or is looking at you do something you’ve been working for all season is truly rewarding.”
For John, one of his favorite things to do as a photographer is to capture the emotion of the performer at the beginning and at the end of their program. He also likes to find different vantage points to get that unique shot that performers and fans are not going to find elsewhere.
When the entire WGI color guard and percussion championships are done the members only have videos and photographs to look back on.
“It’s a memory, it’s a way for people to relive a moment. The 2013 WGI World Championships is only going to happen one time, whether you plan to be in this activity for another 50 years, this event will never take place again, any regional event, any circuit event is only going to have happen one time,” said John. “This is a big deal with a group photo, it’s the only time you can get ‘WGI 2013 World Championships’ written on your group photo. That’s a memory.”
