During events like the Winter Olympics — when information circles the world in split-second tweets — news organizations are desperate for photos to accompany their stories. But for photography institutions such as Getty and the Associated Press, sending those photos thousands of miles to where they need to be presents a challenge. To meet the demand, the companies are investing heavily in new technologies to deliver photos to news outlets as quickly as possible — even from the top of remote mountains.
Getty vice-president of sports Ken Mainardis told Mashable that the stock-photo agency, in conjunction with other outlets and the International Olympic Committee, had laid about 20 kilometers (12.4 miles) of fiber-optic cable to transfer photos at 100 megabits per second. This allows Getty's team of 70 to send pressing photos to news publications in 180 seconds — just three minutes.
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But that three-minute window includes a great deal of behind-the-scenes action. The images aren't just going directly from photographer to the Getty distribution network. First, they are processed by a team of editors and Photoshop experts who select the best photos, crop and color-correct them, and make sure the proper people are listed in the captions. Mainardis said that of the million or so images Getty photographers shoot during the Winter Olympics, about 50,000 make it to its customers.
Bigger spectacle events require even more photo resources. Mainardis said during the opening ceremony, a photography team shot 26,000 images, which were narrowed down to 2,300 to be presented online.
Mainardis added that Getty has been using a fiber-optic cable system since the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing. Getty has been the official photography agency of the IOC since the 1988 Winter Olympics in Calgary, Alberta, Canada.
Every four years, each Winter Olympics have posed unique challenges, depending on its location — and Sochi is no different, according to Mainardis. He said the most difficult event to cover is alpine skiing.
"Our alpine team needs to ski down the mountain early in the morning, carrying between 20 to 30 kilograms (44 to 66 pounds) of equipment, to get into position to shoot the competition."
Earlier in the games, photos such as the one above emerged showing drones photographing athletes. Both Getty and the Associated Press said photography organizations are not authorized to use drones, which are reserved for licensed television broadcasters. In the photo, above, a drone captures images of Norway's Aleksander Aurdal during the men's ski slopestyle finals on Thursday.
BONUS: Fans Celebrating at the Winter Olympics
Fans limbo under a U.S. flag to celebrate Jamie Anderson's gold medal in the women's snowboard slopestyle final at the 2014 Winter Olympics on Feb. 9 in Krasnaya Polyana, Russia.
A fan awaits the start of the women's freestyle skiing moguls final at the Rosa Khutor Extreme Park on Feb. 8.
Judges look on during the ladies' normal hill individual ski jumping training at the Ruski Gorki Jumping Center on Feb. 9.
Norwegian fans enjoy the atmosphere during the alpine skiing men's downhill at the Rosa Khutor Alpine Center on Feb. 9 in Sochi.
A Russian supporter smiles on his way from the Laura Cross Country Ski & Biathlon Center on Feb. 9.
A fan cheers during the men's 5,000-meter speed-skating event on Feb. 8.
Russian supporters attend the men's alpine skiing downhill at the Rosa Khutor Alpine Center on Feb. 9.
A pin collector displays his bling ahead of the men's luge singles on day two of the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics at Sliding Center Sanki on Feb. 9.
Fans look on (one perhaps more enthusiastic than others) during the men's figure skating free skate at the Iceberg Skating Palace on Feb. 9.
Supporters snap a few shots before the men's luge singles at the Sliding Center Sanki on Feb. 9.
Under orange lighting, gold medalist Sven Kramer of the Netherlands walks through a crowd of cheering fans after winning the gold in the men's 5,000-meter speed-skating race Feb. 8. Kramer set a new Olympic record during the event.
Decked-out fans amuse themselves before the men's luge singles at the Sliding Center Sanki on Feb. 9.
Fans cheer at the finish line during the men's singles luge final on Feb. 9 in Krasnaya Polyana, Russia.
A Norwegian fan dressed as a viking smiles ahead of the medal ceremony at Medals Plaza on Feb. 9.
Semen Pavlichenko of Russia passes fans, as he brakes at the finish line during the men's singles luge final on Feb. 9.
A fan waves the Russian flag at the men's 5,000-meter speed-skating event at the Adler Arena Skating Center on Feb. 8.
Olympic supporters cheer at the finish line during the men's singles luge final on Feb. 9.
The crowd gets riled up during the women's 3,000-meter speed skating competition on Feb. 9.
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