News Talk 94.1/AM 1600 Where The Upper Cumberland Talks
Photographer Emily Armstrong back from the Paris Olympics with memories of an amazing atmosphere.
A Cookeville native and Tennessee Tech alum, Armstrong said she was selected to photograph the international archery event in February. Armstrong said the Olympic spirit throughout Paris was her favorite part of the experience.
“Just being at the Olympics, soaking in the atmosphere of it, I feel like it was done in such a historic city like Paris,” Armstrong said. “It was just really cool walking around, there would be a bunch of Paris 2024 banners everywhere. Everyone was wearing their countries flag or something like that.”
Armstrong said she biked to the Olympics every day with her camera in the front basket. Armstrong said something she had to adjust to going from Cookeville to Paris was the transportation options.
“Transportations is definitely something to get used to,” Armstrong said. “Going on a metro or subway or taking a bike or constantly walking versus here you can just go into a car and you drive when you probably could’ve walked five minutes.”
Armstrong was selected by World Archery to capture the Archery competitions. Armstrong said she has worked for World Archery at international events before before but the Olympics were more difficult because of strict press rules and transportation challenges.
“Compared to normal archery tournaments, the press guidelines were a bit more restrictive about where we could go, where we could stand, versus most archery tournaments, as long as you’re in the media lane, you kind of have free range to do whatever,” Armstrong said.
Armstrong worked for World Archery last year photographing the World Championships for both able-bodied and Para athletes in Czech Republic and Germany. Armstrong has also shot for NCAA at the Women’s Final Four, National Field Archery Association, Tech Student Life, and Tech Athletics.
Armstrong said her favorite photo she took at the Olympics was of a South Korean girl because of the history behind the moment photographed.
“Its probably kind of a boring picture for non-archery nerds but, if your in archery, the South Korean women’s team won their 10th consecutive gold medal and no other Olympic team for any sport has ever come close to that because that’s like 40 years of straight gold medals,” Armstrong said. “So the team that did get it, they were kind of the underdogs because all of them were very new to the scene, they didn’t have the best track record earlier this year, but they ended up winning gold. It was a picture of one of the girls crying, it was like relief tears.”
Armstrong said her love for photography began with her love for archery.
“When I was 15, I saw other people taking really cool pictures of their bow, and I thought it was really cool,” Armstrong said. “So I just started doing it with my, dads little DSLR and I really enjoyed it. The photos were not great but I think that kind of inspired me to continue with the photography.”
Armstrong said she is going to Canada next month to shoot World Field Championships and would enjoy shooting for a University or professional team long-term.
