Joanna Mills: Running Through Uncertainty

A Young Athlete in Limbo
Ahead of the 2012 London Olympics, I got a call from a sports journalist I’d worked with before—our last job together was the Barcelona Marathon. This time, he was covering Joanna Mills, an Irish 400m runner and possible Olympic contender. The catch? A selection fiasco had thrown everything into disarray. Governing bodies bungled the process, leaving both Joanna and her closest rival waiting for appeals to determine who’d make the final team.

A Quick, Windy Shoot on Montjuïc
Joanna was competing in Barcelona, and I had only a sliver of time to photograph her—thanks to a full-blown film crew, harsh midday sun, and strong wind on a hotel rooftop. Not ideal. Still, Joanna was gracious and professional despite the stress hanging over her. Her father, doubling as her manager, was less relaxed—a bit of a guard dog, truth be told—but I won him over (at least enough to get him holding a reflector).

No Time, No Shade, No Problem
The conditions weren’t kind: harsh light, zero cover, and everything happening at top speed. It’s not my softest portrait, but there’s a sharp honesty in that kind of light, especially when you’re photographing someone young and full of raw determination.