What It’s Like Being the Official Team USA Gymnastics Photographer

Sep 07, 2024

Jeremy Gray

Split image of two gymnasts performing at the Paris 2024 Olympics. On the left, a gymnast balances on a beam, wearing a leotard. On the right, another gymnast executes a handstand on the high bar, dressed in a sleeveless top and pants.

John Cheng is the official photographer for USA Gymnastics (USAG), one of the most interesting jobs in all of sports photography.

PetaPixel chatted with Cheng about his career, his work, what it’s like shooting gymnastics, and his experience at the Paris 2024 Olympics, where Team USA won numerous medals, including the gold in the women’s team event.

A group of five male athletes dressed in blue Team USA tracksuits celebrate energetically in a gymnastics arena. One athlete holds an American flag. Cameras and audiences surround the scene. The arena is filled with bright lights, spectators, and Olympic branding.

An Unusual Path Toward Professional Photography

Cheng’s path to Paris is an interesting one. Like many who find photography as an adult, Cheng’s kids inspired his entry into photography.

“My daughter Allison was a gymnast. I picked up a camera to photograph her at gymnastics meets as a gym dad,” Cheng explains. “The gym club she went to asked if I would take photos at the state competition they were hosting as a fundraiser. Other gym clubs approached me to cover their competitions and just kind of snowballed from there.”

A male gymnast wearing a red, white, and blue USA uniform is mid-routine on the floor exercise at an indoor gymnastics competition. He is performing a dynamic move with one arm forward. The background shows judges and the audience. — Paul Juda (United States of America)

A gymnast performs a mid-air maneuver above the vaulting table at the Olympics, with an audience watching in the background. The arena is brightly lit, and flags from various countries are visible hanging above the audience. — Asher Hong (United States of America)

A gymnast wearing a USA uniform is performing a routine on the pommel horse. His body is extended horizontally, showcasing his strength and balance. The background shows an audience and Paris 2024 signage, indicating that this is an Olympic event. — Stephen Nedoroscik (United States of America)

At the time, Cheng was in corporate IT, and photography was just a hobby. That has long since changed. He has been the official USA Gymnastics photographer since 2007.

Cheng and his wife own an event coverage company, Team Photo. They cover gymnastics events along the East Coast during the primary competitive season, which runs from November through July.

A gymnast mid-air performing a flip above the balance beam in a large, well-lit arena during an international competition. The audience in the stands watches closely, while screens and lights hang from the ceiling. Signs read "PARIS 2024. — Sunisa Lee (United States of America)

Sunisa Lee (United States of America)

Advancing Technology

For these smaller, local meets, Cheng says one of the biggest challenges is lighting at venues. “Most local venues are poorly lit,” he says. “Fast action in a poorly-lit environment do not mix.”

“But with advances in technologies with the camera bodies we’re able to still freeze the action under extremely poor lighting conditions.” Cheng uses Nikon gear, including the company’s latest mirrorless cameras, like the Nikon Z9.

A gymnast in a red leotard is airborne, performing a vault routine at the Paris 2024 Olympics. The audience watches in the background, with flags of various countries visible. The sign behind reads "Paris 2024". — Simone Biles (United States of America)

A male gymnast in mid-air performs a split above the parallel bars, dressed in a blue and red leotard, with a large audience blurred in the background. — Paul Juda (United States of America)

“Advances in the sensor technology allows us to freeze the action in low light environment. It’s not unusual for us to be shooting at ISO 12800, f/2.8, and 1/1000s at local Team Photo events and still providing beautiful photos. I currently shoot with Nikon Z9 mirrorless bodies.”

Cheng’s lens of choice at most events is the Nikkor Z 70-200mm f/2.8 VR S lens. However, he also uses Nikon’s 120-300mm f/2.8 and Z 400mm f/2.8 TC VR S lenses. The longer lenses are necessary when he’s on international assignment for USAG, as he doesn’t have access to the field of play for competitions like the World Championships and the Olympic Games.

A gymnast performs a handstand on the horizontal bar in a brightly lit indoor arena. The athlete wears a white uniform with blue accents. The background is dark with scattered lights, highlighting the gymnast's focus and strength during the routine.

A gymnast in a blue and red leotard performs a routine on a balance beam during the Paris 2024 competition. The Olympic rings and various national flags are visible in the background. — Simone Biles (United States of America)

A gymnast wearing a black leotard performs a pose on a balance beam during the Paris 2024 Olympics. The background features bright overhead lights and the Olympic rings emblem. The words "PARIS 2024" are visible on the balance beam. — Jade Carey (United States of America)

Premier events, like the recent Paris Olympics, “are under TV lighting,” there aren’t any issues there.

How Knowing the Athletes Makes for Better Sports Photos

Cheng has a fairly different workflow from a sports photographer who works for a news agency, as they typically photograph a diverse range of sports and are constantly shooting different events. For Cheng, since he spends so much time with Team USA athletes at various levels, he develops a rapport with them.

“[I get] to know them on a personal basis,” Cheng says. “It helps when I’m familiar with their routines and personality and take those into account while shooting them.”

A gymnast in a sparkly, long-sleeved leotard is seen mid-performance with a determined expression. Her hands are wrapped in grips, and she appears to be releasing chalk dust. A blurred background shows part of the gymnasium. — Jordan Chiles (United States of America)

A gymnast wearing a patriotic leotard with USA printed on it celebrates with fists raised. The leotard features blue with white stars on one side and red and white stripes on the other. She is smiling widely with a cheering crowd in the blurred background. — Sunisa Lee (United States of America)

By knowing the athletes more than a typical photographer would, Cheng says he’s better able to capture not only the peak action moments — the typical sports shots — but also shoot images that show elite athletes as people, not just gymnasts.

“I don’t stop shooting after a routine is done. I follow the athletes in hopes of capturing the emotional shots with either the coaches or other athletes,” Cheng explains.

Being the USAG photographer also means Cheng’s responsibilities go far beyond shooting specific athletes and events.

Three female athletes stand on a podium, smiling and holding their medals. The athlete on the left holds a silver medal and wears a yellow and green outfit. The two on the right wear blue tracksuits; one holds a gold medal and the other a bronze. — 500GYMST

A smiling athlete stands with her hands on her hips, wearing a blue athletic jacket with multiple gold medals hanging around her neck. She has her hair in a high bun and poses against a blue geometric background.

“USAG assignments include but not limited to the competitions, training, press conferences, activities around the premier events, such as FanFest, headshots and team shots for National Teams. Photos are used for social, print promotion, sponsor signage, etc.”

During competition, Cheng’s favorite event to photograph is the beam for women’s competition and the high bar for the men.

Practice Makes (Almost) Perfect

Given that Cheng started taking family sports photos, he is uniquely positioned to offer advice to many amateurs who hope to improve their craft and turn photography into a profession.

“Keep shooting, and shoot lots. Practice (almost) makes perfect,” Cheng says. “I’m probably my own worst critic when it comes to gymnastics photos, but that’s the only way to get better.”

A victorious athlete wearing a USA uniform raises his arms triumphantly as he is lifted by teammates and surrounded by photographers. The scene is one of celebration, with people capturing the moment and sharing in the athlete's joy. — Stephen Nedoroscik (United States of America)

A female gymnast, wearing a sparkling blue leotard, performs a high-flying jump above the uneven bars at a competition. The audience watches intently from the stands in the background. — Sunisa Lee (United States of America)

Five female gymnasts in matching patriotic leotards stand together holding an American flag, smiling and celebrating on the podium. The background features a cheering crowd and event signage, indicating a gymnastics competition. — Simone Biles (United States of America)

As for what makes a successful sports photo, Cheng admits it’s subjective, but a good photo typically tells a story. “If you can tell a story from a single photo, you have a successful photo.”

He has some other important advice for people, especially beginners. “Do not shoot for free. Value your own work and do not trade your talent for a free credential.” This is a big issue with smaller sporting events, as people are keen to exchange access for free photos.

More from John Cheng

After the whirlwind of Paris, Cheng is taking a beat and preparing for the gymnastics meet season to start this fall. More of his work is available on his website, Instagram, and the Facebook page for Team Photo.