2015 ICF World Championships Slalom
 
1
2
3
K1M
CZ J. PRSKAVEC
PL M. POLACZYK
US M. SMOLEN
K1W
CZ K. KUDEJOVA
DE R. FUNK
DE M. PFEIFER
C1M
GB D. FLORENCE
SI B. SAVSEK
GB R. WESTLEY
C1W
AU J. FOX
CZ K. HOSKOVA
ES N. VILARRUBLA
C2
DE ANTON/BENZIEN
FR PICCO/BISO
FR KLAUSS/PECHE

Comparing different body types of Olympic athletes

body bodies sport athlete olympic photography canoe kayak book sportscene

In such uniquely visionary books as Water Dance, Pool Light, Passion & Line, and Nude Body Nude, Howard Schatz has established himself as one of the great photographers of the human form.

Working primarily with dancers, Schatz has been particularly attracted to form shaped by function. Now, in Athlete, he reaches the zenith of his photographic paean to the human body, creating an astonishing record of the specialised forms both adapted to the wide spectrum of sport and shaped by fiercely focused effort. 

body bodies sport athlete olympic photography canoe kayak book sportsceneNew York-based Schatz captures the diverse range of body types of Olympic athletes. Referring to a body as an athletic build is often thought to be a perfect, rippling mass of muscle boasting a six pack, but Schatz's series reveals the wide variety of heights, widths, body shapes, and muscle mass that make up the physiques of champion athletes across an array of Olympic sports.

Tall, short, heavy and light, Schatz's series clearly displays the broad spectrum of sizes and shapes that these disciplined jocks come in. Dependent on their field of athletics, their bodies are in peak condition, despite looking so different from one another. While long-distance running athletes are typically lean, this physical feature is undesirable for a weightlifter or wrestler who relies on more muscle and weight to win their respective titles. Just as long legs are preferred for a sprinter, it's a long torso that works to the advantage of a swimmer. In either case, the Olympians present their version of an athletic body.

Schatz's series of 125 champion athlete portraits is displayed in his book, aptly titled Athlete, in collaboration with his wife Beverly Ornstein, an award-winning producer and senior editor.

Also read & watchCulture of the body beautiful: posing canoe athletes