Jérôme Brouillet’s shot of surfer Gabriel Medina went viral. The gravity-defying image has even been suspected of being made with artificial intelligence.
31.7. 20:00•Updated 31.7. 22:49
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When a Brazilian surfer Gabriel Medina did an almost perfect performance with his board on Monday, a photographer from the photo agency AFP Jérôme Brouillet captured the moment from the boat next to it. At the same time, a French photographer came to take a photo, which was immediately considered one of the most memorable and iconic of these games.
In the shot, Medina, pointing up with his index finger, appears to be standing on top of a cloud. His surfboard is next to him in an upright position at exactly the same height as the athlete.
– A perfect moment captured by the cameraman, great job. For me, this represents a series of iconic images that will last a lifetime, ‘s news photographer Henrietta Hassinen admires.
– I don’t know surfing and I’ve never observed it from a photographic point of view, so in my eyes this is an incredibly great picture. That already defies all the laws of gravity, and it’s a matter of seconds when all the elements are in place: the surfboard in a vertical position as well as Medina and Medina’s finger.
The photo taken by Brouillet has garnered a lot of attention around the world. The picture, described as breathtaking, has been praised, among other things, for its perfect timing.
– The conditions were perfect and the waves were higher than we expected, photographer tells For The Guardian.
Suspected to be made by artificial intelligence
According to The Guardian, the image is so surreal that some have initially suspected it was created with the help of artificial intelligence or an image processing program.
According to the British newspaper, Brouillet “was a little shocked” when, after forwarding the picture, he looked at his phone during the next break. The picture was published on sports media ESPN, and he had received a lot of notices on social media.
The photographer was taken because of the popularity of the photo.
– It’s very cool. It’s a great shot and a lot of people love it. It’s not really a surfing photo, so it catches more people’s attention, Brouillet comments, but believes that people will forget about the photo by next week.
According to the photographer, taking the picture was not difficult, but it was more about anticipating the moment.
Brouillet is said to have seen one of the best waves of the day approaching. Based on his previous experience, he knew that Medina used to celebrate like that at the end of a wave.
– I took four pictures, and one of them was this one, Brouillet told The Guardian.
“Photographing is like surfing”
Time magazine tells Brouillet is into surfing himself.
The photographer compares photography to surfing.
– I like to say that taking photos is a bit like surfing. It’s a mixture of preparation, dedication, timing, experience and a touch of luck, Brouillet writes on Instagram in connection with the photo series he shared.
In his publication, Brouillet says that he already knew when he arrived at the competition venue in the morning that the day would be a great day of Olympic surfing.
Medina received 9.90 points from the jury for his performance, which means he was only one tenth out of ten. The result is a new Olympic record. The sport is on the Olympic program for the second time now.
– That day, Gabriel was in the water at the right place at the right time. And so was I, Brouillet writes.
The Brazilian athlete has also shared the photo taken by Brouillet with his own on his Instagram account. In connection with the photo series, he has shared a quote from the Bible from Paul’s letter to the Philippians.
“I endure everything with his help, who gives me strength,” the three-time world champion writes.
Surfing’s Olympic medals are competed for in the Pacific Ocean in Tahiti, almost 16,000 kilometers from Paris. Medina, who is aiming for her first Olympic gold, will meet her compatriot in the quarterfinals João Chiancan on Thursday, August 1.