There’s arguably never been a time in human history where daring people who get their kicks from cheating death have been so utterly and thoroughly on display. Sites like YouTube and Vimeo certainly contribute to the phenomenon. But, in the realm of extreme sports, cameramen must also have a willingness to risk their lives for the shot – in some cases more so than their subjects.
You may recall that HBO’s flagship sports show, “Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel,” profiled Kelly Slater and his wave in Lemoore. As it happens, the show is no stranger to covering fringe sports, and in this week’s episode that airs on Tuesday at 10 p.m. EDT, correspondent Jon Frankel speaks to a handful of cameramen putting harrowing feats on film, er, hard drives.
From photographers like Larry Haynes who specialize in taking pictures of one of the deadliest waves on the planet to Oscar-winning directors like Jimmy Chin who filmed his friend Alex Honnold climbing with no ropes on El Capitan, cameramen are their own breed. And their stories are often unsung.
If you like what you see above, tune in on Tuesday. For more info, go here.
