Our day of shooting started from Olympus' suite during Venus Williams' match against Ioana Raluca Olaru. Here Williams leaps in the air as she serves. Shot details: 1/1000 sec.; f/4; ISO 200; Zuiko Digital ED 90mm-250mm, f/2.8 zoomed to 128mm (256mm equivalent); exposure tweaked and image cropped in Photoshop CS2.
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After switching sides, Williams again takes to the air while serving. Shot details: 1/1000 sec.; f/4; ISO 200; Zuiko Digital ED 90mm-250mm, f/2.8 zoomed to 142mm (284mm equivalent); exposure tweaked and image cropped in Photoshop CS2.
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In this match, many of Williams' serves topped 120mph, but that didn't stop Olaru from returning this one with a vengance. Shot details: 1/1000 sec.; f/4; ISO 200; Zuiko Digital ED 50mm-200mm, f/2.8-f/3.5, zoomed to 147mm (294mm equivalent); exposure tweaked and image cropped in Photoshop CS2.
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In the middle of a short rally, Williams slams a forehand shot to send the ball back toward Olaru. Shot details: 1/1000 sec.; f/4; ISO 200; Zuiko Digital ED 50mm-200mm, f/2.8-f/3.5 zoomed to 147mm (294mm equivalent); exposure tweaked and image cropped in Photoshop CS2.
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Either Olaru is about to unleash a fierce backhand, or she's contemplating an automobile purchase. I'd bet on the former. Shot details: 1/1000 sec.; f/4; ISO 200; Zuiko Digital ED 50mm-200mm f/2.8-f/3.5 zoomed to 147mm (294mm equivalent); exposure tweaked and image cropped in Photoshop CS2.
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Olaru sends her serve soaring toward Williams. Shot details: 1/1000 sec.; f/4; ISO 200; Zuiko Digital ED 50mm-200mm, f/2.8-f/3.5 zoomed to 200mm (400mm equivalent); exposure tweaked and image cropped in Photoshop CS2.
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In the middle of the Williams-Olaru match, Olympus took us to the roof of Arthur Ashe Stadium where I caught this shot with the company's ultrawide zoom lens during a break in the action. Shot details: 1/1600 sec.; f/4; ISO 200; Zuiko Digital ED 7mm-14mm, f/4 zoomed out to 7mm (14mm equivalent).
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Shooting from the stadium roof requires a long telephoto lens (a monopod can be helpful), but also provides a unique perspective on the game. Plus, since you get empty court space in the background instead of spectators, it makes for cleaner shots where the player, ball, and shadows combine for an elegant presentation. Shot details: 1/3200 sec.; f/2.8; ISO 200; Zuiko Digital ED 300mm, f/2.8 (600mm equivalent); image cropped in Photoshop CS2.
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Some would call it expert timing, but most would call it good luck--I was just happy to have caught this shot just as Venus Williams's racket made contact with the ball. Shot details: 1/3200 sec.; f/2.8; ISO 200; Zuiko Digital ED 300mm, f/2.8 (600mm equivalent); image cropped in Photoshop CS2.
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Hovering above her shadow in a sea of green hardcourt, Olaru delivers service with a vengeance. Shot details: 1/3200 sec.; f/2.8; ISO 200; Zuiko Digital ED 300mm, f/2.8 (600mm equivalent); image cropped in Photoshop CS2.
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Venus Williams chases down a ball in one of the final rallies of the second set before beating Romania's Ioana Raluca Olaru 6-4, 6-2 on the first Wednesday of the 2007 U.S. Open. Shot details: 1/1250 sec.; f/4; ISO 200; Zuiko Digital ED 90mm-250mm, f/2.8 zoomed to 250mm (500mm equivalent); exposure tweaked and image cropped in Photoshop CS2.
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Another advantage of being on the roof of Arthur Ashe Stadium, is the fabulous view of the Unisphere in Flushing Meadows Park. Dedicated to "peace through understanding," the Unisphere was built for the 1964-1965 World's Fair. Shot details: 1/320 sec.; f/9; ISO 200; Zuiko Digital ED 50mm-200mm, f/2.8-f/3.5 zoomed out to 50mm (100mm equivalent).
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From the roof, we proceeded to the photographers' dugouts and shot from the players' foot level. Here we see the back of Rafael Nadal's sneaker, which is personalized with his nickname "Rafa" and an icon of a bull's head. Shot details: 1/3200 sec.; f/2.8; ISO 200; Zuiko Digital ED 90mm-250mm, f/2.8 zoomed to 197mm (394mm equivalent); exposure tweaked and image cropped in Photoshop CS2.
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Nadal sends the ball hurtling toward us and his opponent Alun Jones early in the first set. Shot details: 1/3200 sec.; f/2.8; ISO 200; Zuiko Digital ED 90mm-250mm, f/2.8 zoomed to 197mm (394mm equivalent); exposure tweaked and image cropped in Photoshop CS2.
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Nadal has been battling knee trouble that almost kept him out of the tournament altogether, but that didn't stop this left-handed superstar from getting his racket on this ball. Shot details: 1/3200 sec.; f/2.8; ISO 200; Zuiko Digital ED 90mm-250mm, f/2.8 zoomed to 197mm (394mm equivalent); exposure tweaked and image cropped in Photoshop CS2.
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I almost left this slightly soft image out of this slide show, but couldn't resist putting it in, since Nadal's pose looks just like Luke Skywalker's on the first Star Wars movie poster. Shot details: 1/3200 sec.; f/2.8; ISO 200; Zuiko Digital ED 90mm-250mm, f/2.8 zoomed to 197mm (394mm equivalent); exposure tweaked and image cropped in Photoshop CS2.
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After shooting from the dugout, we moved on to one of the side courts. This shot of the side courts was done with a fish-eye lens, which gives a very wide angle of view but comes with heavy distortion. I tried to use the distortion to give the horizon line a gentle curve, as though we're viewing the earth from space. Shot details: 1/500 sec.; f/8; ISO 200; Zuiko Digital ED 8mm, f/3.5 fish-eye lens (16mm equivalent).
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Carlos Moya bends far back during a serve on court 11 in his match against Bjorn Phau. Shot details: 1/2000 sec.; f/2.8; ISO 200; Zuiko Digital ED 90mm-250mm, f/2.8 zoomed to 250mm (500mm equivalent); image cropped in Photoshop CS2.
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Unseeded Phau looks as if he's praying for assistance here, as he serves the ball to 17th-seed Moya. Shot details: 1/2500 sec.; f/2.8; ISO 200; Zuiko Digital ED 90mm-250mm, f/2.8 zoomed to 250mm (500mm equivalent).
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He may be the 17th seed, but Moya wasn't pulling any punches in his match against Phau. Shot details: 1/2500 sec.; f/2.8; ISO 200; Zuiko Digital ED 90mm-250mm, f/2.8 zoomed to 250mm (500mm equivalent).
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Speaking sign language while playing a professional tennis match isn't easy, but I could swear that Moya managed to order a mid-afternoon snack in the middle of the third set. Shot details: 1/1600 sec.; f/4.5; ISO 400; Zuiko Digital ED 90mm-250mm, f/2.8 zoomed out to 90mm (180mm equivalent); image cropped in Photoshop CS2.
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Fast shutter speeds can make some shots look like they're stills from The Matrix. This one's no exception. Shot details: 1/1600sec.; f/4.5; ISO 400; Zuiko Digital ED 90mm-250mm, f/2.8 zoomed out to 90mm (180mm equivalent).
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Amid all the action, it's easy to overlook the quieter moments on the court. In this one, Moya is on his way to his chair to rest between sets. The blurred background helps to fix your attention on Moya's calm face. Shot details: 1/1600; f/4.5; ISO 400; Zuiko Digital ED 90mm-250mm, f/2.8 zoomed to 250mm (500mm equivalent).
