How Jeff Cable stays in the moment as an Olympic photographer

You have to be “willing to go with the flow,” according to Jeff Cable, an official U.S. Olympic photographer, and that’s just what he’s done.

In a tale of unexpected twists and turns, Cable has lived a life that has led him to pursue his passion for photography all around the world. From a career working as a marketing director in tech to a Team U.S.A. photographer attending his eighth Olympic games this summer in Paris, Jeff Cable’s natural evolution into a full-time photographer continues to bring him closer to capturing once-in-a-lifetime moments.

Cable first started learning about photography during his time in corporate America. He was working in tech and surrounded by photographers. Cable describes his career transition as happening “by osmosis.” He recalled; being asked to photograph an event for a family. He tried explaining that he wasn’t a professional, but he ended up doing it, and they loved the results. And it turned out, so did their friends, who hired him for another event. One thing led to another, and soon enough, Cable found himself at his first Olympics.

Cable began blogging his experiences and enjoyed a rapidly growing following. Cable said, “It got to the point where I just couldn't do both,” so he decided to leave his corporate position and pursue photography full time.

As anyone who changes course or follows their passion knows, it isn’t always sunshine and rainbows. Cable remembers trying to get his Olympic credentials for years and said there were “doors being closed in my face.”

Eventually, through contacts he made working with the San Jose Sharks, he got his foot in the door and started shooting for the U.S.A. hockey team, which led to his very first Olympic event.

Cable reminisces about what it felt like, and said, “I [pinched] myself. Like, I can't believe I'm here.” 

Cable takes photos for a wide range of Olympic events, but primarily shoots for the men and women’s U.S.A. water polo teams in the summer, and U.S.A. Hockey in the winter. Outside of those team commitments, Cable’s credentials allow him to shoot many other sports, along with opening and closing ceremonies.

The Olympic schedule is fast paced, and for Paris, photographers were responsible for transporting themselves and their equipment via local buses from one event to the next, making it even more hectic.

“Everything's about every minute. I don't walk anywhere at the Olympics. I'm speed walking,” he said.

With so little time, Cable’s routine had to adapt and become fast and efficient, especially if he wanted any chance of getting sleep. Because he carried his own gear, Cable tells us that “every ounce matters, and so does the speed of the product.” That’s why he brought a few lightweight Crucial X10 SSDs to back up and store every photo he took. All 85,000 of them!

After events, throughout his commutes, at the end of the night, and after the Olympics, Cable was saving and backing up his shots to ensure none of his hard work was ever lost. He recalls in the past, having to stay up late until his photos were saved on traditional hard drives. Lucky for him now, the Crucial X10 boasts super-fast transfer speeds, which allowed him to get more rest amidst those 18-hour long workdays.

With the pressure and fast-paced nature of the games, Cable still found moments to soak in the experience. He tells us about attending the beach volleyball event in front of the Eiffel Tower and capturing one of his favorite shots. After eight Olympics, he says it was the most beautiful venue he had ever seen. At one point, he put his camera down and sat there for an hour, just enjoying the moment.

“I'm not gonna shoot,” he said. “I'm just gonna soak this in ... this is the most unbelievable venue.” 

He shares another favorite moment when the U.S.A. men’s water polo team took bronze in an overtime shootout. Having never seen them take a medal, Cable was overjoyed and said, “It was like winning a gold for them.” The team had Cable wear one of the medals as they all celebrated after the triumphant match together.

It’s moments like this that seem to make it all worth it for Cable as he endures the long days and sleepless nights that are the Olympics. With equipment he can rely on, and skills and talent developed over his previous seven Olympics, Cable’s photographer worries take a backseat, allowing him to be fully present for these kinds of moments.

Cable shared with us how the Olympics aren’t like any other sports match. While everyone wants to win, there’s something else alive in the stands.

“There's a camaraderie,” Cable said. “There's a love of being there. There's a different vibe even for me as a photographer. Sometimes when my, you know, Team. U.S.A. is up 10 to nothing and the other team scores... Yeah, I'll put my camera down and clap for the team.”

The global showdown is a competition, but it’s also about coming together. Cable says this energy bleeds into the press box as photographers offer tips to those covering sports they’re less familiar with or even making space for someone to set up.

Cable recalled meeting a fellow photographer in Paris saying, “I have one guy. It was great. He's like, I've read your blog for years, and if it wasn't for you, I wouldn't be here.”

The Olympics are an inspiring display of the indominable human spirit, and it goes beyond the athletes to the coaches, families and fans as well. According to the International Olympic Committee, 9.5 million tickets were sold, which means, at any given second, there are countless stories unfolding. Only a trained eye knows how to anticipate these stories to be ready to immortalize them all.

“As press, we have to be aware of not just the action, but the reaction of the athletes and the fans,” Cable said.

The Olympics is a tradition that brings the world together in more ways than one, and we’re grateful for trailblazers like Cable who are capturing the moments that fully embody the spirit of the Olympics.

With another Olympics successfully covered, Cable is on the go again and said his next adventure will be taking him to Laos, Cambodia, and Vietnam, and after that, the rainforest of Costa Rica. And, as for the next Olympic games? Cable is already starting the paperwork for covering the winter games in Cortina, Italy.

Don’t worry. He’ll be taking multiple X10 SSDs with him, so these next adventures will be safely stored before he’s ready to share them with the world.

Check out Cable’s blog to follow along on his journey.

You have to be “willing to go with the flow,” according to Jeff Cable, an official U.S. Olympic photographer , and that’s just what he’s done.

In a tale of unexpected twists and turns, Cable has lived a life that has led him to pursue his passion for photography all around the world. From a career working as a marketing director in tech to a Team U.S.A. photographer attending his eighth Olympic games this summer in Paris, Jeff Cable’s natural evolution into a full-time photographer continues to bring him closer to capturing once-in-a-lifetime moments.

Cable first started learning about photography during his time in corporate America. He was working in tech and surrounded by photographers. Cable describes his career transition as happening “by osmosis.” He recalled  being asked to photograph an event for a family. He tried explaining that he wasn’t a professional, but he ended up doing it, and they loved the results. And it turned out, so did their friends, who hired him for another event. One thing led to another, and soon enough, Cable found himself at his first Olympics.

Cable began blogging his experiences and enjoyed a rapidly growing following. Cable said, “It got to the point where I just couldn't do both,” so he decided to leave his corporate position and pursue photography full time.

As anyone who changes course or follows their passion knows, it isn’t always sunshine and rainbows. Cable remembers trying to get his Olympic credentials for years and said there were “doors being closed in my face.”

Eventually, through contacts he made working with the San Jose Sharks, he got his foot in the door and started shooting for the U.S.A. hockey team, which led to his very first Olympic event.

Cable reminisces about what it felt like, and said, “I [pinched] myself. Like, I can't believe I'm here.”