Medals are quickly being amassed at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, but before the podium comes practice. Tuesday's Photo of the Day showcases the power and speed of Australian Lucy Chaffer during a women's skeleton training session on Feb. 11.
The shot was taken by Getty Images photographer Alex Livesey at the Sanki Sliding Center. Livesey, a photographer from Manchester, UK, who has covered multiple other summer and winter Olympic games, used a panning effect to convey the intensity the photo portrays.
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"I've practiced the low shutter speed effect many times and today I spent 30 minutes practicing it on other athletes before I nailed a shot I was happy with," he said in a statement. "When panning, the trick is to create the feeling of motion while capturing a strong focal point for the reader's eye. Once you get everything right photographically, you have to rely on the athlete to comply with your plan!"
The women's skeleton competition is scheduled to begin on Feb. 13.