Capturing moments that lift the soul

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March 20, 2018 1:28 AM

PYEONGCHANG, South Korea — Although most of the thousands of journalists who covered the Winter Olympics went home once the games ended, a New York Times photographer, Chang W. Lee, remained in South Korea to cover the Paralympics.

At the biathlon, Lee positioned himself where he could see not only the skiers cresting a hill, but also the finish line, framed by flags whipping in the wind.

Then, one of his favorite images from the Paralympics unfolded right before him in a moment that he called a triumph of the human spirit. Oksana Masters, an American biathlete who had dislocated her elbow in a fall a few weeks earlier, reinjured it late in the race and, crying, had to stop. Eileen Carey, the head coach of the American para-Nordic team, ran over, bent down so Masters could climb on her back and then carried her off the course.

“Of course, I cried,” said Lee, who was happy to learn that Masters won her race the next day, earning the first of two gold medals. “It’s what this Olympics is about and this Paralympics is about. It’s about how much you want it and how much you want to challenge yourself and how much you want to overcome the challenges you face. It was a really beautiful moment to me.”

Lee has covered eight Olympics for The New York Times, but it was his first time covering the Paralympics, the games for athletes with physical impairments.

The only difference between the two events, he said, was contending with fewer photographers at the Paralympics. The smaller pool of photographers led to some privileges, including easy admittance to the wax cabins for skiers; access to a visually impaired American athlete, Jake Adicoff, at the Nordic skiing venue; and a spot on the starting line for snowboarding.

For much of our time together, Lee photographed subjects and themes that corresponded with stories I wrote. But when I left on Friday, he was pleased to have three full days to shoot what he wanted.

On Sunday, that meant a frenetic dash across the sprawling Paralympic ecosystem. In the morning, to the Nordic venue, for the final two cross-country races. In the evening, to Pyeongchang Olympic Stadium, for the closing ceremony. And in between, Lee photographed the end of the sled hockey final between the United States and Canada. He arrived after the third period. But the game had gone into overtime.

Less than four minutes in, Declan Farmer of the United States scored the winning goal, and as the team celebrated, Lee noticed out of the corner of his eye the backup goalie, Jen Lee, limping onto the ice. An American flag draped around him, Lee, his prosthetic leg in full display, bent to hug Farmer. Lee got the shot.

It was the perfect way, he said, to cap his time here.

This article originally appeared in The New York Times.

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