Paris in late summer was a sight to see. The streets were filled with fans and cultures from across the globe. The smell of freshly baked croissants roamed around every corner. Each day held an inspiring performance of a lifetime. While most Olympic enthusiasts absorbed the fortnight through their screens, Kansas City fine art photographer Jessica Roark was there, taking it in from behind her lens.
“I was hoping to convey the anticipation which was seen and felt by all,” she said. “I also wanted to convey the beauty of the Olympics as one of the only public events that brings all nations together, unified for the same purpose.”
A photographic dream–Roark considered the invitation to capture the 2024 Olympic Games a serendipitous moment. Booking a spontaneous trip to the City of Lights a few months prior, she was excited to photograph something along the Seine River. Roark returned home full of incredible memories but disappointed nothing transpired by the water. However, the opportunity was not lost. One connection from Paris, freelance journalist Carole Schmitz, published a story about Roark’s water photography. Next thing she knew, an invitation to capture the Olympics Games was sitting in her inbox.
“I immediately googled the opening ceremony only to see that it’s being held on the Seine River!” she exclaimed. “I was very excited about this because the opening ceremony has never been held outside of the Olympic stadium. I’ve always wanted to photograph a historic event.”
Roark certainly made the most of her second trip to Paris, finally capturing moments along the Seine. While the poor weather that day slightly interfered with her vision of the opening ceremony, she was able to pivot and chase other beautiful aspects of the Olympic Games while wandering around.
“I scoured the city, finding gems of historic beauty and completely turned the experience around,” she said. “My favorite captures were nothing I had planned going into the trip, rather, they were captures that fell into my lap.”
Roark recognizes the honor it was to be in the midst of history. Her photos serve as a reminder that she is one of the few to say “I was there.”
“My gratitude stems from a place in my life where I can act on these moments. I’m grateful I get to set an example for my kids that they too can achieve their dreams, that taking risks is incredibly life-giving when done with prudence, and that the world is full of adventures waiting to be experienced,” she said.
I was hoping to convey the anticipation and the beauty of the Olympics as one of the only public events that brings all nations together, unified for the same purpose.
I’m grateful I get to set an example for my kids that they too can achieve their dreams, that taking risks is incredibly life-giving when done with prudence, and that the world is full of adventures waiting to be experienced.