Steven Frischling: Accident-Prone Superhero

Thank you to a FishFraud MVP who compiled this list of Steven Frischling's amazing injuries. Of course it would be impossible to compile all of his spectacular traumas, but we have already called bullshit on a few. (For example, the time he claims he was assaulted by actor Hugh Grant or shot nine times.)

But it's an impressive list. Of course, few of these accidents ever seem to prevent our superhero from getting his photos. Only problem: where are the photos?

For example, he claims he had not one, but TWO medical issues during the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City. There is no confirmation and no photos to support him being there, much less working for the Olympic Committee as he's claimed. He also claims he was assaulted by a fan while shooting Manchester United against AC Milan, which is so laughable we don't know where to start. He has no photos of this match.

Digital Wedding Forum 1/30/05
“In 2002 I had to have an emergency procedure on my throat while at the Olympics, released from the hospital at 1: AM, at work at 6: AM. I felt like death hit me with a stick, but my client could not possibly get another shooter credentialed that fast for the Olympics. I am dumb I guess, I often shoot when sick, was outside last month for 6hrs shooting a news story with a 101 fever.”

Sports Shooter
12/13/02
“I spent a day in Park City during the Olympics unable to shoot because my eyes were watering for three hours after I made the mistake of saying I'd like to try a half rack of the hot sauce. The pit roasted chicken is amazing!”

http://www.sportsshooter.com/message_display.html?tid=693

More tragic stories follow:

I've got a visible dent in my skull from a nasty fall skating in a 1/2 pipe when I was younger, and seem to break myself all of often

http://www.sportsshooter.com/message_display.html?tid=4380

I have uttered similar words when someone has run into me; panned so fast and hard their lens hood slammed into my lens leaving me a bruise under my eye

http://www.sportsshooter.com/message_display.html?tid=5827

I have unfortunately had the lovely displeasure of crutches a few times
( broken arms, broken feet, popped knees, busted thumb with a broken
tib-fib).  I started to use a waist pack, I started with the Lowe Pro
Orion AW and now use the Domke OutPack waist pack.  When shooting I
place the crutch out in front of me and use it as a sort of mono-pod.
I hung a single camera a short zoom off my right shoulder, even when I
cracked my right leg (or left leg as well) because it was easier to grab
since cameras are made for righties (I use my left hand more often) .
Use the crutches as your balance.  Cruthces ALWAYS SUCK, but they can be
used to your advantage.
A good chunk of what I do is breaking news, and crutches slow me down
alot , but i made do, I went to the 180f2.8 rather than the 28f1.4, and
300f2.8 rather than my 80-200f2.8.  I found standing on my roof with a
long lens worked OK for me.
Rule of thumb, I have cut my last few casts off after 2-3 weeks, not a
good idea.  I cut 'em off so I could go chase
news/snowboarding/surf/skateboard/climb  , not something I suggest.  I
am regretting it just a lil' bit now that I need to have a few joints
worked on.

http://groups.google.com/group/bit.listserv.nppa-l/browse_thread/thread/9dc20cf4787a9ae5/eb410b4f1ce659e5?hl=en&ie=UTF-8&q=%22steven+frischling%22+broken#eb410b4f1ce659e5

I have had my bones broken, stiches requied to heal the wound, and have had to dispose of pannels on a bullt proof vest because it was used to protect myself.

http://groups.google.com/group/bit.listserv.nppa-l/browse_thread/thread/e58f0ddff14081a9/931a0b99d288d5bb?hl=en&ie=UTF-8&q=%22steven+frischling%22+broken#931a0b99d288d5bb

here I sit with a minor concussion, still have a ringing
in my ear and have blurred vision in my left eye because I was covering
a "disturbance" yesterday and was smacked in the head by a low flying
beer bottle (yea one day I'll remember the simple word I learned when I
played hockey "DUCK" )

http://groups.google.com/group/bit.listserv.nppa-l/browse_thread/thread/c9673720790cf03a/fb399843b5dc4e?hl=en&ie=UTF-8&q=%22steven+frischling%22+injured#00fb399843b5dc4e

I had a lovely encpounter with a flying metal projective
(twice in me, 7 times in a vest...all at once) while in the projects ,
another another time elsewhere.

http://groups.google.com/group/bit.listserv.nppa-l/browse_thread/thread/177b035d8c1f737f/99bf71617cfe6432?hl=en&ie=UTF-8&q=%22steven+frischling%22+injured#99bf71617cfe6432

I have developed tendinitos in my right wrist from shooting verticals at
very slow speeds often.   I think every photojournalist has developed a
bad shoulder, bad lower back and favouring one eye (I have a shattered
rotator -cup in my right shoulder from a snowboard racing accident).
Someone asked about skiing accidents?  How about snowboarding?  I used
to compete in slalom & super G...am now missing my right kidney froma
whipe out at 72MPG, torn rottor-cup, busted knee , hips, lower
back

http://groups.google.com/group/bit.listserv.nppa-l/browse_thread/thread/5773d07b82cd821b/63a1b91fb4350280?hl=en&ie=UTF-8&q=%22steven+frischling%22+kidney#63a1b91fb4350280


Presently I have a completely torn ligament on the anterior of my right ankle and a nearly completely torn ligament on the interior of the same ankle ... which is drastically changing how I shoot. My stability is significantly thrown off as is my ability to move very quickly and pivot. I have adapted how I am shooting, how I am planning my 2nd & 3rd motion as I shoot, as well as how I am using long lenses.

http://www.sportsshooter.com/message_display.html?tid=36642

Last year I had a fight with a Ford Taurus (I lost) and ended up in a brace which held my right arm at a 90degree angle for nearly four months.

http://www.sportsshooter.com/message_display.html?tid=2258

I broke the lower portion of right my eye socket a few years ago (concrete got tossed at me, photographing a narcs raid in California). It hurts dude!

http://www.sportsshooter.com/message_display.html?tid=914

My 400f2.8's hood was dented by what appeared to be a beer bootle yesterday at Giants Stadium.

I was on the 2nd level shooting Manchester United vs AC Milan, when Man U failed to make a goal. I made a voice note into the back of my 1D , something like "Nice shot, would be better if ball was in net." Some fan was able to hear this (no idea how over the crowd), and swung a bottle into my hood. The bottle didn't break, but my hood now has a flat spot.

I wonder how they got a glass bottle into the stadium, since they are supposed to check everyone's bag.

http://www.sportsshooter.com/message_display.html?tid=11118

I think the worst was a player from Fordam's woman's basketball come off a shot and kick my camera into my face. My head hit the floor so hard I was seeing stars. The worst part was the player then stood over me swearing at me for being on the line (where I sat for nearly every home basketball game at UMass, because I shot for the University). Her coach reprimanded her and the ref tossed her from the game for unsportsman like conduct.

http://www.sportsshooter.com/message_display.html?tid=18140

Last year I was kicked in the face by player on Fordham's women's basketball team when she flew out of bounds. Nice dent in my 24f2.8 lens hood. My head hit the floor so hard all the cheerleaders thought I split my head by the sound. They surrounded me so my daughter (1.5 year old at the time) who was in the stands with Momma wouldn't see me struggling to get up. Just a bruise on my eye and a massive bump on my head and I was back to shooting the game. (nice to shoot the same arena all the time, the UMass cheerleaders all knew my daughter was a big womens B-Ball fan :0) ) The Fordham player leaned over me and said "@$$hole" before heading back to the court. I could not believe it, neither could the official, UMass coach, cheerleading coach or anyone else who heard it.

http://www.sportsshooter.com/message_display.html?tid=1309

I spent today waist deep in a freezing Dleware River on the New
Jersey/Penn.  boarder shooting flooded homes.  I could not feel my feet
for an hour or so, then they hurt severly and now they are just raw, but I
got good pictures, at least I think. 

http://groups.google.com/group/alt.journalism.photo/browse_thread/thread/1c9eb591961a00d2/3afdb612d2bf1c4?hl=en&ie=UTF-8&q=steven+frischling+hurt#03afdb612d2bf1c4

My D1 has survied fast moving concrete as 7 World Trade Center collapsed 1.5 blocks from me on Sept 11 in NYC, a direct hit from a tear gas canister being fired from riot cops in my direction, other random riot action, being run over by Ricky Williams (Miami Dolphins) in Dec, me being put on Cirpo (it did not need the Cipro) after Anthrax was found in the Hart Senate Building, many hours and photos following politicians, trials, executives, The Olympics, etc etc etc.

http://www.sportsshooter.com/message_display.html?tid=1252

I had my tonsils out on the 27th of October. The surgery is out patient, no overnight in the hospital. The bill was around $5,500 I think.

http://www.sportsshooter.com/message_display.html?tid=18274

Last summer I got nailed in a car wreck, destroyed my shoulder. The surgery and rehab was covered by the insurance. Months later I got a serious infection in the area of the surgery, my insurance said the visit to the doctor was not required and denied my claim. I did not have the $350 to cover my expenses, because "technically" the infection won't kill me, so I can deal with it (of course it restricted movement in my shoulder.

I broke my tooth, my insurance told me that getting a cap was not required, and considered cosmetic, so I had to find $700 for the work.

When I moved from VT to MA I did not have health insurance, my daughter began getting ear infections. With no health insurance we shelled out nearly $1,900 to deal with the ear infections.

I have also been denied health insurance a few times, once by an employers insurance carrier because I am missing my right kidney due to trauma, and have an on going problem with my throat. My insurance each month is through the roof, some months I have to drop my insurance to pay rent and get my family fed.

My insurance carrier, Blue Cross, once denied my claim for an ER visit to have my throat scoped because while I was totally unable to swallow for nearly 40hrs, I was breathing. Had I lost consciousness then had someone call 911, they would have covered my claim.

http://www.sportsshooter.com/message_display.html?tid=4562

I can't shoot when my shoulder has such an infection that I can barely move it 10 degrees in any direction.

It makes a bad impression to walk into a corporate photo shoot with one of your front teeth missing.

I missed a photo assignment (two actually) when I was down for my throat problem in the above mentioned siuation.

http://www.sportsshooter.com/message_display.html?tid=4562

I was injured racing in the '91 US Open Super G, so I lost out on sponsor money.

In certain situation, such as violent situations, or an extreme example would be having been near #7 World Trade Center when it collapsed on Sept 11, 2001, my gear was the last thing on my mind. I lost a camera body that day and didn't even go back and look for it. In riots I protect myself, not my equipment, I make sure I can get out in one piece. A broken finger or bruised rib is not a big deal, but a busted nose, arm, wrist, leg, are not injuries I want to endure, and simply can't ensure in terms of lost income.

In terms of getting hit by a football when a receiver misses the pass I'd rather get it than have it hit my gear, but in most situations there is no time to think about saving yourself or your gear , so your instinct does what it is going to do. I try and shoot with two eyes open to avoid getting hit on the sidelines, but freak accidents happen.

As for sitting on the sidelines, like most freelancer, I go to work hurt. When I was in a metal brace, with my right arm held out at an 87 degree angle, I went to work, I shot some baseball, soccer and pro lacrosse, was awkward, hurt like hell, but I had to work to survive.

http://www.sportsshooter.com/message_display.html?tid=6979

Ummmm, 1991, lost my 80% of my kidney = $42,000 (100% covered)
1991, had another part of kidney removed = $5,600 (100% covered)
1992 through 1993 , three more surgeries, around $14,00 = 100% covered

Various concusions, lost teeth, broken fingers, leg, rebuilt shoulder,11 procedures on my throat since 1999 all 100% covered, hospital stay, surgery, ER, doc, nurses, drugs, all 100% covered (except down time, excluding the shoulder, I was paid for my down time) ........my camera gear repair is a minimum of $500 out of pocket, so it is cheaper to break me than the gear :0)

OK, I don't like breaking anything, me or gear, so I try and move out of the way now.

......I am joking is NOT cheaper to break me, just have good health insurance (well not good dental any more)

http://www.sportsshooter.com/message_display.html?tid=6979

The cops at UMass and Amherst Police generally carry MK III 5 &10 OC (5.5% & 10% Oleoresin Capsicum pepper). I have had the displeasure of being sprayed by the stuff at close range while shooting a demonstration by the APD on their techniques.....don't know what he was thinking.

I dunked my head in cold water on and off for 3-4 minutes and the burning in my eyes, and on my skin cleared up fairly quickly. I was told to do this in the station by the cops. My guess is his run in was with UMPD or APD, rather than the Mass State PD (not sure what they carry), so I was speaking from direct experience with what he would have come in contact.

http://www.sportsshooter.com/message_display.html?tid=1849

I don't have problems with my lenses getting scratched shooting sports usually, but it is the other assignments I get where my gear can get seriously banged around. I have cracked the glass of a number of filters, I prefer a busted $50 filter to a busted front element. I have not yet replaced my filter for the 17-35f2.8, but I popped two UV filters in a month on it ,when not using the hood, The first while shooting the USCG 25ft Defender Class boats on active patrol in Boston Harbour, we hit a wave, and I went camera first into the butt of a 50cal mounted machine gun, and the other shootiing in a Black Hawk chopper when we hit some turblance and my lens was right into the back of the helment the flight crew chief was wearing.....he was fine, my filter was cracked in a spider pattern.

http://www.sportsshooter.com/message_display.html?tid=1946

Yet despite all these terrible accidents, assaults and misfortune -- concussions, broken bones, being shot nine times, pepper sprayed in his eyes, broken eye socket, hit by a car, kicked in the face by a basketball player -- he then claims the worst thing that ever happened to him while he was out shooting was arriving 20 minutes after his baby mama at the hospital when she was in labor!

This is the worst that has happened to me.

I was in a cell phone dead area when my better-half's water broke! I came back into cell coverage to more than 30 messages from A Lady in Labour, my former editor, night editor, wire editor, 3 reporters, the PR person from the hospital and a medic at the EMS unit.

I think above all else that is by far the worst thing that has ever happened to me while out shooting an assignment.

(No, I didn't miss the birth, I was at the hospital less than 20 minutes after her)


http://www.sportsshooter.com/message_display.html?tid=11113

Happy Lying!