Meet Kevin Light, Canada's gold-medal rower turned photographer

Rower Kevin Light won an Olympic gold medal in Beijing as part of the Canadian men's eight. Fast-forward eight years and he's going back to the Olympics — this time as a photographer.

Light grew up in Sidney, B.C, and discovered rowing in high school after a hockey injury kept him from finishing tryouts for the BCHL's Cowichan Valley Capitals, one of the two local junior B teams near Victoria.

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He signed up for the rowing team after seeing a poster above the water fountain at Stelly's High School. It was a life-altering decision that led Light to a string of successes at the junior national level, then to a spot at the Sydney Olympic training camp, all before his 21st birthday.

"I was good right away in high school, so once that natural ability led to success I got more confident and the cycle continued," Light said.

• Kevin Light photographs Canada's track and field team

At the University of Victoria, Light won numerous national championships, riding a wave of successes to a pair of world championships in 2002 and 2003 followed by a trip to the 2004 Olympics.

Disappointment in Athens, victory in Beijing

In Athens the men's eight was lauded as a favourite to win but, after falling to the U.S. in a dramatic preliminary race in which both teams set world-best times, the Canadians ultimately rowed to a disappointing fifth.

Four years later, Light won his Olympic gold medal in Beijing.

London and life after the Olympics

Light had his sights set on a repeat in London in 2012 but battled with the daunting task of preparing mentally and physically for another Olympics. It was a struggle that left him feeling "beaten out" by younger, hungrier members of the team.

Rowing was taking its toll on his body, too. Light was on blood thinners to combat clotting in his legs (a hereditary affliction made worse by intense training) which he now manages with compression socks.

"Once I realized that making the crew wasn't a possibility I grabbed onto the idea of helping my teammates. It made more sense for the new guys to get their first Olympic medals rather than getting another one for myself."

And they did. The men's eight left London with a silver medal. Light was there as a spare but in the end he didn't compete.

The loss of his longtime coach was another blow. After London, Rowing Canada broke ties with Mike Spracklen and split up the once powerful men's eight. It was a controversial decision Light did not support but, after penning a critical op-ed on the decision, he focused on another passion.

'There are no secrets to success in rowing or photography'

While at UVic, Light studied for a teaching degree but committed to photography in 2008 after enrolling in an eight-month program at the Western Academy of Photography. Even then, at the pinnacle of his rowing career, he had an eye on life after competition.

At some level sport and performance boil down to the same elements.- Catharine Pendrel

If one can infer anything about the mindset of a former Olympian it's that he, or she, is not afraid of hard work. That work ethic is on display when Light picks up his camera.

Mountain biker Catharine Pendrel, who Light photographed along with the rest of Canada's mountain bike team, put it like this: "At some level sport and performance boil down to the same elements. As someone headed to her third Games, it's wonderful to see another Olympian pursuing a goal with the same desire and dedication that won a gold medal as an athlete."

Light credits coach Spracklen for teaching him to visualize success. It's a technique he says he uses almost daily and it's paying off as he launches his career as a photojournalist.

"If I want something I'm pretty stubborn about getting it," Light says. "I never think about scenarios where I fail, whether it's rowing, photography or life."

He also recommends talking to the right people. One of the photographers whose brain Light has been picking is fellow B.C.-based shooter Chris Morris.

"You can almost hear him sucking up information. He is so hungry to learn," Morris said.

Light's Olympic experience gives him an edge

But learning the trade is only part of the battle. According to Morris, making your photo stand out in a crowded marketplace is one of the toughest tasks facing photographers these days.

But Light has an edge when it comes to interacting with athletes.

"Kevin understands the process," says swimmer Ryan Cochrane. "He's been there and knows how it works."

His ability to be "invisible" is a theme that emerges among those who Light has photographed.

Canadian mountain bike team coach Dan Proux says "Kevin simply gets it. His background as an Olympian definitely pays off."

Rower and former teammate Will Dean also spoke to Light's drive. "It's cool to see someone so passionate and fulfilled in their professional life after competition."

Dean will be in Rio as part of Canada's quadruple sculls team. Light will be there, too, but in a very different capacity.

His next assignment is to cover the Games for CBC Sports. It will be his fourth Olympics but the first as a full-time photographer.

Look for Kevin Light's photos throughout CBC's coverage of the Rio Olympics, starting with the opening ceremony on Friday. You can also follow him on the ground in Brazil on Twitter and Instagram.