by Daphne Backman
On February 1, 2025, I acquired the heartbreaking information that Michelle Wojdyla had handed away. I’ve began this text so many instances and needed to cease, restart, scrap it, and begin over as a result of I used to be making an attempt too onerous to make it excellent, to not neglect anybody she helped or to incorporate each single particular reminiscence. For the primary few tries, it was inconceivable for me to get my head across the magnitude of writing it. Now that I’ve been capable of sit with it, I’m making an attempt once more. And the outcome, is what you’re studying now.
Penning this tribute wouldn’t have been doable if Michelle hadn’t shared her pictures journey reflections for IDC’s twenty fifth Anniversary video. I’m grateful she did. It not solely permits me to share the story of how she contributed to the world of determine skating pictures, but additionally concerning the lives of those that have been fortunate sufficient to study from her. Mates she met alongside the best way and photographers she mentored additionally despatched images and shared their very own tales.
For individuals who have adopted Ice-Dance.com (IDC) since its early days, it’s possible you’ll keep in mind Michelle as one among our first photographers. For individuals who haven’t, Michelle’s affect performed a key function in shaping the early trajectory of IDC in some ways past the lens of her digital camera.
A sort stranger, Emma Abraham, took Michelle underneath her wing, establishing her digital camera and introducing her to the intricate fantastic thing about ice dance. This is similar Emma who co-founded ice-dance.com with me only a few months later.
“It was like I had been proven this secret portal, and I might be eternally grateful for that,” Michelle later recalled. It was in that second {that a} deep ardour for determine skating pictures was ignited, one that might form the subsequent seven years of her life.
Launched by our mutual pal Emma, I first met Michelle in 2000 at a Champions On Ice tour cease in New Jersey. From that time ahead, Michelle and I stayed in contact via e-mail, and through the years, we turned associates.
In 2003, as Emma started to step again from IDC, Michelle expressed an curiosity in serving to me broaden the location. She inspired me to put up extra images from occasions and began sharing images from her catalog to jumpstart the growth. She pushed this concept of how occasion protection might deliver new guests and develop past the data hub we had created.
This was additionally the primary 12 months that we determined to go to the Lake Placid Ice Dance Championships. Our pal Karen Frank really useful it after attending the earlier 12 months and inspired us to hitch her for the subsequent one. As die-hard ice dance followers, we have been instantly intrigued by a contest devoted solely to our favourite self-discipline. Little did we all know what Lake Placid would come to signify.
Over the subsequent a number of seasons, Michelle’s fixed encouragement led me to push additional in our occasion protection, attending extra occasions—together with my first U.S. Nationwide Championships in 2006.
Nevertheless, that summer time every little thing modified. Michelle was concerned in a head-on vehicular collision that induced a mind damage. Her reminiscence was affected. She suffered from vertigo and bodily discovered that she might not shoot the best way she as soon as had.
Michelle being Michelle and regardless of any makes an attempt to implore her to give attention to her situation and restoration, her rapid concern after the accident was the upcoming occasion in Lake Placid. She had resolved to attempt to proceed to {photograph} occasions, however at a unique capability.
Attributable to fatigue, ache and vertigo, Michelle handed me a digital camera for the primary time. With fast instruction and her steerage, 2006 Lake Placid marked a turning level in my very own skilled journey, and Michelle turned greater than a pal to me—she turned a mentor.
Michelle began a sluggish transition from photographer to instructor. Her unwavering ardour for pictures and her willingness to share her data additionally modified the profession trajectory of others together with Melanie Heaney, Katie Pettet, Robin Ritoss and Liz Chastney.
Katie’s story started with a easy e-mail to Michelle, asking for recommendation on Canon DSLRs and freelance pictures. What began as a query rapidly advanced right into a mentorship that might change Katie’s life.
Michelle’s response was filled with wit and knowledge, together with her notorious disdain for skaters in white costumes: “I hate when skaters put on white as a result of it makes it so tough to search out the best digital camera settings.”
“Michelle hated white costumes as a lot as she beloved HoJo’s mac & cheese,” Katie shared.
In 2007, Michelle recommended we attain out for assist in overlaying the Lake Placid Ice Dance Championships, providing the chance for these to study pictures whereas utilizing her gear or offering their very own.
Katie and Melanie Heaney traveled to Lake Placid to make the most of this chance and to study from Michelle. That journey turned the inspiration for the IDC occasion protection workforce.
Summers spent in Lake Placid turned a few of my fondest reminiscences—stuffed with late nights, laughter, onerous work, and the camaraderie of the 4 of us. The second 12 months, we turned the “hoodie brigade” after shopping for matching pink Lake Placid hoodies.
It’s humorous as a result of I keep in mind Melanie sharing with me later that she hadn’t deliberate on returning to Lake Placid. Nevertheless Michelle’s remaining phrases to her after that week have been “see you subsequent 12 months.” She was proper.
Robin’s story intersected with Michelle’s at a pivotal second. As a journalist keen to enhance her writing with sturdy visible content material, Robin reached out to me for recommendation. In 2009, I invited Robin to Lake Placid to study pictures from Michelle and borrow some gear. What Robin didn’t know was how this journey would change her life without end.
“For some motive, at that occasion, I felt at dwelling,” Robin shared. “Michelle took me underneath her wing and patiently taught me the basics of pictures.”
“I owe every little thing to Michelle, Daphne, and Mr. Sugawara from Japan. Every one among them defined the fundamentals—shutter pace, ISO, and aperture—in a method that made sense. I spent hours sitting with Michelle, who gave me tips on what makes photograph.”
“She edited my images, provided encouragement, and even instructed me I had the ‘eye.’ I used to be shocked when a few of my images have been truly used on the web site. Michelle instructed me I used to be bitten by the pictures bug. She was proper.”
Although Robin was initially hesitant to name herself a photographer, Michelle’s affect continued and as Robin’s abilities grew, so did her confidence. Michelle had warned her that when the bug bites, there’s no turning again. Robin the journalist steadily transitioned into Robin the photographer, and from that time on, there was no wanting again.
I do not forget that one 12 months, we (Katie, Robin, Melanie, Liz and I) despatched Michelle a Michelle Wojdyla Faculty of Images mug for Christmas.
Michelle’s mentorship prolonged far past this group. She nurtured a complete era of photographers, referring to us as her “infants,” celebrating our milestones as in the event that they have been her personal.
When Robin earned her first Olympic credential in 2018, Michelle was moved to tears. “My child goes to the Olympics!” she mentioned, stuffed with delight. One other outpouring of emotion got here in 2022 when Melanie earned her accreditation for the Beijing Video games.
Even when Michelle might not journey, her love for determine skating, the skaters, and pictures by no means wavered. She cheered for each workforce, edited images, and provided recommendation to those that sought it. Her presence might have been bodily absent, however her spirit remained in each picture, each phrase of encouragement.
“I’m undecided what’s extra thrilling: capturing a tremendous ice dance {photograph} or being there when another person does,” Michelle as soon as mused. “Some individuals simply have a watch for skating pictures. It’s completely different from different kinds of pictures.”
Michelle Wojdyla’s legacy lives on via the photographers she mentored, the friendships she nurtured, and the fervour she ignited. Her story will proceed to be instructed via the pictures she captured, the reminiscences she created, and the lives she modified via the generosity of sharing her reward.
Images for this text have been contributed by Ginger Whatley, Amy Sullivan and Alexis DiVicenti.