by Daphne Backman
On February 1, 2025, I obtained the heartbreaking information that Michelle Wojdyla had handed away. I’ve began this text so many occasions 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 good, to not neglect anybody she helped or to incorporate each single particular reminiscence. For the primary few tries, it was not possible for me to get my head across the magnitude of writing it. Now that I’ve been in a position to sit with it, I’m making an attempt once more. And the outcome, is what you’re studying now.
Scripting 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 in regards to the lives of those that have been fortunate sufficient to be taught from her. Associates she met alongside the best way and photographers she mentored additionally despatched pictures and shared their very own tales.
For many who have adopted Ice-Dance.com (IDC) since its early days, you might bear in mind Michelle as one in every of our first photographers. For many 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 form stranger, Emma Abraham, took Michelle underneath her wing, organising 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 just some months later.
“It was like I had been proven this secret portal, and I will probably 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 will form the following 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 electronic mail, and over time, we grew to become associates.
In 2003, as Emma started to step again from IDC, Michelle expressed an curiosity in serving to me increase the positioning. She inspired me to submit extra pictures from occasions and began sharing pictures from her catalog to jumpstart the growth. She pushed this concept of how occasion protection might carry new guests and develop past the knowledge 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 following one. As die-hard ice dance followers, we have been instantly intrigued by a contest devoted totally to our favourite self-discipline. Little did we all know what Lake Placid would come to symbolize. Within the early days, it took all evening for pictures to again up from the laptop computer to the transportable onerous drive.
Over the following 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.
Nonetheless, that summer time every part 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 now not shoot the best way she as soon as had.
Michelle being Michelle and regardless of any makes an attempt to implore her to concentrate on her situation and restoration, her fast concern after the accident was the upcoming occasion in Lake Placid. She had resolved to attempt to proceed to {photograph} occasions, however at a special capability.
Attributable to fatigue, ache and vertigo, Michelle handed me a digital camera for the primary time. With fast instruction and her steering, 2006 Lake Placid marked a turning level in my very own skilled journey, and Michelle grew to become greater than a pal to me—she grew to become 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 electronic mail to Michelle, asking for recommendation on Canon DSLRs and freelance pictures. What began as a query shortly developed right into a mentorship that will 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 troublesome to search out the suitable digital camera settings.”
“Michelle hated white costumes as a lot as she cherished HoJo’s mac & cheese,” Katie shared.
In 2007, Michelle instructed we attain out for assist in masking the Lake Placid Ice Dance Championships, providing the chance for these to be taught 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 be taught from Michelle. That journey grew to become the muse for the IDC occasion protection staff.
Summers spent in Lake Placid grew to become a few of my fondest reminiscences—full of late nights, laughter, onerous work, and the camaraderie of the 4 of us. The second 12 months, we grew to become the “hoodie brigade” after shopping for matching pink Lake Placid hoodies.
It’s humorous as a result of I bear in mind Melanie sharing with me later that she hadn’t deliberate on returning to Lake Placid. Nonetheless 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 be taught pictures from Michelle and borrow some gear. What Robin didn’t know was how this journey would change her life endlessly.
“For some purpose, at that occasion, I felt at residence,” Robin shared. “Michelle took me underneath her wing and patiently taught me the basics of pictures.”
“I owe every part to Michelle, Daphne, and Mr. Sugawara from Japan. Every one in every of them defined the fundamentals—shutter velocity, ISO, and aperture—in a method that made sense. I spent hours sitting with Michelle, who gave me tips on what makes an excellent photograph.”
“She edited my pictures, provided encouragement, and even informed me I had the ‘eye.’ I used to be shocked when a few of my pictures have been truly used on the web site. Michelle informed 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 expertise grew, so did her confidence. Michelle had warned her that after the bug bites, there’s no turning again. Robin the journalist regularly transitioned into Robin the photographer, and from that time on, there was no wanting again.
I keep in mind that one 12 months, we (Katie, Robin, Melanie, Liz and I) despatched Michelle a Michelle Wojdyla College 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 stated, full of delight. One other outpouring of emotion got here in 2022 when Melanie earned her accreditation for the Beijing Video games.
Michelle cherished the Olympics. Certainly one of her favourite journeys befell in 1994 when she attended the Winter Olympics in Lillehammer, Norway. Each two years she spent weeks watching the U.S. nationwide trials in lots of sports activities, not simply winter sports activities or simply determine skating. She and her mother additionally hosted Olympic viewing events.
“My favourite reminiscences will at all times be watching the Olympics at her home in New Jersey,” Alexis shared. “She’d choose me up from the practice after which we’d spend a complete weekend watching occasion after occasion. Her and her great mom would lease an enormous television, black out the home windows and supply the most effective snacks. Lately now we have been texting and discussing Formulation One virtually each weekend, and it jogged my memory of the early days of our friendship, having fun with a sport each cherished. I’ll miss my pal and the way she at all times made me giggle, and I’m so grateful for sports activities bringing us collectively.”
In more moderen years, Michelle would make the most of a number of screens at residence so she would miss as little of the competitions as doable.
Even when Michelle might now not journey, her love for determine skating, the skaters, and pictures by no means wavered. She cheered for each staff, edited pictures, 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 unsure what’s extra thrilling: capturing an incredible ice dance {photograph} or being there when another person does,” Michelle as soon as mused. “Some individuals simply have an eye fixed for skating pictures. It’s completely different from other forms 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 informed via the photographs she captured, the reminiscences she created, and the lives she modified via the generosity of sharing her present.
Pictures for this text have been contributed by Ginger Whatley, Amy Sullivan and Alexis DiVicenti.
