I could barely contain myself! The YouTube gods rained down hard on me the other day.
It was my day off, and I was heading toward Central Park by way of Fifth Avenue in Manhattan. This time of year, there are always tons of tourists clogging the sidewalks—mostly Europeans who think they're getting a steal by shopping in America.
As I approached the block near Henri Bendel, I saw a large crowd all gawking toward the store's display windows.
The Media Feeding Frenzy
This wasn't just any regular crowd of tourists—something big was going on.
The media was actually there. I'm not talking about freelance photographers or hobbyists, but the real NEWS: local TV stations and major newspapers.
"OK, this has serious potential," I thought.
Good thing I had my trusty camera with me, especially since I've been trying to build up my YouTube audience.
Unmasking the Celebrity
I pushed my way to the front of the crowd to get a clear look at the target of all this attention.
A tall blonde woman was posing for photos and signing autographs. I'm not really a die-hard celebrity watcher, but I can certainly tell Sarah Jessica Parker apart from Angelina Jolie. However, this woman just didn't ring a bell at first.
Then someone passed me a bag of candy called "Sugarpova."
That was all it took to jog my memory. Indeed, it was tennis star Maria Sharapova in the flesh, mere feet away from me!
Candy at a High-End Department Store?
Of all things, she chose to launch a custom candy line at Henri Bendel on Fifth Avenue.
I was pretty shocked by the whole setup. It seemed like an odd choice for a professional athlete to put her name behind high-sugar junk food. Plus, Henri Bendel certainly wasn't known for selling tacky $5 bags of candy.
But who was I to judge?
If I could capture some solid footage, I might just have a viral video on my hands. A famous blonde Russian tennis player could only help my YouTube stats.
Strategic Positioning for the Shot
I broke out my camera and attempted to hold it steady over the crowd.
There was quite a bit of pushing and shoving as everyone clamored for a photo or autograph. I seemed to be the only "amateur" recording continuous video, while most people were just snapping quick photos.
I knew I had to make a move. In a preemptive play, I decided to head toward the back of the store. It looked like they had a small table setup upstairs, and I figured she would eventually make her way over there.
Up Close with a Tennis Icon
Usually, I don't guess right on these things—but this time I nailed it!
Flanked by two huge bodyguards, she trudged past a mere foot away from me. I tried to shout out a question, but one of her bodyguards immediately shut me down.
It will be interesting to see how many die-hard Maria Sharapova fans end up watching the video once I post it to YouTube.
Final Impressions
I managed to get some great close-up shots of her face and outfit. She actually looked quite different in person than she does on the court. Her skin looked a bit more weathered than I would have expected—likely from years of intense sun exposure during matches!
She wore a pair of slim-cut white jeans and a fashionable, form-fitting jacket (though I couldn't spot the designer label). She also seemed much taller in person.
Overall, I'm glad I stumbled into the chance to see Maria Sharapova up close. I won't be eating her candy or suddenly tuning in to all her tennis matches, but she's clearly a savvy businesswoman.
She certainly sold a boatload of candy to her fans that day!
