--- title: Simone Biles: Behind the TIME Olympics Cover description: Photographer Thomas Prior reincarnated the majesty of this first-time Olympian canonical: https://time.com/4426234/rio-olympics-cover/ author: Michael Bucher article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2016-07-28T11:00:54.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-05-11T04:39:46.174Z article:section: World og:title: Behind TIME's Olympics Cover With Simone Biles og:description: Photographer Thomas Prior reincarnated the majesty of this first-time Olympian og:url: https://time.com/4426234/rio-olympics-cover/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt439ac440cef9a95a/69889fdd524fc0e6a3df8eef/simone-biles.jpg?branch=production og:image:width: 827 og:image:height: 434 og:image:alt: simone-biles og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: Behind TIME's Olympics Cover With Simone Biles twitter:description: Photographer Thomas Prior reincarnated the majesty of this first-time Olympian twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt439ac440cef9a95a/69889fdd524fc0e6a3df8eef/simone-biles.jpg?branch=production ---  # Behind TIME's Olympics Cover With Simone Biles by [Michael Bucher](/author/michael-bucher/) ## Michael Bucher Jul 28, 2016 11:00 AM CUT  Thomas Prior for TIME by [Michael Bucher](/author/michael-bucher/) ## Michael Bucher Jul 28, 2016 11:00 AM CUT Every inch counts for a gymnast. One miscalculation on the uneven bars or landing a few inches to the right or left on the balance beam could mean not only major point deductions in competition, but serious, life-threatening injury. Although the stakes typically aren’t that high for a photographer – just take another picture – Thomas Prior demonstrated discipline and precision to create a tack-sharp photograph of U.S. Olympic gymnast Simone Biles for the cover of TIME magazine’s Olympics issue.  Thomas Prior for TIME “I thought I could do it in five minutes but it became apparent the trampoline is very hard to focus,” Prior tells TIME, instead taking a full hour granted by Biles. “She drifts about a foot back and forward between poses.” [Read TIME’s cover story on Simone Biles](http://time.com/biles "undefined") Inside Biles’ family gym in Houston, Texas, Prior tested his lights with a body double so they would freeze the three-time world all-around champion perfectly in midair, sculpting her idealized figure against his matte black backdrop. The final image chosen for the cover balances her elegant pose without looking strained. A glowing golden light accentuates her powerful muscles while preserving her grace. **Read next:** [America’s Great Olympic Gymnasts on What Separates Simone Biles From Everyone Else](http://time.com/4427223/simone-biles-gymnast "undefined") ### Finding Poetry in Sport Photography  Gold Medal favorite Simone Biles practices gymnastics at her family’s World Champions Centre in Spring, TX on Thurs July 14, 2016\. Biles competes in the Women’s team final on August 9, and the Women’s all-around individual final on August 11. Thomas Prior for TIME  Gold Medal favorite Simone Biles practices gymnastics at her family’s World Champions Centre in Spring, TX on Thurs July 14, 2016\. Biles competes in the Women’s team final on August 9, and the Women’s all-around individual final on August 11. Thomas Prior for TIME  Gold Medal favorite Simone Biles stretches at her family’s World Champions Centre in Spring, TX on Thurs July 14, 2016\. Biles competes in the Women’s team final on August 9, and the Women’s all-around individual final on August 11. Thomas Prior for TIME  Gold Medal favorite Simone Biles poses for a portrait at her family’s World Champions Centre in Spring, TX on Thurs July 14, 2016\. Biles competes in the Women’s team final on August 9, and the Women’s all-around individual final on August 11. Thomas Prior for TIME  Gold Medalist sprinter Justin Gatlin poses for a portrait at Montverde Academy in Montverde, FL on Friday, July 22, 2016\. Gatlin races Usain Bolt in the 100 meter on August 14. Thomas Prior for TIME  Gold Medalist sprinter Justin Gatlin practices at Montverde Academy in Montverde, FL on Friday, July 22, 2016\. Gatlin races Usain Bolt in the 100 meter on August 14. Thomas Prior for TIME  Untitled Thomas Prior  Untitled Thomas Prior  Untitled Thomas Prior  Untitled Thomas Prior  Untitled Thomas Prior  Untitled Thomas Prior  Untitled Thomas Prior  Untitled Thomas Prior  Untitled Thomas Prior  Untitled Thomas Prior  Untitled Thomas Prior  Untitled Thomas Prior  Untitled Thomas Prior  Untitled Thomas Prior  Untitled Thomas Prior  Untitled Thomas Prior  Untitled Thomas Prior  Untitled Thomas Prior _Follow_ **_TIME LightBox_** _on_ [_Facebook_](https://www.facebook.com/timemagazinephoto "undefined")_,_ [_Twitter_](https://twitter.com/timepictures "undefined") _and_ [_Instagram_](https://instagram.com/timelightbox/ "undefined")_._ ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/4426234/rio-olympics-cover/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/4426234/rio-olympics-cover/"},"headline":"Behind TIME's Olympics Cover With Simone Biles","datePublished":"2016-07-28T11:00:54.000Z","dateModified":"2026-05-11T04:39:46.174Z","description":"Photographer Thomas Prior reincarnated the majesty of this first-time Olympian","url":"https://time.com/4426234/rio-olympics-cover/","keywords":["LightBox","photography","USA","Behind the Photos","Simone Biles"],"thumbnailUrl":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt439ac440cef9a95a/69889fdd524fc0e6a3df8eef/simone-biles.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Michael Bucher","jobTitle":null,"url":"https://time.com/author/michael-bucher/"}],"articleSection":"World","image":[{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt439ac440cef9a95a/69889fdd524fc0e6a3df8eef/simone-biles.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","width":1200,"height":675,"headline":"simone-biles","caption":"","creditText":"Thomas Prior for TIME","representativeOfPage":true}],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Time","url":"https://time.com/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://time.com/images/logo.png","width":528,"height":156},"foundingDate":"March 3, 1923","sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/time","https://www.instagram.com/time/?hl=en","https://twitter.com/time","https://www.pinterest.com/timemagazine"]}},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@id":"/section/world/","name":"World"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"item":{"@id":"/tag/time-section-lightbox/","name":"LightBox"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/4426234/rio-olympics-cover/","name":"Behind TIME's Olympics Cover With Simone Biles"}}]}] ```