Whether deep within an Icelandic cave, striding out countless steps along the beautiful trails of the Overland Track in Tasmania or peak bagging the Alps of Europe I have been extremely fortunate to have the support of Mont Adventure Equipment during my travels shooting great places like these. Quality outdoor wear, rainwear and shelter makes my job easier allowing me to stay out longer and capture more. But one key piece of equipment all photographers will attest to is the backpack, without one you are going nowhere fast and without the correct one you will struggle to have the right gear with you when you need it most. I have used a variety of “camera” bags over the years and have a few in the closet now waiting to be picked up at any notice but what I have found lately is that no one camera bag does it all and none of them suffice when you need to go big and carry a wide variety of gear for big hikes or to shoot with a lot of gear for that client or project.
Enter the Mont Backcountry 80litre backpack. Many creatives are going lightweight with mirrorless or small foldup drones, I still believe strongly that quality is king, not just content. By this I mean I want bigger sensors in my drone with larger dynamic range, a full-frame DSLR and quality glass with amazing autofocus and tough as nails weatherproofing. With these quality professional items plus add your personal outdoor gear and before you know it a pack can easily weigh 30kg+. Now, I still use my F-Stop Tilopa 90% of the time during weekend events or client shoots but when I need a diverse range of gear on my back or be out for an extended period and carry it all comfortably then the Backcountry has never let me down.
Let’s run through what I carry in this pack and why. It can give other photographers insight into what I use to capture content but what they also may need as personal. kit.
So starting with my Mont gear in this photo I have a hat and clothes for warm weather and sun protection. Inside the Backcountry are the lightweight 2/3-season Moondance 2FN tent, Brindabella Hydronaute XT bag for winter or the amazingly light Zero Super Light bag for summer. Other items for cooler climates would be my Mont Ascent Jacket softshell, my waterproof Odyssey Jacket along with a long sleeve Lifestyle Adventure shirt and Adventure Light pants.
Other items as shown are Spot Gen3 GPS messenger for updating family on my whereabouts or emergencies, F-Stop Navin is connected using 2x S-carabiners with my Panasonic Lumix GX8 or Nikon D810 camera for quick and easy shooting. Tripods on the sides vary depending on shoot plans but at most would be my still setup of a Manfrotto 055CX3 and Really Right Stuff BH-40 ball head. If shooting video or for extra timelapse shooting I take my Gitzo GT3530LSV and Manfrotto MVH500AH fluid video head. A small Manfrotto Off-Road tripod for flash stand or VLOG shooting comes in super handy.
So more about the Backcountry pack as this is the main item I wanted to share about. This is a top-loading multi-day hiking pack designed for tough Australian conditions using canvas fabrics and a fully adjustable harness. After using this pack and switching from my other pack, reputable german brand Deuter, I found a few interesting surprises. I was expecting the pack to be heavier as many brands now opt for lighter (less durable) nylon/polyester fabrics but found this to be the opposite. Next, the harness is smaller and less bulky and even though it is fully adjustable and well designed I expected some getting used to. Wrong. Immediately the harness was comfortable, gave me better freedom of movement and distributed weight extremely well. The only improvement I could suggest is a larger lumbar pad but that’s just me, I like how a larger pad rests on the little concave part of my lower back. I have a narrow torso/hips so don’t have to overly tighten the waist belt if the pad is bigger. However, I have only ever tried on one pack in my life that had this so hardly a negative for Mont but more a norm for the industry in my opinion.
This pack has seen the Australian MainRange in winter split-boarding the backcountry, Overland Track in Tasmania, Austria, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland, and Italy but hardly shows any signs of wear. One thing I get asked when talking to new people is “what type of photography do you do? Weddings? Portraits?” I tell them outdoor lifestyle and sports, the reply is “Oh football, rugby, cricket” and when I explain the enjoyment of wearing such packs and going deep into a track or heading into a remote area to get a unique shot with all the gear I get a funny look almost like as if I am a bit crazy. But this has been the best pack I have ever had the pleasure of using and maybe I am crazy but with gear this good the job is a lot easier and more enjoyable along the way.
The midnight sun peaks below the cloud cover breaking thru the fog to light the numerous peaks that line the west coast of Lofoten Island, Norway
What a year!…
New events, places visited and people met and all through photography and an outdoor lifestyle at sporting events, traveling, and personal adventures.
Meeting new photographers/videographers from the UK, Austria, Germany, and Italy while partaking in events in Austria, Italy, Iceland, and Norway were the highlights of my year. Sharing a “van-life” adventure throughout Europe with my partner is something I will never forget. Seeing how other photographers work and what they create has urged me on to do, see and improve even more in 2018.
Below are some of my favourite images from the year covering mountain bike races, working with trail runners, exploring new countries and extending my array of images using new technologies like drones for aerial photography. A big part of my work this year has been outdoor lifestyle and landscapes, not in the traditional sense of sunrises or panoramas but more about people in the landscape. Showing how much is out there to discover and explore.
I hope your year was as magnificent as mine and that some of my images be an inspiration to get out, do more and see more in the next 12months as I do plan myself. Enjoy.
Majura Pines mountain bike park has a great mix of cross country, downhill and enduro trails all amongst the pine tree plantations.
A couple weeks ago I took the opportunity to make the drive south to Canberra, nothing unusual, spend a lot of time there. What was different was my destination, Majura Pines mountain bike trails because the Australian 24HR Solo Nationals were on and because I have not actually spent anytime photographing here before. Weird I know, but with Stromlo MTB Park so close I could be excused for doing so until now that is.
I knew I would like the different conditions of tall pine trees and barren open ground covered in the red needles dropped by the trees. But like it this much I did not predict and helmet visors must be tipped in acknowledgement to the volunteers at Majura Pines Trail Alliance. Great trails with lots of variety and I still have not seen all of them, something I plan on remedying very soon. So quick note about the trails, the main area runs parallell to Majura Parkway and is fairly flat but in a non-gravity fed way is very flowy. With riders completing 30+ laps over 24hrs they would find little mistakes in lines would cost them time dearly. Then there is Mount Majura itself, the trails twist and wind up the slopes and the higher you go the steeper they get. Sensibly, CORC: Canberra Off-Road Cyclists who ran the event modified the original course reducing the climbs at both south and north ends of the loop, something all riders I’m sure appreciated.
Enough about the trails. For me I was there for the light opportunities that 24Hr racing provides and the trees. The trees. Love the trees. In the bright midday sun it created harsh splashes of light on trunks and as the day progressed long shadows sweeping across my compositions. Unfortunately, evening shooting was cut short as the sun set behind Mount Majura early casting one big shadow over the forests. Sunrise to the rescue. I knew this was the key time to shoot and so getting back up at 4.30am I found many support crew members grabbing quick naps between rider laps. Tough job and hats go off to these guys/girls. This brings me to another reason for attending the event. A good friend Jason Moxham has started up FiZO Cycling and Components providing bike servicing, fitting and supporting riders at races. They wanted some portraits of team riders pre-race and race images during, plus rider Rachel Cook needed images as she has just joined the team and luckily so, she took out the U23 category and national title, all in her first 24hr.
So as I run thru the images for this post I cannot help but feel lucky to able to work with such great companies in this sport and meet so many wonderful riders along the way. One particular rider has decided to “pull the brakes” on 24Hour Solo racing. Brett Bellchambers announcing the 2017 national titles event was to be his last, something many hope he reconsiders, the trails won’t be the same without his zany spirit on the trails, singing and cracking jokes. If he doesn’t return its a well deserved end to a very long and popular ride he has had, all the best Brett.
Congratulations to Jason English for yet another title and to Kate Penglase taking the women’s title for 2017.
24hour mountain bike racing is always a great event to photograph and it doesn’t end when it gets dark.
24Hr Racing. It has it all. Solo riders who must be crazy, teams who are only slightly less so and then the newest category 6+6. Some would say these guys are either geniuses or they have not been struck by the 24Hr MTB race bug. Either way any chance I get to go shoot a 24Hr event, I cannot wait. Night photography, sunset and sunrise for beautiful light and harsh midday sun which pushes you to be creative shooting during the “bad light”
So last weekend when the skies flashed their own lights at us, the thunder soon followed after and then the rains had a go. I thought “No not this weekend” as I sat in the back of my Subaru Outback eating my dinner. This would not beat me. I got the rain gear out and prepared to look the storm that was hitting the east coast of NSW straight in the face. Thankfully, the storm subsided and cities north and south took the brunt, little Awaba MTB park would be spared.
Now I know Awaba well but there are so many twists and turns at this great course but only so many events I get to photograph here, I knew I wanted to get to some less frequented sections to refresh my image archives with some new dirt frames.
I will admit the light was not great, thick grey cloud in a rain forest on an eastern facing slope at sunset…. well you can imagine. So flash work it was and before long the only option was to do long exposures but I always intended to do this. I was up at Awaba a month ago with Apollo rider Grant Webster shooting some images for his new light sponsor Nitelights. This is such a fun type of photography, especially how the riding lights create such interesting streaks of light and light up the riding trail.
One of the best parts about 24Hr is how I get to chat with the riders I know well. I can see them go thru so many stages of energy.. or the lack of. I try to let them know I am waiting for them as they approach calling out and giving them a cheer. Awaba can be a tough course for both photography and the riders but I would not have asked for anything different as each opportunity regardless of weather conditions produces new work.
Behind the Image: Read my latest blog post about the story behind the image and how it was shot. bit.ly/grp-bti-fling
The 11th annual Highland Fling will be raced come two weeks from now and for the fifth consecutive year I have been the event’s official photographer, a great privilege, and challenge. Not only do I love this event but so do the riders. It seems that everyone wants to win The Fling. 2015 saw Andy Blair win his first title after many attempts, he was proud to take the top podium step crossing the line thumping his chest in a way that that said ” Yes! I have done it.”
So, I thought it was fitting to select my next “Behind the Image” photo as I prepare for the event choosing new locations always looking for something different to photograph. The above photo is from 2014 where Brendan Johnston won after battling it out with Mark Tupalski. What I like most about this photo is the focus. The focus that each rider has on the man in front and the lack of focus other than the main subject, Mark. Mark is known for throwing out the challenge early and showing his cards with the strongest, whether him or a competitor, rising to the top rather than playing a cat and mouse game. I can imagine him thinking “I am going for it, beat me if you can.” This always makes for interesting racing, especially when four of Australia’s top riders are staring you down, hungry for the win too.
For me, I wanted to get away from the pin sharp action-frozen image that is often shot with a high shutter speed, available light, and no flash. I wanted something that captures the race from the rider’s perspective. The race is usually over in a blur, a fleeting moment and this is what I wanted to convey in an image. I knew the riders would exit the fields in a fast pace, each one trying to put the others under pressure early on as the course here is quick and open. Later, when the single track arrives and the legs are tired it wouldn’t be so easy to pass, to make a break.
Now I will admit there is always an element of luck with photography. You can plan and prepare all you like but during a race like this, there is no control exactly where the riders will be placed, how they will line up especially when there is no defined track they must stick too. The plan was to use the sweeping corner and a flash placed just where I thought the lead rider would hit the mark. Thanks must go out to Mark for following the script and leading Brendan, Andy, Shaun and Dylan to my pre-visualized spot so perfectly.
From a photography perspective, how was the shot taken? To blur the action a slower shutter speed was needed, there is no set speed for this type of shot it all depends on the subject movement, sometimes a slower 1/50 is needed but only testing and practice will teach you what to expect. I normally shoot a smaller aperture, somewhere around f/11 for these types of shots to give me a little room for error as wheels and feet will blur more than the hands and face as they are more stationary. Again, testing different settings will give you some feel for what look can be achieved but in this situation, I didn’t have this luxury.
Flash power. I only had one small Nikon SB-900 on me as I needed to be unencumbered so as soon as the riders sped past I would need to run for the car and head off to the next shot location. With the minimal light power on hand, a wider aperture was called for as this would have a greater chance of freezing the action of just the lead rider. The problem though with the wider aperture the depth of focus would be a lot smaller meaning I would need to nail the timing. Again, I only get one chance at this and to this date, no rider has taken up my suggestion of “ride it again” when told, “I wasn’t ready”. I don’t blame them.
Over the coming two weeks, I will be on The Fling course checking out locations to shoot looking for somewhere different to capture this great events variety of trails. Hopefully, with a bit of luck, the lead riders will see me sitting trail-side on race day and know exactly what my plans are hitting the mark and helping me capture another unique image.
So starting with my Mont gear in this photo I have a hat and clothes for warm weather and sun protection. Inside the Backcountry are the lightweight 2/3-season Moondance 2FN tent, Brindabella Hydronaute XT bag for winter or the amazingly light Zero Super Light bag for summer. Other items for cooler climates would be my Mont Ascent Jacket softshell, my waterproof Odyssey Jacket along with a long sleeve Lifestyle Adventure shirt and Adventure Light pants.
Other items as shown are Spot Gen3 GPS messenger for updating family on my whereabouts or emergencies, F-Stop Navin is connected using 2x S-carabiners with my Panasonic Lumix GX8 or Nikon D810 camera for quick and easy shooting. Tripods on the sides vary depending on shoot plans but at most would be my still setup of a Manfrotto 055CX3 and Really Right Stuff BH-40 ball head. If shooting video or for extra timelapse shooting I take my Gitzo GT3530LSV and Manfrotto MVH500AH fluid video head. A small Manfrotto Off-Road tripod for flash stand or VLOG shooting comes in super handy.
So more about the Backcountry pack as this is the main item I wanted to share about. This is a top-loading multi-day hiking pack designed for tough Australian conditions using canvas fabrics and a fully adjustable harness. After using this pack and switching from my other pack, reputable german brand Deuter, I found a few interesting surprises. I was expecting the pack to be heavier as many brands now opt for lighter (less durable) nylon/polyester fabrics but found this to be the opposite. Next, the harness is smaller and less bulky and even though it is fully adjustable and well designed I expected some getting used to. Wrong. Immediately the harness was comfortable, gave me better freedom of movement and distributed weight extremely well. The only improvement I could suggest is a larger lumbar pad but that’s just me, I like how a larger pad rests on the little concave part of my lower back. I have a narrow torso/hips so don’t have to overly tighten the waist belt if the pad is bigger. However, I have only ever tried on one pack in my life that had this so hardly a negative for Mont but more a norm for the industry in my opinion.
