The MaxAdventure Race is a long standing event utilising a variety of locations and different tracks at each location to keep as much as the adventure in the race as possible.  To add to this, competitors do not get the course until about 1 hour prior to race start.  Then they scour the map, make the plan and head off as the starting gun fires.  

  Here is where my planning comes into place.  I have received the maps and checkpoints a week in advance and if a new course go scout scenic locations and work out logistics for getting access to them.  Along with this calculating rough times for competitors so I can maximise my time shooting and ready when teams arrive.  

  One of the main criteria for this event is two photograph teams in action and as this event draws such a range of people like couples, elite athletes and parent/child teams its about capturing the fun spirit of the event.  Map reading skills are as important as being able to run fast as if you run past a checkpoint and don’t “tag in” you are penalised in time.  

  After a few years of shooting this event the challenge than switches from knowing the course to finding new exciting images.  This often means I need to go further into the course so using a mountain bike to get around is quite common.  I have even rented a motorised tin boat at one of these types of races so get out in deep water so I can photograph the ocean kayaks in full speed.

  Marketing people always want images right away and understandably so, competitors love to show their friends what they got up to on the weekend and a social media or website gallery does this well.  Having images ready for EDM’s and such galleries ready to go Monday morning means getting straight into images after the event so they are completed by Sunday night.  Additional images for the website and promoting the event in future years can come a bit later but a 48 hour return has always been a goal as the event is still fresh in the mind and I can than start preparing the next job free of any distractions.