Taking pictures of bike races
Posted on 18. Nov, 2009 by Josh in Bike Racing
Cyclingnews has released their annual reader poll with a list of nominees that’s broad enough to include Serramenti PVC Diquigiovanni – Androni Giocattoli for Best Team and Boa [shoe] lacing systems for Best Tech Innovation. The poll also features a whopping fourteen nominees for Best Photo that can be summed up in a word:
Meh.
Out of sincere personal and professional respect for the photographers, I won’t steal any of their photos for this post. But I will say that if this picture had been in the poll, it’s possible that it wouldn’t have finished last.
I took this at Sea Otter; I am not a photographer. That the photo wouldn’t look out of place on the world’s #1 cycling website probably says more about the quality of entry-level digital SLR’s than it says about anything else.
Fortunately, people like Kristof Ramon are bringing fresh, creative perspectives to cycling photography. He took an amazing series of portraits this year, mostly in Belgium, including this one of BMC director John Lelangue and my former Kodak Gallery/Sierra Nevada colleague Jackson Stewart before the Grote Scheldeprijs.
In Lelangue’s expression, the photograph perfectly captures the toughness required to race even the minor events of the Spring Classics. There’s also an interesting juxtaposition of the riders; while the guy in the van fidgets desperately with his glasses, Jackson appears relaxed and confident, but maybe a little distracted.
Point being, there are lots of ways to take a picture of a bike race and waiting at the finish line for a guy to put his hands in the air is among the less interesting of those ways. Don’t get me wrong – somebody has to show us who won the race. However, Cyclingnews’ Best Photo nominees are emotionless documentation of moments like Denis Menchov’s crash in the final TT at the Giro. But as Ansel Adams once said,
“You don’t take a photograph, you make it.”
With that in mind, check out my nominees for 2009 Flickr Cycling Photos of the Year. Note that this is not an exhaustive list. It took me about 20 minutes to put together and many deserving shooters are not represented here. Rather, it’s intended to show different ways of looking at the sport. Vote if you’d like to.
[poll closed; the winner is here]
Image courtesy of Kristof Ramon (yes, I asked for permission)
Some of the best cycling photography came from a pair of fashion/wedding photographers, Vero Image, during the 2008 season.
They shot pretty exclusively for Rock Racing but you can see some veteran photographers (Watson, Vos, Gibson) emulating their composition and design. Not a lot, though, because it takes hard work to take original pictures, as you know.
I’m glad someone said it. It bores me to tears looking at the same cyclingnews photos again and again. I’d rather see behind the scenes stuff with a bit of artistic flare. Capturing the emotion of the race instead of a pack full of riders is what I want to see.
Insightful post. Thanks
My favorite cycling photography this year came via the Big Picture blog: http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2009/07/2009_tour_de_france.html
Also really dig the stuff by Velodramatic: http://www.velodramatic.com/
I’ve shot every major league sport that people pay money to see, and many hayseed events too…and I am here to tell you nothing is more challenging to shoot than a pro cycling stage race. To get a meaningful image in such a large and uncontrolled environment is hard enough, and one always risks the errant spectator stepping in frame at just the wrong moment. That said, there’s nothing that offers more visual opportunity either.
Here’s why the AToC GG Bridge image is the best of this bunch: It is an image that conveys the reality of that day perfectly while including the iconic scenery and players. Also, I saw no one else get this image–it’s one-off. And I looked. I don’t know if that makes this person the best shooter or just lucky..we’d have to see their book to discuss. And keep in mind many talented shooter won’t get near flickr, so this is a small sample.
It’s about time to start seeing shots beyond the finish line. My best images from AToC came when I bailed on the finish line and hung out in central California with the farmers and later, the mechanics.
That said, the best cycling photography being produced over the last two years is the PDX Cross project–see them at http://www.pdxcross.com and discover what happens when the best photojournalists converge on one subject. That crew has mad chops.
one other thing: I understand there are no right or wrong answers in art, but Ramon’s arresting style comes from an over-reliance on photoshop. Those images are all nuked pretty hard. At least they’re consistent, which shows an understanding of PS shortcuts–load the recipe and everything comes out of the oven the same.
if you want to really see some cycling portraiture, click on Timm Kolln’s work at http://www.timmkoelln.com/the_peloton/
He’s probably the single best shooter in pro cycling–documentary photography like this comes rarely. True Magnum agency material.
Ok, just one more thing before I shut it:
The best cycling photojournalism will likely never be found in cyclingnews, velonews, or any of the usual suspects.
It will be produced by talented folks shooting because they’re drawn by the challenge of the cycling photography and the amazing results that can be had when all the forces align. The shots can be absolutely amazing, and many of us are obsessed with getting them.
Sometimes we’ll give them away for little to no money; since none of these publications pay jack, that’s usually the only way they get published. I can’t tell you how many times cyclingnews has asked me to cover a race–for FREE. Screw that. Most of the time we won’t give it away. You just have to go find them.
@Bob:
Some of the Big Picture shots are great, but I feel like I’ve seen this guy one too many times.
http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2009/07/2009_tour_de_france.html#photo25
I think the point Josh was making, and I completely agree with, is not that the day-to-day photos accompanying articles are pointless, but that if you are creating a “photo of the year” contest, they should ALL be something different than what we see in every race report. Whether it’s Ramon’s photoshop filters, Wil’s “Lance Rides Again”, or limegreeney’s right-place-at-the-right-time shot, they are all something above and beyond. That’s what a Photo of the Year should be.
@JC: I wish I’d put it that way! That the Photo of the Year nominees where so uninspiring seemed like another sign that the “old guard” of cycling photography has become stagnant.
@Wil: I’m no purist when it comes to Photoshop. Using different techniques in the darkroom was part of the pre-digital creative process, and Photoshop is no different.