Combining sports and landscape photography

A quick blog post to document and summarise a photoshoot for Tactic UK. I was asked to describe this session in one word and struggled to find the right one at the time. It’s not often I have a session that combines sports and landscape photography. I can’t remember the word I used at the time but after thinking about it a bit, I would say fulfilment.

Member of Tactic UK’s race team, and ex-colleague John reached out via WhatsApp. The first few matters to discuss were:

Date and time

Which light to chase? AM or PM?

• AM

  • Pros

    • Clearer roads - less chance of distractions in images, and of getting run over

    • Safer for rider to get home during the day once session is over

    • Session first thing in the morning means everyone has the rest of the day free without the session occupying the mind throughout the day. You also feel energised for the rest of the day after starting the day by doing something you enjoy (point stands for both photographer and cyclist)

    • Clearer, calmer and cooler skies in the morning.

  • Cons

    • Driving in rural roads early in the morning with low visibility

    • Waking up very early to get to location in time for sunrise (always worth it though so was never really going to influence decision) In summer months, chances are you’re dealing with 6am start times.

    • Not the case with this baby-faced cyclist, but sometimes the subject will need a bit of time to do hair, makeup, and get a coffee in them before they’re ready for a photo session.

• PM

  • Pros

    • At sunset there is stunning golden light everywhere

    • Skies are at their most dramatic at sunset. The right set of clouds and colours can be just what the session needs for certain photos to stand out.

    • More sociable timing, with sessions likely to start at around 7pm.

  • Cons

    • Timing, despite not having to wake up very early, finishing after the sun has set is probably not ideal for the cyclist on his way back home.

    • Roads will usually be a bit busier, meaning less freedom to get the right shot and being able to get in the right place without putting anyone at potential risk.

• Considerations

  • Know what time the sun rises and sets, and in which direction. The direction from which the light is coming from will impact how the subject and surrounding landscape will light up. Use photopills to know exact time and directions from location.

  • Be sure to start before sunrise/set to get full range of light throughout the session.

  • Weather is more predictable at the end of the day. There is more accurate data available to know if any harsh conditions will affect the session.

  • Starting in the morning, the session won’t run out of light, even if it will be harsher later on. Starting in the evening, once the sun sets, repeating any compositions will be difficult, if not impossible.

  • During golden hour, prioritise action shots. Portrait, gear, and close up shots can be taken once the sun as risen.

Location and route

Find a location with roads suitable for the type of bike and with a variety of straights, bends, climbs and descents to get a full range of shots. Luckily in the Bages region, rural towns and villages with curvy, hilly roads are not in short supply.

Final location and time was Option 1 in the morning for sunrise.

• With the sun rising from the east, at around a 3 o’clock position at 6am when we were set to meet, until a 5 o’clock position until 8am when we were set to finish

  • photos taken on the road heading south would be side-lit, and photos taken on the road heading east would be back-lit, allowing the golden light to be fully captured across all directions

  • the road is (or was - still to go back and visit after the recent forest fires) surrounded by greenery, which the sun would light up and add glorious glow to the action shots

Camera equipment and settings

Different settings and equipment for the two different parts of the session

Action: 18-105mm f4.0. No time to be lost changing lenses. Quickly change from a wide angle to capture the full extent of the natural environment, to 105mm to get close-up action shots. Shutter speed set to in between 1/320 to 1/1000, depending on how much direct sunlight there is, and how far or close I am to the subject. F6.0-9.0 for wide-angle nature shots, and F4.0 for zoomed-in close-ups. Continuous, wide angle autofocus, and trust the tech in the camera to detect John flying through.

Cycling equipment, uniforms, products: 30mm F1.4. As the subject will not be moving as much, the prime lens will allow for crisp, sharp images with creamy backgrounds full of nature. Single point focus, generally aimed at logo or eyes.

The results

Special thanks to John and Tactic UK. I have been teaching myself sports photography for a few years now. The pandemic pushed me into landscape photography and the local area. This session was the perfect combination for the knowledge acquired over time. Fulfilment.