What does it take to photograph elite athletes pushing their bodies to the point of collapse, or freeze the motion of cars hurtling by at speeds that blur the line between control and catastrophe?
Two of our favorite recent podcasts went deep inside those worlds: one with Phil Penman and Kristof Ramon on the brutal beauty of competitive cycling, and the other with Camden Thrasher and Jamey Price on the relentless sensory overload that comes with photographing motor sports.
While our video podcast studio gets its finishing touches, we're revisiting our archive for an encore that pairs the best of both sports—from the many stages of suffering baked into professional cycling to the wild mix of visual stimulation and sleep deprivation that comes with shooting a 24-hour endurance race. In each conversation, you'll find sparks of enlightenment that happens when photographers who thrive on adrenaline get a chance to really talk shop.
The excerpts here contain the highlights. Yet, the full episodes are also worth your time—links to those are in the timeline below.
And make sure to subscribe @BHPodcastNetwork to get our latest updates on YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok.
Guests: Phil Penman, Kristof Ramon, Camden Thrasher & Jamey Price
Episode Timeline:
The Art of Competitive Cycling Photography, with Phil Penman & Kristof Ramon
3:25: Phil Penman's background in competitive cycling and how this informs his photographs of the sport.
5:48: Logistics to shooting competitive cycling and perils of damaging photo gear.
9:21: Creative aspects to competitive cycling photography and how to get impactful shots.
14:00: The many stages of suffering in competitive cycling, and the pride riders take in having this photographed.
20:02: Technical aspects of cycling photography, understanding light, capturing speed, and learning to react intuitively to the action.
25:00: Gaining access and building rapport with athletes and teams.
31:28: The back story to Kristof's book and how he identified suffering as a narrative element.
37:38: Starting out and getting credentials as a competitive cycling photographer.
41:13: Balancing the technical with an emotional response while building in certainties and calculating risk.
50:29: EPISODE BREAK
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