Events

Feb

2017

Jetblack 24hr MTB

Last weekend saw the 2017 running of the Jetblack 24hr MTB race. This year the race was held at Awaba on the NSW Central Coast.

A crack in my radiator saw me running late to the event and missing the start which was a shame as there is always great shots to be had of the pack leaving the gate. In one way though, it was kind of a blessing as, for the first time, I was in the start area for the running of the kids race. I’m are normally out on track by this time and miss shooting it every time.

Once out on track the warm day saw thunderstorms building and it wasn’t long before they rolled on in. I stayed out through the rain well protected in my rain gear and dry under an umbrella but when the bolts of lightning started to get close I returned back to the car for a quick break and sit the rest of the storm out.

Night fell and I kept it close to the camp and start area. There is plenty to shoot in close vicinity. I found a nice little bridge and started dragging my shutter to get the nice long light trails and used a combination of flashes to capture the rider as they went past.

I snuck in a couple of hours sleep and set off again in the morning. After a short walk out I found myself in an area completely new to me. The rainforest here was nice and dark with a few patches of sunlight in which to trap the riders. I know there is still another section further out that I haven’t had the chance to visit yet but that will have to wait till the next time.

24hrs are tough races. They are physically and mentally exhausting for the riders but also to a degree for us. They do offer some fantastic opportunities to get shots that you wouldn’t normally be able to get during a usual days race, the night shots and the golden light of morning and sunsets (we missed this due to the heavy cloud cover this time). Because of all the variations 24hr races are among my favourite to cover.

If you have an event that you would like covered swing on over to Outer Image and touch base with us so we can work out how best to suit your needs

: The up and coming stars

: Starting out early

: Claudia Fiess knocking out laps in the rain

: Nightfall and the riding continues

: Jemma Burtonwood, the women’s elite winner of the Jetblack 24hr MTB

: Dragging out the shutter on the bridge

: Morning dawns grey

: Jetblack 24hr MTB

: Jetblack 24hr MTB

: Deep and dark rainforest

: Final turns

: Male Elite podium

: Female Elite podium

Feb

2017

Killingworth Enduro, 2017

We are back out on track with the first race of the season. A couple of weekends ago saw the first round of the 2017 Fox / Camelbak Superflow mtb enduro put on by Rocky Trail Entertainment at Killingworth. It was a bit of a scorcher again with temperatures pushing into the high 30’s.

Gil and I swapped tracks this year with Gil on the Fox trail and myself on the Camelbak. A new jump had recently been put in on the Camelbak trail so I made my way up to there and settled in. Although it wasn’t a huge jump but it offered the option of being able to just roll over it which meant I got shots of the majority of the riders. When there is an A and B line option then unfortunately I will miss quite a lot of riders. Thankfully, I found a nice spot in the shade from where to shoot the jump from.

After everyone’s first run I swapped over to the bottom of the Fox track to get everyone’s second run on there. I found a nice little corner that was super dusty and backlit so the dust really lit up well.

If you have an event that you would like covered swing on over to Outer Image and touch base with us so we can work out how best to suit your needs

: Pre-race brief

: A shot of energy at the Killingworth Enduro, 2017

: Its all about the timing

: Practice runs

: Charging with mates

: Heading up for the main event

: Airtime

: Back lit dust

: Charging into the corners

: Starting them young

Jan

2017

Downhill Nationals, Awaba

The weekend saw the first of the Downhill Nationals rounds for 2017. Since it was at Awaba (which is not that far away from me) and I figured I needed to get my eye in again after the christmas period I headed up for a couple of days shooting. The plan was more to just play around and try some new things than do any serious shooting. I missed the Friday practice due to other commitments but after hearing that the temperatures hit a toasty 45C I was quite happy I missed it.

Despite having shot at Awaba on numerous occasions it was the first time that I had ever shot a downhill race there and the first time I did a complete track walk-through. I love shooting new tracks because all the angles are new and fresh. It’s also good because when I need to shoot here again I know where to go to get the good shots.

Events like this where I am not committed to give me a chance to try different techniques. I played a bit with panning and blurred shots this time too. It’s not something I get to do too often as I usually need to see numbers to identify the competitor in the photo.

You can see the full selection and purchase your favourite images here on my website. Just put your number into the search box at the top or click the view all tags button beneath the search box and find your number that way.

If you have an event that you would like covered swing on over to Outer Image and touch base with us so we can work out how best to suit your needs

: The smoke ceremony, a traditional welcoming to the land from the locals

: The smoke ceremony, a traditional welcoming to the land from the locals

: Teagan Molloy during seeding

: Remy Morton in his bright kit

: Remy Morton in his not so bright kit

: Troy Brosnan on his way to the win

: Pat Butler dominates having just moved up into Junior Men

: Jackson Frew heading for a 3rd place

Dec

2016

Superflow Enduro Championships

This year saw the first Superflow Enduro Championships. They were held at Ourimbah MTB track on the Central Coast of NSW. Unfortuneatle it came up against the opening weekend of Thredbo MTB trails which is always a favourite with the MTB crew. That said it was still a respectable turnout

Ourimbah is an old favourite and it seems that it is still no problem to find new shots and angles there. We have shot the downhill, and the xc series there over the last 4 years or so and the Enduro series incorporates a little bit of both. It was a great day for shooting as the sun kept itself hidden away behind the clouds for most of the day. This means that we can use flashes work a lot less and we can control the light to a much greater degree.

There was a couple of new faces on the podium at the end of the day. It was great to see Harrison Dobrowolski step up into the male elites and finish up second for the day. You can check out a bit more of this talented young gun here.

Below are a few of my images from the day.

If you have an event that you would like covered swing on over to Outer Image and touch base with us so we can work out how best to suit your needs

: Racers at the Fox Cambelbak Superflow Championships hosted by Rocky Trail Entertainment at Ourimbah on the NSW Central Coast

: Rider briefing

: Heading out to the trails

: Blake Nielsen at the Fox Cambelbak Superflow Championships hosted by Rocky Trail Entertainment at Ourimbah on the NSW Central Coast

: Racing at the Fox Cambelbak Superflow Championships hosted by Rocky Trail Entertainment at Ourimbah on the NSW Central Coast

: Hitting the berms

: Racing at the Fox Cambelbak Superflow Championships hosted by Rocky Trail Entertainment at Ourimbah on the NSW Central Coast

: Male elite podium at the Superflow Enduro

: The Fox and Rocky Trail Entertainment crew

Dec

2016

B24, Base in Bright

Once again the Thule B24 has rolled around put on by Base in Bright down at the beautiful little Victorian town of Bright. Nestled in the Victorian Alps Bright is set up for the biker with trails running everywhere to suit all levels of skill.

The threat of rain kept the numbers lower than expected but considering the forecast the turnout was great and certainly not a the small race it was when it kicked off 4 years ago. The weekend started out at the Bright Brewery with a track stand contest and a few beers while metres away people were casting flies into the water to chase the trout.

Saturday lunch saw the race get underway. First out were the solo racers then followed 15 mins later by the esprit d’ corps category. I shot a bit along the river then headed out to the new section of track called Tombstone. By all reports this super-flowy section went down a treat and everyone who came down were all smiles. Basically though, all the track was new as the course had been reversed this year to accommodated taking in Tombstone.

Early Sunday morning around 1am, I had just about dozed off in the back of my car when the sky lit up and the heavens opened with a bang as a thunderstorm rolled in. I felt pity for those still slogging it through the night. Some pretty torrential rain fell over night but by morning it had eased back a bit. A constant rain fell through the sunday at times becoming heavy again. I was rather helpless as first my lenses started to mist and then I saw moisture forming inside the camera itself. Not much to do but keep shooting anyway.

By the end of the races those who were still out on track came back plastered with mud but still the smiles would not leave them. I have long wanted to shoot a few portraits after a muddy race like that and I got more than my fair share of mud-encrusted faces after the race finished up

Sam Moffitt took the win with his first 24hr victory and Courtney Henry took the win in the female solo category with her 3rd ever mtb race.

If you have an event that you would like covered swing on over to Outer Image and touch base with us so we can work out how best to suit your needs

: Fly fishing on the Ovens River in Bright

: Overlooking Bright

: The Thule B24 mountain bike race in the Victorian Alps around Bright

: Inside the great marquee

: The Thule B24 mountain bike race in the Victorian Alps around Bright

: The Thule B24 mountain bike race in the Victorian Alps around Bright

: The Thule B24 mountain bike race in the Victorian Alps around Bright

: The Thule B24 mountain bike race in the Victorian Alps around Bright

: Night on the pumptrack

: Cruising Angel Alley

: Early morning light

: Down by the river

: The Thule B24 mountain bike race in the Victorian Alps around Bright

: Solo Female winner Courtney Henry

: All mud and smiles

: The Thule B24 mountain bike race in the Victorian Alps around Bright

: Sam Moffitt, the Solo Male Winner

: The Thule B24 mountain bike race in the Victorian Alps around Bright

: Empty Trails of the next day

: Rain in the mountains

Dec

2016

The Urban Adventure

One of the more unique events on my calendar with Outer Image is Paddy Pallin’s Urban Adventure Race. It is an adventure race that takes place through the heart of Sydney. Competitors race around the CBD and surrounding suburbs doing various events and challenges. collecting points.

The events and challenges that I shot were only a small part of it. They included indoor climbing at Sydney University, slot car racing where competitors had to complete 3 laps of a circuit in under 25 seconds, frisbee golf at Centenial Park, a short sack race, dance lessons where it was all about the style and even price check shopping in the Paddy Pallin store in the city. A little bit of something for everyone.

The race attracts all types of people from some serious racers out for a day of fun to families with small children taking on their first adventure race. It’s definitely one to keep an eye out for next year especially if you would like to dip your toes into the world of adventure racing.

If you have an event that you would like covered swing on over to Outer Image and touch base with us so we can work out how best to suit your needs