My September cover shot for ROAD magazine shows a side-lit Lance Armstrong headed full-steam into the camera and towing a trio of pro riders behind, the effort displaying Armstrong’s musculature like an exaggerated anatomy illustration.

Normally a shot like this would come from the back of photo-moto, but I wasn’t lucky enough to have access to one of those, and thankfully not foolish enough to get in the way of the world’s most recognizable cyclist during the heat of competition. I was at the Nevada City Classic in California, a notoriously difficult circuit race that Armstrong and two teammates decided would be ideal for capping their preparations for the Tour de France, which would begin in one week.

Thanks to a Canon 300 2.8, my favorite lens for shooting cycling (and one that I depend on from lensprotogo.com), and the crop-sensor 50d (an under-rated sports camera) this was effectively shot at 480mm focal length, which presents the photographer a dilemma: since there’s so much “grab” with this setup and the surrounding context is nearly eliminated, what’s the best way to create an interesting image that goes beyond the ordinary close-up? And more to the point, how do I get a shot different enough from the other 250 talented photojournalists also trying to get an arresting image? 

Since I knew the extreme focal length was going to eliminate much of the crowds, identifiable landmarks and atmosphere, my approach was to find some unique light, something that the riders pass through in a blink of an eye. Nevada City is a Gold-Rush era town with lots of odd buildings stuffed along winding streets on the side of a hill. Combine this with a race starting in late-afternoon light, there were hundreds of places where the light was dramatic, even if short-lived. This shot was against a shaded background and had the setting sun coming in hard between two buildings. That light was bouncing off a bunch of windows on the opposite side, providing fill light for Armstrong’s right side.  

Compare this with the rather ordinary lighting in my other image shown here, and it’s clear how much more exciting a shot can be with some interesting light and shadows. I almost always avoid the standard light of this second image--not just because it’s so expected, it’s also where the majority of other photogs are and that makes it hard to get a unique shot. I’ve also learned to never become too dependent on a particular angle, and to move on once I’ve covered a location in order to get as much variety as possible. 

This is a look into why I believe pro cycling is the hardest but most rewarding sport to shoot. The constantly-shifting conditions, highly-visible body language and emotion, length of race course, and tactics within the race require a lot from a photographer-- and after all that, one never knows if a moto or a spectator or a cop will step in the wrong place at the moment of the shot. There’s lots of local cycling events in every community--take your gear down there and try something different. Lance may not be there, but you’ll learn something new and likely have a new image for your book.  

Wil Matthews 

wilmatthewsphoto.com 

wil.matthews@mac.com