MTB
2023
Photography
MTB Photography
University assignment
Culture is something; either a tradition, experience or belief that Is shared and upheld by a group of people.
Due to recent growth in attention on social media platforms, MTB is growing in global popularity amongst teenagers, especially male teenagers. Although most videos are glorified by influencers and competitors with extreme stunts, the protective attire that followed is developing with the growing popularity.
Exploring the line between practical and fashionable.
There is a strong culture of mate ship and grit in the MTB community. Although mountain bikers are typically laid back socially, they are characterised as technically clinical and serious when they perform due to their goal for achievement, and risk of injury.
It is a sport where people with high aerobic endurance spend hours building tracks and exploring bushland under sunlight hours. Although invitingly social, it is very much an individual sport.
Process
STYLE / ASTHETIC
MTB is in a realm of extreme, fast-paced sports usually actioned during the day, or during daylight. Technical wise the most appropriate photographic execution is to use a candid flash by default. However, I would like to create a familiarity with existing trends of extreme sports/skate with high key candid flash, shot with a speedlight attached to the camera.
To follow the intended style, the photographs will be shot before complete sunset. With a growing demographic of teenagers, and following MTB basic safety assessments, daylight before dusk is familiar to the demographic. Technically the daylight will illuminate the surroundings to create setting and assist the speedlight in creating balanced high key lighting on the subject.
LENS
To pull together the intended style and create a connection of familiarity, the most optimal lens will be a telephoto lens to flexibly make field of view adjustments. This will create the opportunity to shoot wide field of view photographs to capture the subject and surroundings in a comfortably close position with the camera.
Focal length will be consistent with a shallow-medium depth. Enough to see the setting close to the subject clearly.
Lighting
CANDID FLASH / XTREME SPORTS
MTB is a slight ‘cousin’ to skate/BMX sports. Like MTB cousin, there is a stylistic approach of candid flash photography that progressively placed itself into their culture. Most recognisable form, but not limited to is the slow sync flash, making the subject clear while the foreground is blurry (achieved by following the movement of the subject with the camera with a slower shutter speed). I’ve taken note of the cultural approach of a candid photographic style, and caught inspiration with the lighting and the look and feel.
Candid
I wanted to direct my technical approach with high key lighting and naturalistic approaches to my subjects. Practice a naturalistic style in shooting the subject as if there no camera, nor direction to unnaturally pose the subject.
I wanted to direct my subject to act in the moment, taking photos clinically at key points of movement.
Byron McIntosh 