As a photographer I am always searching out ways to set myself apart and create content that people will be into. It’s one of the biggest challenges and one of the hardest parts about it to be honest, especially these days when everyone has a camera of some sort with them on a regular basis whether it is a digi-cam or an iphone and life is being documented by the minute. It’s a mix of doing what makes you happy and trying to figure out what will make viewers happy as well. That’s where this new “A different perspective” idea came from. Over the years I have interviewed tons of pro riders about anything and everything except one important topic. What is it like from their perspective to go out and shoot with a photographer? What it is that makes one person better to shoot with than others? I have always wondered about what goes on inside a riders mind before they prepare to shoot a crazy banger and put all of their trust into the photographer. See what Ryan Nyquist, Greg Illingworth, and Daniel Dhers all had to say for the fourth edition of “A different perspective.”
Ryan Nyquist
Go ahead and give the readers some background on some of your first memories of getting photographed while riding.
My first memories were probably when I was 14 or 15 years old riding at Calabazas with my friends. It wasn’t anything too crazy, but I just remember being excited that someone wanted to take a photo of me. That, and once the film was developed I might get to see what I looked like while jumping. There weren’t a lot of video cameras around, and digital photography didn’t exist yet.
When was it that you first felt pressure to produce as a rider in front of the lens?
I don’t really remember any kind of pressure to take photos earlier on in my career. I guess once I signed with Haro, they would fly me out for photo shoots for ads and catalogs, but it was always just really fun and enjoyable.
Do you remember your first “real” photo shoot with a professional photographer? If so who was it? When was it? And fill us in on some details.
The first one that comes to mind was when I got my interview in Ride BMX Mag in ’96 or ’97. Brad McDonald and Chris Hargraves came up to San Jose to shoot some photos of me riding the San Jose Ramp Club and some local trails called T Cups. The Ramp shots were pretty easy to get done, but the dirt photos were a bit tougher. I got a flat at some point and had to go to the store and grab a tube. Brad and Chris said they would just wait at the trails for me. Well, T Cups were in East San Jose, which was flooded with gangs and sketchy characters. I assumed they knew that, and I asked them if they were sure, and they said yeah. So I went to get a tube as fast as I could, and came back to the place we parked at the trails. Brad and Chris were both waiting for me by the curb, looking a little bit shaken up. They told me that they were approached by some people down there and filled in on how “things go down” around there. Ha-ha! Seeing as how they had a bunch of expensive camera equipment, they high-tailed it out of the woods and into broad daylight. Ha-Ha!”
What is it about BMX and photography that goes hand-in-hand from the rider’s viewpoint?
I always thought shooting photos is pretty fun, especially when you have a good relationship with the photographer and can work together to make a great photo. It can capture a moment in time that might be too quick to really appreciate in real time. Also, with the right person behind the lens, the photo has the potential to be forever engraved in people’s minds and thoughts. A photo can be a very powerful thing if done right.
How much pressure do you put on yourself to have the trick look “perfect” or the way that you imagined it to look?
I take pride in my riding and how it looks. Seeing something that is just a bit less that what I want it to be makes me want to do it until it’s right. I’m a bit of a perfectionist when it comes to the finished product. It’s not unusual to “guide” the photographer to different angles that might make the trick look that much better. Some photographers are cool with that kind of guidance and some aren’t, ha-ha! I’ve also been proved completely wrong though after putting up a huge fight about where the photo should be shot from. You gotta’ be open to trying different stuff.
Do you need a filmer around to shoot a photo? Will you only shoot a banger trick if it is being filmed as well?
It just depends what projects you have going on. I’ve shot only photos of crazy stuff in the past. Nowadays there is such a demand for content, both photo and video, that it’s hard to let something fly that you wouldn’t want to use for a video project of some sort.
Explain the difference you feel pressure wise between filming a trick and shooting a photo. What do you prefer?
I think filming has some stricter guidelines, from the rider’s standpoint anyways. A photo is a split second of a trick, so the landing can be a little sketchy or feel a bit off, but the photo could look amazing. But with filming, it has to look good the whole way through, from approach to rolling away.
Do you have anything you do to prepare on the day you know you are going to go out and try to shoot a banger trick?
I try to make sure the colors that I’m going to wear will pop in the photo. I usually try to wear something that won’t blend into the background.
Does a photographer have to have the photo guaranteed to go somewhere (in print, or for an ad) before you shoot with them? Will you give an up and coming photographer a chance to shoot with you?
Yeah, I’ll shoot with random people from time to time. It doesn’t happen too often but I’ve also given people a shot and been pleasantly surprised with the end result.
What advice do you as a pro rider have for all of the photographers out there looking to step up their game and take it to the next level?
Get creative, and think outside the box. Experiment with your lenses and settings and your flashes. Especially now that most everything is digital, it really seems as though the sky is the limit to what you can create.
Of course everyone wants to hear a horror story from your end of things. What is one that stands out in your mind? Names can be withheld or let the names fly…either way.
Ha-ha! This one time I was shooting at Woodward Camp in Pennsylvania. I can’t remember the photographers name or what it was for, but it was a pretty important shoot. It was actually a vert shoot, and the photographer had very little experience shooting BMX. While I was riding and doing my tricks I could hear and see the photos being taken and the flashes popping, and the timing was really, really bad. I began to very politely give him hints about when to take the photos, but he was still taking them either way too late or way too early. I kept trying to let him know it wasn’t right, but nothing worked. So finally I just told him I was going to hold the tricks and shout, “NOW!” when it was time to take the photo. It musty have been a bit embarrassing, but the photos came out great and it all worked out in the end.
On a more positive note, let’s end it with one of the most memorable photos from your years as a pro rider.
There’s been so many good ones over the years. I guess one of the most recent ones that I’m proud of was flipping the “Dorton gap” at Woodward West. Kyle Carlson shot a sequence of it. Just looking at the photo and remembering how gnarly that moment was and how scared I was, will always make that photo special to me. I thinks it up on my bio on the Osiris website.
Any last words?
Nope. Thanks!
Greg Illingworth
Go ahead and give the readers some background on some of your first memories of getting photographed while riding.
That would be when I was 12 or 13 years old. My brother and I would take pictures of each other. Our photos were terrible, and it always bugged me. I wanted better pictures, and so I eventually started shooting a lot myself and trying to learn. The first time I got photographed by a legit photographer would have been at a Festival and I was riding a vert ramp of all things. I knew the guy was shooting and I knew he worked for Blunt Magazine (R.I.P. South African alternative sports and music mag), but I didn’t think he was shooting any photos of me. I assumed he was just shooting the older/better riders and skaters. A few weeks after the event I got a call from him saying he wanted to do an “Up & Comers” feature on me, and that he had a photo from the festival. The mug shot the used was me pulling some stupid hard rock face and throwing the horns or something… and the riding shot was an air on the vert ramp. I remember thinking… sweet, so my first ever published riding photo is from the first time I rode a vert ramp doing a 3-foot air. At the time I rode four pegs, was brakeless and rode mostly ledges. I was really honored to get in the mag but I wasn’t happy with the pictures, it didn’t reflect my riding at all and I wanted it to be better. Looking back on that now makes me realize that nothing has changed for me in that regard, I always want to make sure the pictures that get used of me in any media are good. I can be pretty picky with what I want used. I often shoot the same trick over and over again even after landing it.
When was it that you first felt pressure to produce as a rider in front of the lens?
That’s easy because it was so unbelievably scary and stressful for me… Props Mega Tour 9! I got the invite to go in the trip for Mongoose and I couldn’t believe it. I had seen a few Props videos and they were mind blowing. The level of riding in those videos was so high compared to anything I was used to. That was the first time I had been invited on any kind of international trip to film and shoot photos. I didn’t consider myself anywhere near as good as the riders I had seen in those videos. I was terrified that I would just be a joke, but we had a good crew and after a few days I chilled out a bit and just rode how the best I could. I’m still on Mongoose… so I guess it worked out fine.
Do you remember your first “real” photo shoot with a professional photographer? If so who was it? When was it? And fill us in on some details.
That’s a difficult one to answer because when I was around 17 years old I started riding with Tyrone Bradley a lot. He was one of South Africa’s best riders, an amazing human, and a really good photographer. He was getting a lot of photos published in Blunt magazine and so we shot a lot of stuff together. It never really felt like a planned shoot with a professional or anything because we were just friends going out for rides. The first time I felt that was when I went on Ride to Glory for Mongoose in 2011. That was the first time I was shooting with a professional BMX photographer, Nathan Beddows. It was awesome. Firstly, his photos were amazing so I knew they would always look good, secondly, for the first time I was shooting stuff that I knew was going into a legit BMX publication…and BMX riders around the world would actually see this. Most stuff I shot before that was in South Africa for weird magazines or websites.
What is it about BMX and photography that goes hand-in-hand from the rider’s viewpoint?
There’s so much to speak about here. They are both artistic expressions that I am passionate about. What makes doing a trick amazing for me is the way it feels and the uniqueness of the spot you are riding. When a photo can capture the essence of what the rider is doing, and still be well composed, creative, and all of that… something incredible is created. I’ve caught myself staring at pictures for ages before, even though it’s not moving and nothing changes no matter how long you look at it. It doesn’t matter if you barely know anything about photography or BMX, some photos just make you want to look at them, and keep looking at them. A perfect example is Vic Murphy’s famous curb cut 1-foot table. I’ve seen that picture a hundred times and it still makes me feel good, it still reminds of how fucking cool BMX is, how free you feel on a bike, and how much happiness it’s bought to so many people.
How much pressure do you put on yourself to have the trick look “perfect” or the way that you imagined it to look?
Way more than people would believe. I know how I want to do a certain trick or whatever it is we are shooting and if it doesn’t look that way then I will keep doing it until it does…or I will scrap the idea. I want people to feel something when they see a picture of me riding. I don’t want them to just turn the page or scroll down. Being in the public eye gives you an opportunity to have influence or an effect on people. Not everyone has that opportunity and I’m grateful for it, so I’d like to try my best to make every chance effective and positive.
Do you need a filmer around to shoot a photo? Will you only shoot a banger trick if it is being filmed as well?
It depends on the situation… for example, I’m in Hong Kong right now, yesterday I was out riding and I found something I really wanted to do. Will Evans was there to film but George Marshall hasn’t arrived yet to shoot the photos, I’m working on an interview with George for The Albion so I walked away without doing it in the hope that we can come back and get the photo and video together. If I was just shooting an interview and not working on a particular video then I wouldn’t have a problem getting the photo without filming it at all or vice versa. I would always prefer to have both though, especially if it’s something really scary that I wouldn’t necessarily want to do again.
Explain the difference you feel pressure wise between filming a trick and shooting a photo. What do you prefer?
Pressure wise I actually don’t feel much difference. I love videography and photography so I get stoked on all of it. To be honest I don’t think there’s much better feeling than looking at a photo of a trick I’ve done that I really like… when the photo really shows off the spot and trick perfectly, you can’t help but smile.
Do you have anything you do to prepare on the day you know you are going to go out and try to shoot a banger trick?
I make sure my bike is up for it, I make sure that have the right pads, and I make sure that I have the right shirt/stickers, etc. People pay me money to do what I do, so I gotta’ make sure they get something back.
Does a photographer have to have the photo guaranteed to go somewhere (in print, or for an ad) before you shoot with them? Will you give an up and coming photographer a chance to shoot with you?
No, I don’t need to know where the photo is going really. The way the internet is now, a good photo will always find a home, regardless of whether or not it’s for print, people will always see it if you want them to. I’ll definitely give up and coming photographers a chance to shoot with me if the opportunity arises. I don’t think there are enough decent BMX photographers around so I’m stoked to see anybody trying, and I’ll always give some advice where and if I can.
What advice do you as a pro rider have for all of the photographers out there looking to step up their game and take it to the next level?
I’d say study the photographers that you look up to. Look at their photos over and over and over again. Figure out what it is that you like about a photo and try to find out how they made it look that way. I’d also say shoot as much as you can, digital photography gives you this privilege so use it, and don’t be scared to seek advice. I’ve seen Nathan Beddows shoot thousands of pictures in a day, knowing that he will only use a few. The more you shoot the more you will learn and the more chance of getting a really good photo. Photography is just like riding in the way that the more time you spend doing it, the better you will become. Also, don’t be scared to speak to the riders. It’s really important to know exactly what the rider is going to do, when he is going to do it, at what moment he wants you to take the picture, and how he thinks it would look best… you might not always agree, but it will always help.
Of course everyone wants to hear a horror story from your end of things. What is one that stands out in your mind? Of course, names can be withheld or let the names fly…either way.
Ha-ha there have been many. Everything from flashes not firing, bad timing, disagreeing on angles, to lost photos. I’m not going to mention a specific time but these have all happened to me. The worst and probably most common mess up is when you take a while to pull the trick and the photographer is getting the photo prefect every time…then, when you finally pull it or do it the way you want, the photographer misses it or the flashes don’t fire.
On a more positive note, let’s end it with one of the most memorable photos from your years as a pro rider.
I’m gonna have to go with the table photo shot in Japan that got used on the cover of Ride UK for the issue with my interview in. That’s my first cover (hoping for more ha-ha) and I must have blasted that street quarter 40 or 50 times that day. It was our last day shooting for the interview and we didn’t have a cover shot up to that point and it was almost looking like I wasn’t going to get the cover. We had worked on that interview for 18 months so I would have been gutted if I didn’t get the cover. Blasting quarters is one of the best feeling things in the world to me and finding unique street spots is also at the top of my list. Tables are timeless, look good, and Japan is one of my favorite places that I’ve been too. Every aspect of that photo makes me happy.
Any last words?
Yeah, to every photographer that has every taken a picture of me, thank you. BMX has become my life, and your photos make that possible.
Daniel Dhers
Go ahead and give the readers some background on some of your first memories of getting photographed while riding.
I remember my friends and I getting a camera and taking photos of all of our tricks and riding adventures. To this day, those are the most precious memories of how riding for us all began.
When was it that you first felt pressure to produce as a rider in front of the lens?
It was probably on my first ever photo sequence. I learned 360 whips to manual 180 over the spine in 2004 and Ben Crockett was gonna’ shoot it for Plus! magazine. Back then digital wasn’t that common so he was shooting film. I asked him If he wanted to warm up with one to see if it would work and I pulled it first go! So we decide to shoot it and probably four rolls later I wasn’t able to pull it again, I was so frustrated and understood the pressure you could get from shooting pictures.
Do you remember your first “real” photo shoot with a professional photographer? If so who was it? When was it? And fill us in on some details.
I remember the first time I needed to shoot for an ad I did it with my friend Andres Harambour from Argentina but we used to shoot a lot back then so it felt like another photo session. When I first got on Red Bull they sent Kosman to shoot some pictures of me at Woodward in 2007, it was cool and chill but that was probably the first time shooting felt really professional because they were sending Justin all the way from California to shoot a day or two with me.
What is it about BMX and photography that goes hand-in-hand from the rider’s viewpoint?
I think that every rider loves when they are able to see the result of a trick. From the easiest to the hardest trick I think it’s awesome to immortalize the perfect moment of a 360 table or a sweet flip bar with a mesmerizing backgroud or a trick that was almost impossible to pull. I love to see the finished product and remember the moment or appreciate the effort somebody put in.
How much pressure do you put on yourself to have the trick look “perfect” or the way that you imagined it to look?
I usually have 4 or 5 tries in me and after that I start losing interest, I try to get everything done first go and it frustrates me when I don’t. Sometimes if the photographer is not getting it right because we think it’ll look better from a different angle and we want to really get it done I would try it more times but if he’s just not getting it right or I can feel the trick getting sketchy I would much rather stop and try something else.
Do you need a filmer around to shoot a photo? Will you only shoot a banger trick if it is being filmed as well?
Nah I don’t think so, these days I shoot more for ads and stuff like that so it’s rare when you go for something that gnarly, but if I’m shooting for a magazine or something else we still need to get the photo done so I don’t mind if there isn’t a filmer.
Explain the difference you feel pressure wise between filming a trick and shooting a photo. What do you prefer?
I would much rather shoot a photo, it’s just easier. If it looks right but you landed sketchy, no one can tell but filming you need to make sure you land right and every part of the trick looks sweet or you end up with a bad clip. I get frustrated a lot with filming because I like things first try but if I’m gonna film I usually try stuff I don’t always do and it takes me a little more time.
Do you have anything you do to prepare on the day you know you are going to go out and try to shoot a banger trick?
Not really, I’m used to the contest pressure where everything needs to be first go, picture wise I feel like I can mess around a little bit more.
Does a photographer have to have the photo guaranteed to go somewhere (in print, or for an ad) before you shoot with them? Will you give an up and coming photographer a chance to shoot with you?
I think if the photographer’s good I don’t mind so much because you can always use the picture for something, even if it doesn’t end up in print or ad you can still use the photo for social networks and stuff. I might not go out of my way to shoot with somebody that I don’t know for no reason but I have done many things with up and coming photographers over the years.
What advice do you as a pro rider have for all of the photographers out there looking to step up their game and take it to the next level?
Practice and learn. It seems like the most challenging thing in photography is the light so make sure you learn how to set up flashes and everything so it doesn’t take too many tries and the rider doesn’t get too frustrated. Also learn how to setup somewhat quickly if something crazy is about to go down because sometimes you are feeling a gnarly trick and the wait can kill the mood. Oh, and the most importantly, remember to always have extra batteries and extra memory cards!
Of course everyone wants to hear a horror story from your end of things. What is one that stands out in your mind? Names can be withheld or let the names fly… either way.
I can’t remember one specifically, but shooting with photographers from news papers are usually nightmares because they get the timing wrong, they cut the ramps out of the pictures, they make the tricks looks horrible and yet you are wrong about everything when you try to give them advice on how to shoot BMX… Also, if you ever shoot with Jamie Bestwick expect a sweet picture but don’t expect to see it ever again! Ha-ha.”
On a more positive note, let’s end it with one of the most memorable photos from your years as a pro rider.
There has been many over the years but the most recent one I’ve been really stoked on is a no hander on the volcano lava foam quarter pipe from Argentina last December shot by Rutger Pauw.
Any last words?
Practice makes perfection!
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Follow the dudes!
Twitter: @RyanNyquist
@GregIllingworth
@Danieldhers
Instagram: @RyanNyquist
@Gregillingworth
@Danieldhers
Thanks for the support as always and hopefully you guy’s enjoyed the fourth edition of “A different perspective.” Remember that if you have any suggestions or riders you would be stoked to see featured in the next round then leave some recommendations in the comments below. Also, be sure to check back next Wednesday for the seventy third edition of Through the Lens and as always feel free to leave any questions in the comments section or email me at [email protected] and I will hit you back as soon as I can. Feel free to follow me on Twitter and Instagram @jeremypavia.
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