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 as a photographer 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 be 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. I linked up with a few of my personal favorite riders at X Games and asked them to let me snap a shot of them for my $5 Kodak for a future project I was working on. Well, to be honest at the time I didn’t know what I was going to use the photos for but after some brainstorming it became obvious that the photos would be a perfect way to introduce this feature. See what Drew Bezanson, Dennis Enarson and Brian Kachinsky all had to say for the first edition of “A different perspective.”
Drew Bezanson
Go ahead and give the readers some background on some of your first memories of getting photographed while riding.Growing up in Nova Scotia there wasn’t many photographers around. There was one photographer from my area name Clayton Cole. I remember he would shoot photos of all the better riders in Nova Scotia. When I got to shoot my first photo with him it was such a privilege to shoot with him.
When was it that you first felt pressure to produce as a rider in front of the lens?
I’ve never felt pressure to produce a photo as a rider. Sometimes I put pressure on myself to get a good finished product but that’s just because I’m a stubborn perfectionist ha-ha.
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 don’t remember my first real photo shoot with a professional photographer. I always just shoot photos with anyone when I have the opportunity. When I started shooting with Jeff Z. for my Ride interview that was a special moment for me. I grew up reading Ride from day one. Always reading and seeing the photos that went into the interviews just motivated me to work hard and realize the opportunity I had been given.
What is it about BMX and photography that goes hand-in-hand from the rider’s viewpoint?
BMX and Photography go hand in hand because BMX is an art and riders want to see what it looks like when they do stuff. It works well.
How much pressure do you put on yourself to have the trick look “perfect” or the way that you imagined it to look?
Usually I don’t put that much pressure on myself. If I know I can do the trick better than it’s turning out though it can be a bummer.
Do you need a filmer around to shoot a photo? Will you only shoot a banger trick if it is being filmed as well?
Me personally I don’t need a filmer around to shoot photos. If there is a filmer around it’s an added bonus but I shoot most of my photos without a filmer. If I want to shoot a photo of a so-called “banger” trick and I want to do it for me then it can be an iphone photo for all I care ha-ha.
Explain the difference you feel pressure wise between filming a trick and shooting a photo. What do you prefer?
Filming and shooting photos are two different animals. With photos you only need a split second captured and with filming you want a different finished product. There are some tricks that don’t really work with shooting photos but work with filming and vice versa.
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?
If I’m going to shoot something I’m nervous about I’ll usually shoot something else first just to warm up.
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 shoot with pretty much anyone. It’s just as rad for the rider to see what his riding looks like as it is for the photographer to shoot with the rider.
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?
Advice I would give to a photographer who is looking to step up their game is to talk to a more advanced photographer. I don’t know much about camera’s and all that jazz.
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.
Don’t have many horror stories but one time I was filming and the filmers camera messed up. Which I was completely fine with, it happens…but then the filmer persisted to keep telling it wasn’t his fault and it was the cameras for some reason. I had already agree with him and said I was fine filming it again.
On a more positive note, let’s end it with one of the most memorable photos from your years as a pro rider.
The most memorable photo for me was the photo Jeff Z. shot of me doing a truck driver. (Editors note: Drew is talking about the ditch that he trucked into for his Ride cover) I had wanted to truck that setup since the day I seen it. It ended up working perfectly, I couldn’t have been happier with the finished product.
Any last words?
Thanks for taking time to read this article and thanks to Jeremy for the opportunity. Hope all is well, god bless and keep shredding.
Dennis Enarson
Go ahead and give the readers some background on some of your first memories of getting photographed while riding.
I had some local friends with cameras and we would always just shoot random stuff at the park during sessions. It was always fun checking them out later and putting them on MySpace and stuff ha-ha.
When was it that you first felt pressure to produce as a rider in front of the lens?
The first Nike trip I ever went on we went to NYC with the whole team to get some shots for new ads. I didn’t really feel too much pressure but I knew I had to get some stuff I would be stoked to have run in the magazines as a Nike ad. Shooting with Losey though is always a good time and now after shooting with him for so long he’s probably the person I feel the least pressure shooting with. But yeah, that was the first time I felt a little pressure because I actually had a company sending me across the country to get some photos for them.
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 time I can remember shooting with a legit BMX photographer was with Ryan Fudger. I was 15 at the time and we needed to get a photo for the back cover of a Props that I had just shot a bio for. I was pretty nervous knowing we were shooting something that a lot of people were going to see. It ended up being really laid back and fun though, and I couldn’t wait to shoot with him again.
How much pressure do you put on yourself to have the trick look “perfect” or the way that you imagined it to look?
I like to make sure the trick is as good as I can get it while shooting a photo, but I mean sometimes the trick feels a lot better then it looks. There’s been plenty of tricks I thought I was doing right till I saw how bad they look in photos. I think that’s always a good thing though so you can see what your doing wrong.
Do you need a filmer around to shoot a photo? Will you only shoot a banger trick if it is being filmed as well?
These days I like to get a clip as well as a photo if I think it is worth it. There’s so many things I really only would want to do once that I film. When I was younger though I could care less about the clip, I was way more into the photo. When I tried whipping El- Toro Fudger was shooting it but we didn’t have a video camera ha-ha.
Explain the difference you feel pressure wise between filming a trick and shooting a photo. What do you prefer?
They are equally as satisfying to me. The clip shows you exactly what’s going on, and the photo lets you sit back and really take everything in. If it were up to me I would want to have a photo and a clip of anything I’m stoked to do. Obviously that can’t happen though so you have to choose one or the other. Filming the clip is usually less pressure especially at a spot that is known for being a bust. It’s a lot easier to just pull out a video camera and get the clip then it is to set up flashes and everything.
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. There really haven’t been too many days where I plan to go out and get something in particular. I usually just end up finding a spot randomly while out filming or something.
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’m down to shoot with anyone. If it’s something I know could potentially go somewhere though I would rather shoot it with a photographer I trust and know is going to get the shot. It’s hard to get motivated to do something crazy or that you know you could get hurt on when you see the photographer in a place that you know the photo is going to look whack, or not give the trick justice.
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 think the best way to come up as a photographer is to keep shooting with different people so your skills can grow, go on road trips with riders, and most importantly grow relationships with the people your shooting with. It’s way more fun shooting with a friend rather then some guy who just hits you up to make money off you.”
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.
I’ve had to do some things more then once that I probably wouldn’t have wanted to do because of dudes missing the shot, but oh well that stuff is going to happen and in the long run it has probably helped me as a rider. I don’t want to tell any stories because even if I leave names out the photographers would still know who I’m talking about and I don’t want to bum anybody out because I know how hard/ frustrating it can be missing a photo. Believe me I’ve done my fair share of messing up people’s clips while out filming. Not too long ago Christian Rigal was filming a pretty heavy clip that didn’t come easy and I accidentally hit delete last clip. It’s one of the worst feelings after everyone celebrates to have to tell the person they have to do it again.
On a more positive note, let’s end it with one of the most memorable photos from your years as a pro rider.
My most memorable photo is my Ride cover a couple years back. I would say that’s one of the biggest accomplishments getting that. I would have never thought in a million years I would be getting a Ride cover, and now I get to see it every time I go to my parents house because they framed it and put it on the wall.
Any last words?
Thanks to anyone I have ever shot with, especially Joey Cobbs, Mark Losey, Ryan Fudger, Brandon Means, and Jeremy Pavia. You guys have been there forever and I hope we get to keep shooting and chillin’ long into the future. Also shout out to Haro Bikes, Rockstar Energy drink, Nike, Demolition parts, Oakley and the MARKIT crew. Thanks for being so supportive through this year of injuries I’ve had.
Brian Kachinsky
Go ahead and give the readers some background on some of your first memories of getting photographed while riding.
My first memories of getting photographed while riding was probably with a point and shoot disposable camera with buddies of mine. Dave Freimuth and Mark Losey took my first professional photographs. This was a whole different ball game from just shooting with a disposable camera. The results were refreshing the images were crisp and looked “professional”. It was a pretty rewarding experience to see those images and when they started showing up in magazines I was just plain shocked. I had never envisioned myself actually being in the magazines that I grew up gawking at as a young rider.”
When was it that you first felt pressure to produce as a rider in front of the lens?
I think the first time I shot with Losey was pretty nerve wracking but only because I put the pressure on myself. I knew Losey had shot with pros all the time so I felt like I had something to live up to. That experience soon turned into an enjoyable collaboration anytime I shot photos with anyone after that and continues to this day. I love shooting photos now.
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.
Luckily my friend and mentor Dave Freimuth had shot many photos of me and some had ended up being printed in Ride. Shooting with the editor of Ride at the time, Mark Losey was a bit different because we hadn’t met or hung out much prior to shooting, he was shooting with me based on video clips he’d seen of me in Props and Baco videos. Our very first time shooting was in Madison, Wisconsin where I was about to enroll in college. We tried to shoot an icepick on a rail I had iced many times before but I wrecked and blew up my elbow and ended up in the hospital. Not a good “first experience” but one I learned from nonetheless. Since then I had shot with countless photographers including Losey, with much better results.
What is it about BMX and photography that goes hand-in-hand from the rider’s viewpoint?
I think the fact that photos capture a split second moment that can be studied and marveled at is what makes it special. BMX is pretty spectacular in my eyes and to be able to capture it is an extremely valuable way to show what BMX is all about and but amazing it can be. From the most classic simple trick to the latest crazy move, photography captures that moment that we all live for as BMX’ers.
How much pressure do you put on yourself to have the trick look “perfect” or the way that you imagined it to look?
Digital photography changed this a lot because you get to see instant results and get to decide if you want to try to the trick again or if you are happy with the way it looks. I think this adds some pressure to make it perfect but also takes away some pressure knowing that you got the shot exactly how you envisioned it.
Do you need a filmer around to shoot a photo? Will you only shoot a banger trick if it is being filmed as well?
I’ve shot banger tricks with no filmer around but typically if it’s something you know you want to do once I try to have a filmer present as well; two birds with one stone.
Explain the difference you feel pressure wise between filming a trick and shooting a photo. What do you prefer?
They are both the same. I’d say filming as maybe a bit more pressure since you want it absolutely the best from start to finish. Usually this coincides with a good photo but I’ve had plenty of instances where I’ve filmed a trick the way I wanted it and had to redo the photo to make sure it was what I wanted. All in all, they are both about the same to me. You want the result to be what you envisioned before you started and that’s that.
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 just make sure that I’m ready to what I want to do. I don’t have any particular “method” I’ve always used. I try to make sure I’m wearing a colorful shirt (something I learned from Dave Freimuth and Steve Buddendeck) and most importantly I make sure I had an end result envisioned before even trying the trick.
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 usually just shoot photos with the intention that perhaps sometime I’ll want to see it somewhere. I try to stockpile photos for whenever someone (usually my sponsors) wants an image of me. I like to make sure that something good is always available and waiting to be used.
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?
The only advice I’d give is to be patient and to work with the rider as easily and painless as possible. This also goes for the rider, you need to work with the photographer and make sure you communicate what you want to end result to be and what you envision it looking like. That being said, photographers are also artists, so I like to respect their creative ability to create a good photo. It’s a fun and rewarding collaboration. It’s a 50/50 effort on both the part of the rider and photographer. Lots of practice shooting, some originality while shooting and being reliable are probably my best tips. Practice makes perfect. Even the best photographers out there will mess a photo up just as easily as the best riders out there will sometimes mess a trick up. The main key is to just be patient and keep trying until the result is achieved. Always try to make the next photo better than the last.
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.
The only real horror stories are neither mine nor the photographers fault. I’ve had many instances where I’ve almost been arrested with Walter Pieringer. This is both our faults and it was stressful each time but thankfully, each time we got the shot we wanted and escaped with no further problems. I love shooting with Walter because it’s always an adventure.
On a more positive note, let’s end it with one of the most memorable photos from your years as a pro rider.
One of my most memorable photos is with Ryan Fudger which ended up being the cover of Ride. It was an 18-stair tooth hang that I had changed my flight and stayed in Cali an extra day to shoot. We got stuck in traffic on the way to a rail in San Diego that I had never even seen or rode in person. I’d only seen a photo of it online. We got there just before sunset and the trick was one and done. I landed it and Fudger captured it perfectly. I was even more overjoyed when it ended up being the cover. It was the most stressful but rewarding day I can remember involving shooting a photo.
Any last words?
Thanks to anyone I have ever shot photos with. It’s always such a great experience working with someone who possesses a skill that can capture your skill and passion. I truly appreciate all the time, wasted film and stressful situations all in the name of fun and BMX. You guys all make BMX look good and I love that we have so many amazing photographers available. Cheers guys!
Hopefully you guy’s enjoyed the first edition of “A different perspective” and if you have any suggestions or riders you would be stoked to see featured in the next round then leave some comments below. Anyways, be sure to check back next Wednesday for the twenty seventh 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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