Strada2020 - 30/05/21

I previously worked with Norfolk-based cycling team, Strada 2020 in 2020 (ironically). They invited me to photography at their new kit launch and take some headshots of the teams riders. 

Fast forward to 2021 and I was contacted by Matt Watts from Strada in April, about the team  getting a new sponsor. Salice UK had come on board as a helmet and eyewear sponsor and Matt was keen to collaborate for some photography of the riders in their new kit. 

We scheduled the shoot for Sunday the 30th May, so I decided to take some time on the Saturday to recce the route the guys planned to ride. I had a plan in my head of the shots I wanted to take - but needed to find the best spots on the route, where I could pull the car in with sufficient time to get out and get the shots. 

On the Sunday I met with the team just outside of Norwich city centre , to take some candid shots of the riders and their new Salice helmets and sunglasses. After 10 minutes of sporadic shooting, I set off in the car to get ahead of the team - recalling the vantage points I'd found on the previous day's recce. 

My amateur set up came into play quite quickly. My first planned shot had been to snap the team about quarter of a mile from the meeting point. The riders had to ride under a bypass flyover. In my head I thought this would be an excellent spot to capture some contrast images as they rolled into the shadows of the of the flyover and out, into the light on the other side. But my single camera, double lens meant that I was shooting with a tele-zoom lens instead of my wide-zoom. So by the time the guys hit the shadows - they were too close to capture the shot I had planned. 

But I didn't have time to worry about it. I soon realised that I needed to be quick on my toes, in order to get in the car and get back ahead of them. Even in 'club ride' pace, the team were putting in a shift. Plus I had the added task of getting past 15 riders on country lanes - but with a little bit of focus and having travelled the route the previous day, I handled the manoeuvres on the road.The main objective was to capture the team in their new sponsor's helmets and sunglasses. Strada2020 had made plenty of noise about getting Salice on board and I wanted to make sure that my shots not only made the team look professional - but emphasised the new Levante aero helmets and 022 sunglasses.  I got lucky with the weather and a combination of sunshine and shadows in the Norfolk country lanes made things worked out almost seamlessly on the day.                                                       

I say almost because I missed one shot (the bucket shot) that I had in my head the moment I saw the gap in the hedge, the day before. I'd picked a spot in a Rapeseed field (we have a lot of these in Norfolk) where I could shot the team as they passed a large opening in the hedgerow. I figured that the orange of their kit would contrast awesomely with the bright yellow fields. Unfortunately, getting stuck behind a slow vehicle meant all a saw was an orange flash of kit - before I'd even raised my camera.                                                       

All in all though I had an awesome day. I learnt a lot from my first 'race team' shoot. The guys at Team Strada2020 are a great bunch and I am grateful to them for asking me to shoot the launch of their new kit and sponsor - Salice UK.