Shoot an environmental photograph

Challenge 3 Paul Brewer

Upon arrival at the race, it looked like there would be plenty of opportunities for our ’togs to capture environmental photos, but a cyclo-cross event is busy and fast-paced, and with a decent spectator turnout both Paul and James had to work hard to find unobstructed sight lines to their subjects.

“There were numerous pylons going through the rear of the course; I wanted to use at least one of them to give a sense of scale to the riders as they weaved through the countryside,” says Paul. “The structures were set against the blue winter sky, which allowed me to capture the contrasting colours of the grass, sky and clothing of the racers.

“You can see that the rider at the front has just spotted me – I was pleased to get some eye contact, as it adds to the sense of connection.”

Expert opinion

We love the composition here, Paul. The pylon drags you away from the riders into the environment, and it was an unusual part of the race’s course.