Category: Photographers

Every time we road test a new motorcycle, our words are bolstered by a slick, sharp set of photos. But the twenty or so shots you see are just the tip of the iceberg.

We’re usually supplied with dozens more images, which have been selected and edited down from literally thousands of shots of all the journalists at the bike launch.

It’s a big operation, requiring unusual skills and a lot of experience to control. In the case of the huge Harley-Davidson Softail launch a few weeks ago, the man in charge was Stefano Gadda.

Stef also shoots for BMW, Triumph and Yamaha, plus car makers like Mercedes and Range Rover, and magazines such as Men’s Health. We asked him how he gets his shots, and how he deals with the pressure of a major motorcycle launch.

How did you get into this line of work? I’ve been freelancing since 1988. I wanted to adapt my job to the market, expanding beyond photography with services like video, scouting, transport, event management and marketing. Several professionals now work with me—an agile and fast team.

Where are you based? My office is in Ternate, between Lake Varese and Lake Maggiore in Lombardy, Italy. Varese is a land full of bike history and motorcycle industry companies. That’s where I coordinate all the collaborators in my agency.

How big is your crew for an event like the Softail launch? It depends how the event is managed. For the Softail press ride, Harley wanted to have as many pictures as possible without wasting time—so the journalists don’t get bored. And two separate routes with different locations and environments. So we had two photographers in each location, but on different corners, all taking pictures at the same time.

The problem was to manage all the images: 1,600 to 2,000 a day for each photographer. We had to select and edit, and then upload them to flash drives within a few hours. It was necessary to have four photographers and two photo editors.

How do you handle the tracking shots? It’s better if a photographer drives the car, because he knows what’s necessary for the photographer who is shooting! We provide a harness, rope, carabiners, walkie-talkies, hi-vis vests, first aid bags, marking cones, and so on. Just to be safe and visible on the road.

So you get notice of an impending launch. What happens next? Sometimes you go to the location and follow a route that someone has already previewed. Other times, you do a recce: a few long days to look for the best roads for the bikes, journalists and client.

You have to look for shortcuts for the photographers, petrol stations for fuel, and bars and restaurants along the way. I research the general area online, and then specifically with Google Maps and print maps, and read magazines that have reported on trips in that area. It’s very important to check as much as possible before and during the recce.

When do you return to the location, before the journalists arrive? Usually the crew arrives on location a week beforehand. There are a lot of things to do: check the Wi-Fi system for sending images, find photo locations, and record the route on paper and on the GPS.

We have to look for places to make U-turns before and after the corners where we want to shoot, and do test shoots—to figure out if the corner works, and if the images are compatible with the message that the customer want to transmit.

For example, for touring bikes we look for a corner with a beautiful landscape, or a nice ‘S road’ in the background. Or a particular view which makes you think of the journey. We then test the complete route with the same timing that we’ll get for the shoot.

We also prepare the photo press kit. That means static and detail pictures, plus action and ambient images for every model. Afterwards we edit and post-produce all those images, preparing the press kit folders, preparing the GPS units, and setting up our car for the trip and the tracking shots.

All of these things happen under the client’s control and direction. Every day—sometimes twice a day—there’s a briefing. The photo crew needs to be concentrating and in focus every day!

How many ‘photo stops’ do you work into a typical day of road testing? It depends: Logistics and client briefs often change a lot. Sometimes there are a couple of stops for tracking shots. Other times just one stop, with more passes.

Usually, I change position every pass, to be sure to have both sides of the bike, or vertical and landscape shots, or wide views and close ups. We need to have possible magazine cover shots, and double page photos.

How many photographers do you have on the ground at once on the average day? If you have only one model of bike, just a few journalists and enough time, then one photographer can shoot, sort, edit and upload pictures.

But in a situation with many new bike models and many journalists, we usually have two photographers. And very often we have a photo editor to help share and upload images. At major launches, we can be a team of three or four photographers, plus a couple of photo editors.

Many times, the biggest problem is managing the route: finding shortcuts on the road and safe places for the photo locations. You leave the hotel early, and you come back late. And sometimes you have extra assignments to do—so photo editors become your salvation. I owe thanks to the guys who spend up to three weeks in a hotel room in front of a Mac, editing and sorting images.

How many riders do you think you end up shooting, and how many photos per rider on average? Sometimes you have six to eight journalists, sometimes 16! So the range is really big. Usually, on a day with 16 journos, I personally shoot more or less 1,800 to 2,000 pics.

You need to edit your shots in a really short space of time? That’s correct! Don’t forget that after editing, you must resize images, rename every pic, then upload to a flash drive or a web archive. To achieve the client’s brand image you must work in a proper way—sharp and ordered.

Have you figured out some shortcuts to make the process easier? Of course—you must be creative. We are organized with inverters, we bring with us our computer, and during the breaks, the waiting time, the transfers, we can work on downloading and selecting images. Also during the shooting—maybe you have to wait for a truck that’s coming through—during this time, you delete pics in the camera. That saves download and selection time.

Aside from the brutal editing schedule and the amount of running around, what other challenges do you face? Come on, it’s not a brutal editing schedule…it’s our passion! We know it’s hard—you have to push 150% every single day, you can have some unexpected issues—but it’s a great job. I’m lucky to be a photographer!

One challenge is when journalists, at the end of the day, ask you to do cover shots. That can be a big problem—a dirty bike, no good light left, no time left. But, coordinating with our client, we do our best.

What equipment do you shoot with? I use Nikon equipment for most of my jobs—and rented equipment that gives me the best results for my client. In my team, two other photographers use Nikon, and five use Canon. But we use the same settings for editing the images, so at the end we have exactly the right balance between the different original files.

What’s it like traveling with that much gear? Sometimes it’s not so easy. You’re moving around the world with things that cost a lot of money, and you have to carry a great weight with you. If you are lucky and you can have insurance, you are more calm. But sometimes you have problems at the airport with weight and size—it becomes a discussion.

But in the end, if my photo bag moves with me, that’s fine. If not, it’s a war!

Stefano Gadda Photography

While we’re on the topic of photography, don’t forget to vote here for your favorite images in our photography competition, and you could win high-end gear from Velomacchi and REV’IT!.

We’re often asked what the ‘EXIF’ in Bike EXIF means. If you don’t know, it stands for ‘Exchangeable Image File format,’ referring to the data a digital camera saves when it takes a snap.

Basically we care as much about photos as we do about motorcycles. Without good photos, Bike EXIF wouldn’t be half the site it is.

So for the second time, we’re profiling three motorcycle photographers to watch. Last time we featured Aaron Brimhall, Jun Song and David Marvier; today we’re chatting to Anthony Scott (USA), Devin Paisley (SA) and Mihail Jershov (UK)—guys who all excel in natural light environments.

ANTHONY SCOTT

Where are you based? Portland, Oregon. I’m originally from Birmingham, Alabama but moved to Portland in 2013 after getting out of the military.

What bike do you ride? I have a few, but my daily is my Harley-Davidson Springer. On special occasions I like to take out my race-inspired Honda CB550 (below) that I call #27—it’s part of a 27 bike series. Or #26, an RD400. I’ll be adding more to my special occasion list, as I’m currently working on #25 and #24.

Where do you get your inspiration? Truthfully I find inspiration in a lot of different things. The bikes that I’m building are a homage to the Moto GP legends and the vintage racing era, so I gather a lot of inspiration there. I just love the style of bikes back then and how they really captured the imagination of future generations. I feel like they gave us dreamers something really good to dream about.

All you have to do is look around you and there is inspiration everywhere. For me, it always evolves and changes, so I let whatever I’m daydreaming about at the moment influence me the most. I just have to make sure I don’t stay stagnant. I’m always playing around with new business ideas, and ways to incorporate all of my loves and interests into one community hangout spot: everything from vintage cars, motorcycles, surfboards, and good faded denim. My search is still ongoing for a space to do all of this, but I’m excited to see what the future holds.

How did you get started in motorcycle photography? I stumbled upon photography a few years ago during a period in my life when I was really struggling with PTSD. My camera became an escape; something else that I could focus on that later helped me work through that time. I still remember like it was yesterday, seeing a feature on a Seaweed & Gravel build. The photos were so beautifully shot, and it was those photos that pushed me to want to learn more about motorcycle photography—any and all types.

My first camera was a Canon T2i that I purchased from a nice elderly couple on Craigslist. I quickly realized it was a lot harder than it looks to capture the type of images I’d seen many times before. But this just fueled me to get better and try harder. I’m still not sure how much better I’ve gotten, but the process brings me a lot of joy!

Are you a full-time photographer? I wish I could be a full time photographer, but I just do it as a hobby. 100% of my photography is done for free. I’m really just having fun, and I like helping others fulfill their dreams through photography.

So many people dream about having their bike featured on Bike EXIF and in print publications, something I can totally relate to. People have helped me out along the way, and I’m just trying to return the favor. I also feel that keeping it as a ‘just for fun’ hobby takes some of the pressure off (until it’s the first of the month and rent is due, then sometimes I re-think my strategy, ha!)

What equipment do you use? Canon EOS 5D Mark II body, Canon EOS 7D Mark II body, Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L lens, Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L lens and Canon EF 50mm f/1.2L lens. I also play around a little with a drone and a GoPro Hero 5.

Your favorite shooting location? This is a tough one, and totally depends on the purpose of the shoot and the bike itself. Some bikes call for a super gritty industrial spot, and others call for a wide-open field or nature-filled spot. You can also go somewhere more than once, and each time can be different depending on the weather, time of day, etc. If I really had to pick a favorite, it would be a good moody or foggy backdrop somewhere in the Pacific Northwest.

Your favorite subject matter? I recently started doing more portrait work and it has been my most fulfilling adventure yet. It’s challenging to capture a person just right, something natural and in the moment. Some of my other favorites are vintage custom bikes and vintage cars, hands down. I’m getting better at mixing all my interests together and that brings me a lot of joy.

Let’s talk postproduction—what’s your process? How do you feel about filters? Ah, the question we all fear. A lot of people have firm opinions on the use of filters. The camera will always capture my subject, but programs like Photoshop and Lightroom help me fine-tune my work as an artist. As an artist, we really have the freedom to take our photo wherever we want them to go.

I often find raw photos just as appealing as something that has been re-worked. It will always depend on each individual situation and shoot. Not all situations can be ideal (difficult lighting, distracting background), and that’s when postproduction comes handy. There can always be things that need cleaning up or enhancing, but I also want to make sure my photos feel realistic and not over-processed. Overall, my feelings are just to do what feels and looks best to you.

What about Instagram? I think Instagram is a great avenue to connect with others and share your passions, but you just can’t take it too seriously. Not everyone will be your biggest fan, and some of them will freely voice that. You just have to do what you love, and take it all with a grain of salt.

One day I might post a photo that I’m really proud of, and it will get zero love. The next I might throw up a photo that I casually snapped running around Portland, and it will blow up. It’s totally unpredictable. I’ve met some pretty incredible people through Instagram that I may not have met otherwise, and those opportunities and friendships are really cool.

Tell us about shooting Dirt Quake For the last few years I have had the opportunity to attend and photograph Dirt Quake USA. This past year I was asked by See See Motorcycles and Sideburn Magazine to be the official photographer. It blew my mind to have the chance to photograph, race, party, repeat with these two wonderful companies. They literally kill it every year. For months I was stoked, but the closer the date came I started to notice a pit at the bottom of my stomach. The pressure was on. Help was on the way, my younger sister flew in for moral support, which I think was just a guise to get a University Summer Break at her big brother’s expense (but I love her). My partner Melissa Bryan tried to assure me it would be fine and she would be there as well, but I couldn’t shake the feeling.

The first day was a blistering 100+ degrees, no shade, fast track and fast times. It was a whirlwind. My body was sore in places I didn’t know existed. Unfortunately the pit in my stomach was still there. It was not until the next day when Hooligan Rider Jimmy Hill sent his Indian Scout and I caught him full frontal that it hit me. This is supposed to be fun dude, just enjoy yourself!

If you had one piece of advice for readers who like to shoot bikes, what would it be? Don’t put too much pressure on yourself, you’ll learn as you go. Everyone is going to have a different style, and that’s what makes each photographer and shoot so unique. My best advice, as clichéd as it may sound, is just have fun and spread good vibes. Oh, and Stay Enthused.

Enginethusiast Web | Instagram

DEVIN PAISLEY

Where are you based? The best motorcycling city in the world—Cape Town, South Africa.

What bike do you ride? I ride all the bikes. Jokes! I enjoy 250cc dual-sport bikes: I have a Yamaha TTR250 and a Honda XR250 Tornado that I ‘bought for my fiancé.’ I also have a Honda CX500 café and a Montesa Cota 349 project on the go.

Where do you get your inspiration? From the effect that motorcycles have on people. Motorcycling is contagious and once it’s in your bones… well, you know the rest. All sorts of bikes inspire me, but I love bikes with a story. In my eyes, a beat-up old thumper that has seen its fair share of action has as much character as a beautifully built custom bike.

How did you get started in motorcycle photography? I started riding in 2004 and I picked up my first decent camera in 2007 when traveling overseas. I guess as the two passions grew they found one another, helped along by my first attempt at a motorcycle business—Rebellian Custom Bikes. I was on the creative side and had to make our very average bikes look much better in photos.

Are you a full-time photographer? I also own and run a community motorcycle garage called the Woodstock Moto Co. in Cape Town. I started it three years ago as a place to store and work on my motorcycles, but it has evolved into a DIY motorcycle garage, café and general hangout that brings together people who are passionate about bikes. (Cue hipster comments on coffee and motorcycles).

Prior to this I had a brief stint trying to build bikes for money, and before that I worked as a model, which took me all over the world and exposed me to both photography and different motorcycle cultures.

What equipment do you use? I shoot on Nikon. My father was a photographer in the 70s and had a lot of old lenses lying around which fit straight on the new DSLRs. I keep it simple with primes—50mm, 85mm and 135mm. I also have a FujiFilm X100T as a pocket camera—what a great little snapper!

Your favorite shooting location? I’m spoiled in Cape Town. We have everything here—the ocean and mountains meet to create moto-heaven. Urban concrete jungle, perfect asphalt passes, dirt for days and everything in between. I try not to use the same location twice for a shoot—it gets tricky, but it forces me to keep exploring and keep finding gems.

Your favorite subject matter? Motorcycles, obviously! I enjoy telling stories through images. Whether that’s an off-road weekend adventure, or a motorcycle hoarder’s jam-packed garage, it’s the human emotions that I’m after. If I’m just shooting a bike the images need to make the viewer feel the emotions too.

Let’s talk postproduction—what’s your process? How do you feel about filters? I shoot in a way that keeps post to a minimum. I use Lightroom for editing and cataloging and only if I need to remove elements that are distracting to the viewer’s eye, I’ll use Photoshop. On set I only shoot natural light as it keeps equipment to a minimum and allows maximum flexibility.

Filters… hmm… I don’t really feel much about them other than cringe when some one goes way overboard. I guess I try to create my own style, which I then use as filters in my postproduction process.

What about Instagram? Hi my name is Devin, and I’m an addict. It’s an interesting topic and something I’ve been thinking of for quite a while. I am guilty of spending too much time on it and it is having a serious effect on my productivity. On the one hand the content being generated is inspirational and motivational—but on the dark side is it secretly makes you feel inadequate. I think that the next decade will be very interesting, looking at the psychological effects that social media has had on humans.

From a photography perspective it makes images so disposable, and it’s such a waste on such a small screen (I rock an iPhone 5). Images flash by in less than a second and people don’t have any concept of the amount work that goes into creating these visual feasts.

There’s another side of Instagram that is highly annoying—the stealing of images and the numerous accounts that re-post photographer’s work with out permission or credit. I’ve had some unbelievable conversations online with people who have no concept of image rights or respecting photographers. Don’t get me started on corporate brands sharing images without permission or compensation. Actually, never mind, apparently it’s good ‘exposure.’

Tell us about shooting the BMW R nineT Racer Wes from Bike EXIF is lucky enough to live in Cape Town too—so he’s always roping me in to do shoots. When he mentioned the R nineT rac… I interrupted him and said I was game. I like to be on set before the sun gets up to get that soft beautiful light and then shoot as it transitions to daylight. The morning of the R nineT Racer shoot I met Wes in the city and we were greeted by foggy and gloomy weather. Luckily, as we headed up to Table Mountain (Google it) we emerged from the fog onto the twisties.

I wanted to capture the bike in motion, as the shape of the bike just oozes speed, so we spent a lot of time on the panning shots (I always shoot real motion and don’t add blur in post). I also shoot from the hip while riding—but this can be dangerous and I’ve had a few close calls. The shoot took around two hours, but as photographers know, selection and editing takes much longer. This was shot on my old tank, a Nikon D700 with the following lenses: 18-35mm, 50mm f1.8, 85mm f1.8 and 135mm f2.

If you had one piece of advice for readers who like to shoot bikes, what would it be? Learn the rule of thirds, composition is critical, move around to find the sweet spot. Nail that and you’ll get banger shots, even with your phone.

Devin Paisley Web | Instagram

MIHAIL JERSHOV

Where are you based? London, UK, but I’m originally from Riga, Latvia.

What bike do you ride? I used to own a really cute, but gutless, 1979 Honda CG125, but I sold it and am currently working on getting my full license.

Where do you get your inspiration? I’m really inspired by work of some great photographers like Aaron Brimhall and Laurent Nivalle. I love the way they manage to capture the excitement of riding and make you want to be that person from the photograph.

How did you get started in motorcycle photography? Back in 2014 when I shot my first motorcycle event—DGR London—I got approached by people from Triumph, who wanted to use some of my images for their social media. This was a great incentive to get into more exciting events within the emerging custom motorcycle culture. The guys at The Bike Shed have also been a great inspiration and showed strong support.

Are you a full-time photographer? I work as a jewelry photographer for a company in London when I’m not shooting bikes.

What equipment do you use? Canon 6D DSLR.

Your favorite shooting location? I really love the combination of beautiful landscapes and pretty motorcycles, but to be honest, I don’t have one particular favorite location, I’m trying to make the most of what’s available. Good weather usually helps a lot.

Your favorite subject matter to shoot? It’s always inspiring to shoot someone doing what they genuinely love. So, motorcycles being ridden in their natural habitat must be it.

Let’s talk postproduction—what’s your process? How do you feel about filters? I use Adobe Camera Raw with some custom presets. I’m really picky about my colors.

What about Instagram? Love it to bits! Give me a follow at @mjstudio_uk.

Tell us about shooting Wheels and Waves This year’s Wheels and Waves was my third one so far, and it just never disappoints. If there is a perfect working holiday, for me it’s Wheels and Waves. You get the amazing landscape and architecture of the Basque country combined with thousands of amazing custom bikes rolling in from all over Europe, and sometimes much further. It’s always a real treat for me to shoot there.

If you had one piece of advice for readers who like to shoot bikes, what would it be? Find the imagery that inspires you, then get out there and shoot! You’ll get better if you’re persistent.

Mihail Jershov Web | Facebook | Instagram

Header image: Enduro Fun In Latvia, 2016, by Mihail Jershov.

The rise of custom motorcycle culture has been fueled by photographers. The bikes have always been there—from the bob-jobs of the 1930s to the café racers of the 1960s. But over the past ten years, the internet has made it easier for photographers as well as builders to show off their skills.

Love it or hate it, social media is a great leveler. A handful of truly talented photographers have risen to the top, with growing fanbases—and growing demand from brands eager to harness their skills.

In the first of an occasional series, we’re going to showcase the work of the top motorcycle photographers. To kick things off, we’ve got Aaron Brimhall, Jun Song and David Marvier.

AARON BRIMHALL

Where are you based? I currently live in Salt Lake City, Utah with my wife Sal and my dog Sammy. What bike do you ride? I ride a Harley Sportster, just like everyone else.

Where do you get your inspiration? When I’m thinking about the shoot I want to do next, a lot of it is inspired almost by a Nat Geo type feel, but not with animals. I always try and get a different landscape when planning a shoot.

How did you get started in motorcycle photography? It started when I moved back to Utah from Guam two years ago. I’d shot nothing but really colorful beach stuff, and I really wanted to do something different. (If you go back on my Instagram, you can see all the intense colorful photos on there.)

So I went back to where I started—when my friends and I would go riding, we would just stop at a random spot and start shooting. It was nothing really out of the ordinary. It was just something to do and I started posting on Instagram, and people caught on!

What equipment do you use? Canon 5D Mark III and a few lenses.

Your favorite shooting location? Hands down—Indonesia. The best scenery to work with.

If you had one piece of advice for readers who like to shoot bikes, what would it be? For me, everything looks better in motion. Also: try and be really consistent.

Instagram | Facebook

JUN SONG

Where are you based? Salt Lake City, Utah. What bike do you ride? A 2014 Triumph Thruxton and a 1980 Honda CB125.

Where do you get your inspiration? I get inspired through beautiful landscapes and fortunately I’m surrounded by those in Utah. I’m a landscape photographer at heart, so my backdrop is as important, if not more, as the subject itself.

How did you get started in motorcycle photography? I’ve been an avid photographer over the past decade, and when I finally got my bike two years ago, it was natural to photo-document the places I rode to.

What equipment do you use? My workhorse gears are a Canon 5D Mk II and a 7D Mk II, with 35mm f/1.4 and 70-200mm f.2.8 lenses. Favorite camera is my Hasselblad 501cm. Also love my GoPro Hero 4 Silver. And last but not least, my iPhone 6, which I use more often than people think I do. It’s amazing what you can get out of this little camera.

Your favorite shooting location? I love to go shoot and ride at Big Cottonwood Canyon in Utah. This canyon is not only minutes from Salt Lake City, but also breathtaking no matter what time of the year you go up there.

If you had one piece of advice for readers who like to shoot bikes, what would it be? Stop putting cheap-shitty filters on your photos. I just don’t understand why people do it.

Website | Instagram

DAVID MARVIER

Where are you based? Bordeaux, South West France. What bike do you ride? A Yamaha YZF1000 Thunderace. Not super beautiful, but lots of power and THE perfect bike for the many long rides I do. It carries my equipment perfectly. I’m changing the fairing this winter for an endurance one, and repainting it as well.

Where do you get your inspiration? I used to work in fashion photography. I take my inspiration from there, and my base of technical knowledge comes from there too. But I also get it from other photographers, from videos, from movies….

How did you get started in motorcycle photography? I worked in fashion for a long time. I learnt a lot, but I needed to find a ‘scene’ more in line with my passions. I needed to get out of the studio, breathe in wild spaces, and shoot authentic and spontaneous subjects.

I started with Wheels & Waves a few years ago. That first photographic session got very promising feedback, so I’ve kept going ever since. Every year is getting more and more exiting, with more and more interesting people to meet and projects to shoot.

What equipment do you use? I use a Canon 1Ds Mark III and several lenses. For software, I work with CaptureOne, Photoshop and Lightroom.

Your favorite shooting location? I love shooting from my bike while I’m riding. But in general I like being outside, riding mountain roads or desert tracks. Indoor locations offer really soft and interesting light: the day runs in a super different atmosphere. The big upside of my job: an office in constant evolution!

If you had one piece of advice for readers who like to shoot bikes, what would it be? Don’t get blocked by technical aspects, and make it simple. The most important things are light, subject, focus, framing and color harmony. (It’s not easy to give advice…)

Website | Instagram

Thanks to Saint for their assistance with this feature. #ridefastridefree