On a shoot

Words by
Photography by

Planning, preparation and a bit of good luck with the weather are the key essentials for a successful shoot. When we organised our London to Brighton ride shoot (see the complete story in issue three) we began by working back from the estimated time of arriving in Brighton.

The logistical challenge involved in getting five cyclists, one photographer, one assistant and a camera car safely to the same destination should not be underestimated. Communication is another key element you overlook at your peril. Before setting off you need to make sure everyone knows the plan/schedule for the day. They need to know what to do if any problems occur along the way. Obviously everyone has each other’s mobile numbers in case riders get split up. We made sure that at least one rider knew the route and could take charge if the camera car went AWOL.

Healthy group dynamics are also very important. It's no good working with riders who either want to get into every shot or permanently sit on the front pushing the pace too much. And of course everyone must respect the photographer.

However well planned a photo shoot may be, factors like the weather, unforeseeable last minute problems and events on the ride itself can still play a major part. There is only so much you can prepare for; the rest has to be dealt with on the fly. But it's these unknown, random elements that give any shoot a much-needed edge.

In the end, the success of a shoot can only be gauged by the final images. And on that basis, we reckon our London to Brighton shoot was a great success.