Life in Focus: Sven Martin on Mountain Biking Photography

All photos by Sven Martin. Used with permission.

Sven Martin is a mountain biking photographer that is in extremely high demand. Ever since he was a small kid, he has had a fascination with photography and would later combine that with his love of extreme sports. Like every other photographer that has made it, he played the hustle game until it evolved into more of a relationship game. Sven’s photography cannot only be described as extreme, but beautiful with a gritty feel to it.

We had some time to chat with Sven recently outside of his super busy schedule. And his insights are invaluable.

Sven Martin Shoots Crankworx // A How To from f-stop || Gear on Vimeo.

Phoblographer: How did you get into photography?

Sven: My dad was a serious photographer. Growing up in South Africa we would go to game reserves as kids. From when I can remember I had one of his old A1’s in my hand with a big telephoto, manual everything, taking photos of big game and birds. A good intro for sports photography really. Then I took that into skateboarding and surf photography which were my first passions growing up.

Phoblographer:  When did you know that you wanted to combine your love of mountain biking and shooting?

Sven: First I just raced bikes and was shooting professionally in the skateboard industry for some magazines and companies, but soon enough I was spending more time in and around bikes, traveling to the biggest events and races around the world. In 2008 I decided to switch from shooting bikes as a hobby which paid a little on the side to committing to shooting full time as a potential career instead of racing. I had already made lots of contacts with marketing managers (photo buyers) and magazine editors whilst racing and running a race team so that helped when it came to selling my images.

Phoblographer:  Tell us about what’s in your gear bag these days?

Sven: Usually the following, some times all of it, sometimes a few things are taken out:

1D x, 5D MK 3, 1D MK 4 (Usually two bodies in my hand or around my neck, one with long lens the other with wide angle for two different shots while a rider passes, the third body is set up higher or lower down the track with a pocket wizard slave firing it for a third shot. You don’t get many chances in racing or big events to get a lot of shots so this helps, especially when you want to offer different shots to different magazines or clients.

70-200mm f2.8 ISII, 15mm Fisheye X2, 8-15mm Fisheye, 50mm f1.2, 16-35mm f2.8, TS-90mm, 300mm f2.8, 1.4X extender,

3×580 EX2 speedlights with a bunch of PocketWizard Flex tt5, tt1, and Plus II’s to fire remote flashes and cameras.

Elinchrome Quadra hybrid Li-ion

Canon timer remote intervalometer

Aquatech sports shield and goretex jacket for the rain (key in europe in summer)

Various tripods light stands, sync cables, filters, gels. Iphone, olloclip, GoPro Hero3+ blk

Olympus OM-D E-M5

Phoblographer:  We all know that photography is a business where you’re probably shooting much less of the time that you really want to. If you had to divide your time up into percentages, what would it be for getting new work, negotiations, shooting, editing, marketing, etc.?

Sven: Tough one as it is all really happening at the same time so hard to keep track but I’ll try break it down a little.

Getting new work: Not too much time spent here. In the beginning I used to push my work hard, constantly submitting relevant good shots to editors and marketing managers/photo buyers, this took a lot of time, over time it’s shifted to where if they are looking for a specific image they know chances are I have it, so they contact me. This has taken some time. Since I almost always have an image for their needs and never miss delivery or deadlines, they know they can rely on me. Now I have a few regular magazines I work with and retainer clients so most of the time is spent servicing those, getting their shots out the door.

Negotiations: A few emails back and forth to understand clients intended usage and budgets and then working out a license agreement we are both happy with. It also helps them understand the pricing structure better. A fairly quick process back and forth as mostly it’s similar set rates that you just tweak a bit for their needs. Blinkbid and fotoQuote are good tools. More time is spent towards the end of the year locking people into next year again.

Shooting: During events it’s usually four or five days on the run about 8-10 hours shooting a day. That’s for about 20 weeks of the year like that. Then there are regular editorial travel trips or commercial shoots between all those events that will vary from a day to two weeks at a time. Shooting anywhere for 6-18 hours a day sometimes.

Editing: I try stay on top of things each day–do tagging, color coding sorting for clients and selects as soon as possible after each days take, edit the ones I will need immediately for WEB editorial or Commercial PR/Social media that day. That takes almost as much time as shooting a good six hours plus after 10 hours day of shooting. Then pretty much a full day or two on the Monday and Tuesday for editing a bigger take getting previews and hi-res out to magazines and commercial retainer clients. Then it starts all over again after a day of travel. When there are gaps or “weeks off” from events I’ll try catch up to anything missed or new requests for high-res etc, submit to a few more editorial outlets etc. Come Oct, Nov and December I’ll sort my years take into some highlights and favorites for photo issues, year end books etc. It’s an on-going process really, with connectivity everywhere you have to be on it constantly otherwise someone else will.

Marketing: Not enough time evidently. Each “off-season” Dec/Jan I try get around to re-designing and re-launching my website, but it never happens as new work pops up and shoots and travels begin, so their really is no more off season. I don’t feel one needs to worry about that unless you are really pushing for new work in new markets or genres. I’m fairly niche focussed with cycling photography so I spend more time servicing and keeping existing clients happy than looking for new ones, but sure there is subtle marketing everywhere these days with Instagram, web editorial, etc.

Phoblographer:  Have you ever had any accidents or scary moments while shooting mountain biking?

Sven: Nearly everyday something scary happens. Be it a rider hitting you or almost hitting you (I like to get close sometimes) or seeing a rider get injured while shooting. That is the worst. Then I’ve had a few injuries myself whilst shooting and moving about with my pack on the bike. Last year I received a concussion shooting a race in Provence, France and got helicoptered off. Last month, I was knocked out and stitched up shooting a race in Italy, and then each year shooting the Cape Epic MTB stage race, we have a crash or two off the back of a big motorcycle while sitting backwards. I also got chased by an elephant once shooting the same race.

Phoblographer:  How do you keep your vision for photos and scenes fresh?

Sven: I have a passion for the sport and try first and foremost to capture the right moment that tells a story of the event, location, rider and race. There is more to it than just a technically correct well lit action shot, that is the easy bit. There are a lot of shooters out there these days with good gear so you do have to keep striving for striking shots. Especially when returning to old locations each year, you cant just repeat the same old safe obvious shots. The tiniest nuance of body and bike position on the right terrain at the perfect time can make or break the shot. As a past professional rider, I know exactly what I’m looking for and I want that shot to create an emotional connection with the reader when they see it. Sometimes it requires gimmicks like climbing up anything for high angles or using poles and remotes or nailing a super slow speed panning shot, but often it can be a simple image shot in terrible light but done just right.

Phoblographer:  What are your top five favorite locations for shooting mountain biking and why did you choose them?

Sven:  New Zealand, the nature and vast diversity in a relatively small area.

Italy, the weather and mix of culture and cuisine into sport and most great locations riding and shooting locations here are near awesome lakes (Garda) or the sea.

France, the Alps in the summer and Provence in fall and the multitude of amazing trails hundreds of years old everywhere.

Pacific North West from California to BC Canada, rugged beauty mixed with some of the best bike parks in the World (Whistler) moody misty weather rolling in from the cool pacific and the high density of MTB talent residing here.

Southern Africa. My roots, shooting big game in Botswana or mountain biking in South Africa, the quality of light and sunsets in the summer is hard to beat. Forever wild whether you are in the city or the bush.

One more, not really a place. But the feeling of shooting any World Cup or World Champs final anywhere in the world is hard to beat, you are under just as much pressure as the rider racing to produce an iconic image in the final race run. You have no control over any of the variables: the rider, the crowds the time the weather. You only have one chance and everything is on the line. It’s hard to beat that adrenaline rush you get nailing the winning riders final run with that one shot.

Be sure to follow Sven Martin on both Twitter and Instagram

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