How Mountain Biking and Landscape Photography Shape My Perspective For Each Other
Mountain biking and landscape photography might seem like two different worlds, but for me, they’ve become inseparable. Whether it be hiking into remote places or pedaling up a grueling climb, it has transformed how I capture the outdoors. Every climb, every descent, every early wakeup, and all those frozen fingers and toes have added a new perspective to my photography and riding alike.
If you’re curious about how mountain biking has changed the way I look at photographs, how my landscape photography experiences have shaped my approach to a mountain bike ride , and how these passions have blended, then read on!
Mountain Biking Creates A Unique Perspective
On a bike, your perspective is always changing. One moment you’re grinding up a switchback huffing and puffing and feeling the burn in your legs. The next thing you know you’re flowing across an exposed ridgeline full of wild flowers during that perfect golden hour light feeling as if you are on top of the world.
Every mountain biker understands the fabled “flow state”. A moment where your are perfectly in tune with your surroundings, self, and gear. It is a sensation that feels almost as if you are floating through a dream while generating an uncontrollable grin across your face. Being in this state means you have found the balance between looking far enough down the trail to be prepared for the next feature, and being perfectly in tune with the here and now. Present in the moment but prepared for the future. Landscape photography, I have found, is just like this. Being locked into the moment you are in. Taking in the unfolding scene around you and focusing on the immediate task at hand. However, as is the nature of landscape photography, those perfect light conditions are constantly changing at a moments notice. Being prepared to make sudden decisions and learning to anticipate the change will help position you for that shot you came all that way to get.
Perhaps another way to say this is the constant motion on a bike trains you to notice fleeting details. To mountain bike means to take in loads of information at a rapid rate and make split second decisions to react. Choosing your shots as the light is constantly changing on a scene is exactly like this. It is because of this fleeting detail that mountain biker’s develop a strong appreciation for a trail and ultimately experience. Where most people see a collection of rocks or roots or a small mound of dirt, mountain bikers see an opportunity for adrenaline and thrill. Come conquering this rock or feature, they see progress, pride, courage, and life long memories. A small unnoticeable detail that a trained eye can pick up and appreciate, turned life long memory.
The fog of the PNW forest with just a little sunlight peaking through at the right time. A perfect example of what it means to anticipate the change while staying focused on the here and now.
Landscape Photography Creates Wisdom Through Endurance
Similar to where mountain biking has taught me lessons about the art of noticing, photography has granted me perspective. Anyone that has strapped on a backpack, grabbed a headlamp, and willingly entered the wilderness under the cover of darkness despite it being freezing cold understands that discomfort is the key to everlasting memories. When you have endured a 12 mile hike with 5,000 feet of vertical gain at 2am with gale force winds and freezing temperatures just to stand at your tripod not moving for the next 2 or 3 hours, you obtain a unique appreciation for the expiernce. Even if the photo that you get isn’t going to win any awards, you walked away with something far more valuable. You walk away with an amazing story that you are excited to talk about. An amazing memory that you can smile back on when you are laying on your death bed. You walk away with a sense of accomplishment because you willingly endured an incredible expiernce few are willing or capable of doing. You have set yourself apart. You have learned that the ultimate goal isn’t the photo. It is the expiernce leading up to the photo and hopefully having someone along side you to share it with. Landscape Photography, if you stop and listen, teaches you that it is the journey that makes a photo truly remarkable, not the image itself. A metaphor for life…
From these experiences, I have been able to develop a deeper appreciation while riding. That sense of accomplishment after conquering a hard climb or even just getting out and moving a bit if I wasn’t feeling all that motivated for a ride. Instead of going for a ride with the intent of hitting a jump even bigger, crushing through a challenging rock garden the fastest I have done it, or setting a new PR on a downhill track, it has taught me to just simply enjoy the ride. Not every ride needs to have a goal in mind and not every ride needs to be the most epic ride of your life. Just simply enjoying the ability to go out and ride your bike, take in the scenery, smile, and maybe even laugh with some friends on the trail is all that is required.
This required a 3am wakeup, a hike through VERY deep snow, and standing in the middle of a frozen lake in severely cold conditions with winds that were nearly knocking our tripods and cameras over. One of the fondest memories I have despite being in miserable conditions.
So What?
What I am NOT saying is you shouldn’t set goals or challenge yourself. In fact, I very strongly believe you need to be doing that on a regular basis. Often times, developing a goal or challenge is required to initiate the process. I am saying that learning to enjoy the process and not tunneling in on the destination is a vital step in leveling up your approach to a mountain bike ride or photo shoot. Learning to appreciate the small details on your mountain bike ride can lead to massive change in photos.
For me, a mountain bike ride or landscape photography centered hike isn’t solely about the destination or end goal. It is about the freedom to discover and connect. It is about the experience and memories alongside the people I get to share the moments with.
Mountain biking and landscape photography might seem like two different worlds, but for me, they’ve become inseparable. Read about how Hiking into remote places and riding a grueling mountain bike climb has transformed how I capture the outdoors. Every climb, descent, early wakeup, and frozen finger adds a new perspective to my photography and riding alike.