BE PATIENT BUT FAST

4.15am Peaceful Bay, Western Australia.

I was standing on some wooden steps leading down to the inky black beach; stars were twinkling above and the horizon was glowing crimson with the approaching dawn.

I was keenly watching the dunes at the end of the beach where I knew two headlamps would soon crest thanks to following their live tracking.

I rested my camera onto a wooden post to steady it and waited. Finally their bobbing headlamps crested the dune and I captured them illuminating the sand as they made their way around the bay towards the aid station.

I’ve always found shooting in low light difficult. I don’t like to use flash and would prefer to work with ambient light, even if it makes capturing runners at night much more challenging.

Photographing an event like the Delirious WEST in south western WA requires both patience and working fast. Recently a photographer friend gave me a great tip and said frame your shot first and then let the runners come into your frame. Be less reactive.

I come from a press photography background so I’ve always been very reactive and have had to work quickly in high pressure situations.

Race photography can be similar but also very different. During the quiet moments, look at the light and the landscape and take some time to frame your shot and then capture the runners when they arrive.