Photo Epic: #PanShotFriday - Slowing it Down to Look Fast
We've been digging through social media trends and photo archives looking for various themes to keep ourselves entertained during these long days of social distancing and working from home. While some are one hit wonders and other are just a flash in the pan (pun fully intended), there is one long lasting one that never seems to get old and generates some truly inspiring and unique imagery.
That, of course, would be Olly Wilkins' #PanShotFriday.
That ever so special combination of slow shutter speed, focal length, color, and above all else SPEED. Hard to visualize when standing trackside, often even harder to master, and we'd be lying if we said there were not some elements of luck thrown in there when elements beyond your control align to create something truly beautiful. But the best part is that the shots can never be repeated, not even at World Cup venues we visit year in and year out. Even if shot in the same place from day to day or year to year, the results will never be the same. Now if only we could say that about every other angle as say Fort William or Leogang...
Enjoy a selection this week of Pinkbike's WC team comprised of Dave Trumpore, Nathan Hughes, Matthew Delorme, Ross Bell and Andy Vathis as they dig through some of their personal favorites from the past few seasons.
While we could keep this going strong with our own work for the next few weeks, we'd much rather showcase some of the incredible shots we know the Pinkbike community has hiding on their own hard drives. So scroll down, get inspired, and send your best pan shots to Dave Trumpore's DM for a chance to be featured next week, and the week after, and maybe the week after that. Be sure to add the rider's name and location so we can hype them up too.
DAVE TRUMPORE
Brendan Fairclough - Lenzerheide 2016
Loris Vergier blasting past the catch netting at Leogang in 2015
A top-down pan of Joe Smith at high speed at Mont Sainte Anne, also in 2015
Connor Fearon jumps above the crowd at Lourdes.
Flying through the Lourdes gloom
Mark Wallace floating towards a top ten on home soil at this year's World Champs
Greg Minnaar - Lenzerheide 2018
Martin Maes captured in front of the Mont Sainte Anne gondola in one of his flirtations with downhill.
Remy Morton preparing to lean it over at Whip Off World Champs.
Mike Jones laying down the power.
NATHAN HUGHES
A touch of motocross inspiration from Lutz Weber at the Lourdes World Cup.
That's right... uphill pans. Now possible with some help from modern technology. Jerome Clementz flies through French forest.
Loic Bruni hammering the upper switchbacks at the Cairns World champs he would later go on to win.
Few rip harder on the race track than Remi Thirion.
A little whiskey-throttle from Aussie thunder, Dean Lucas, out in California.
Nino celebrating before the line en route to becoming World Champ just one more time, last season in MSA.
A Cam Zink down-pan shortly before nightfall while guinea-pigging the biggest drop on his line.
America's fastest racer whipping up a dusty tornado out in the Pyrenees.
MATTHEW DELORME
Antoine Vidal speeds through the forest in Val Di Fassa, Italy
Kate Courtney pushing hard in Les Gets, France
Nino Schurter leads a group in short track in Les Gets, France.
Nino and Lars dictate the pace in short track.
Loic Bruni speeds across the line at MSA World Champs.
Lea Davison takes a lap of the course in Snowshoe, WV.
Jolanda Neff tries to push to the front of the pack in Nove Mesto.
ROSS BELL
Mark Scott styling it through the forests of Finale Ligure.
Troy Brosnan speeding through the Alpine pastures in Leogang.
Loic Bruni through the top section of the technical Lourdes track.
Tahnee Seagrave speeding through the crowds lining the length of the Fort Bill track.
Isabeau Courdurier darting through the beech trees in Finale Ligure a couple of seasons ago.
David Trummer floating above the crowds in Fort William this year.
Loic Bruni floating off a step down in Lenzerheide.
Thibaut Daprela on the flat out grass turns in Les Gets this year.
Laurie Greenland sailing off the finish line drop in Les Gets.
Thibaut Daprela blasts through the fastest section of the classic Mont Sainte Anne track.
ANDY VATHIS
Loic Bruni tucking to save him every last millisecond of time towards the finish in what was one of the most dramatic ends to a World Cup season in Snowshoe, WV. He secured the 2019 overall but not without the help of Danny Hart. Bruni and Pierron battled it out all season long. Somehow the fate of their seasons rested in the hands of Danny Hart who was last to drop. Bruni made a few too many mistakes to put the nail in the coffin himself.
Jolanda Neff celebrating her 2018 win in Albstadt seen through the grated floor on the pedestrian bridge over the finish.
Danny Hart scrubbing the fog away in Lenzerheide, 2018.
Brook MacDonald racing his shadow along the Lenzerheide track.
The dense yet neatly spaced forest that is Nove Mesto offers unique sightlines through the trees perfect for pans and pots of light. Nino Schurter making quick work of the 'BMX' section.
Connor Fearon boosting through the woods in Slovenia.
The infamous Beatrice at the far end of the Mont Saint Anne course can easily make or break your chances. It's a real nail bitter, especially here in 2017 when dropper posts weren't yet truly adapted to XC racing.
Colorful pans down the Val Di Sole ski jump as riders blast down to the finish at full tilt.
Finn Iles scrubbing his new bike clean into the Maribor finish area last year.
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S/S: 1/10th to 1/50th sec (depending on speed)
Aperture: typically f/8 or higher value (smaller aperture)
Any chance you can find any photos of Kade Edwards? It got me thinking his colourful outfit nowadays and steeze should make an excellent candidate for pan shot. Extra bonus if there are colourful circles on the background.
Bulldog looks fantastic!!
www.pinkbike.com/photo/18181307
www.pinkbike.com/photo/11371967