Stephen Fitzgerald - Colorado, USA
#CAPTURETHERIDE - IS A PHOTOGRAPHIC SERIES SHOWCASING THE LOVE AFFAIR BETWEEN CYCLISTS AND PHOTOGRAPHY. FEATURING PHOTOGRAPHERS WHO USE THEIR SKILL SET TO CAPTURE THE RIDE IN A SERIES OF PHOTOS.
Website - http://www.rodeo-labs.com
Where do you call home?
Denver, Colorado
These shots are from a late Sunday afternoon ride that I took a couple of weeks ago. I thought I had my route planned in my head, but a single right turn took me off of the smooth roads and down a dirt path. The dirt path ended at the mouth of a gravel road up a canyon that I'd never ridden on a road bike and I thought to myself "why not?". It was such a perfect ride! The sun was starting to set and there was something really cool going on with the light so I got out my camera and tried to capture what I was feeling. I guess that makes these photos some sort of personal ride journal.
How did your love of photography and cycling come together?
I've enjoyed taking photos for years. I'm a complete amateur, but trying to put what you are feeling and seeing into an image is a tremendous challenge and very rewarding when a single shot actually turns out. I don't have time to go and shoot but I ride my bike a lot. It was a natural fit to try to combine the two. Now I almost exclusively take photos while out riding my bike.
What’s the lowdown on your kit - bike and camera?
I use a number of different cameras while out riding. I started with an iphone, moved to a GoPro, and now used a CHDK hacked Canon SX260. The hack lets me add scripts to time my photos when I'm alone on the bike and the 20x zoom is pretty versatile for something that fits in your pocket. I also use a Sony RX100 because... it's the best small camera on the planet.
I ride a Canondale Super Six Evo Di2 as my road bike. Not much to say about it other than that it's perfect. On my adventure / dirt rides I use my own company's bike: The Trialdonkey. It's based on traditional CX as a starting point but we've re-designed it around more aggressive trail riding and light mountain biking. Things like bigger tire clearances, sloping top tube, aggressive gearing, and a dropper post let me take it places a CX bike might not be as suited. We've been working on the bike for over the year and are near bringing it to market.
How do you carry your camera while riding?
Sony in my right back pocket, Canon in the middle pocket, so that I never mix them up.
Coffee or beer after your ride?
Coffee before, beer after. I'm a blue collar drinker though. It doesn't take much to make me happy in either department.
Waxing or shaving?
Waxing is sadistic and shaving is only necessary during 2-4 racing months. If I shave too much my wife gets jealous of my amazing legs. *kidding*
Garmin or no Garmin? Do you use apps to record your ride?
I love my Garmin (500). I love peeking at watts and geeking out on numbers. I don't let it rule me though. Some seasons are for training and racing and some are for unstructured adventure. I love Strava for looking at where I went and what my friends are up to.
Which adventure have you set your sights on next?
I have the Dirty Kanza on the calendar in May. I'm terrified. Not sure what I was thinking when I signed up. Later in the year we have a multi day route in planning up high in the Colorado Rockies. 12,000 foot (3600m) passes, abandoned mining roads, etc. I'm very excited about that. I'm excited to explore the state with friends and share what we find.