Beta Motorcycles Canada has been calling BC and Alberta home for the past few weeks as Canadian distributor Stephen Howland took the 2017 line-up for demo days across select riding areas. First stop was in beautiful Revelstoke, BC. Travelling across the country the bikes needed to be prepped and ready to hit singletrack that you and I would ride in a heartbeat.
Speaking to media and other VIP Stephen Howland gives the low-down on the 2017 line-up.Early morning and working hard prepping bikes for some serious use.Beta Canada travelling in style across the country.The Canadian Beta Factory Team – Foord, Marin, Howland, KingThis food truck may not look pretty but The Taco Club, hands-down, have the BEST mobile burritos ever. Yum.The RR390 a favourite among the riders – fast, sleek, responsive.Beta controls are intuitive and easy to use and read.My steed for the weekend helping me get around the trails with a 40lb backpack full of camera gear. With a light front end and smooth power delivery it was easy to put the front wheel where I wanted it…and that was usually up and over the mega roots and rocks.Bob Clarke of Mountain Motorcycles having fun riding high and styling it with his open face trials helmet.Steve Foord finishing off a stellar 2016 race year abroad a Beta.Negotiating a steep, punchy loosey-goosey downhill with ease. The Revy Riders Dirt Bike Club created trails abundant in views, rock, trees, and roots. Awesome-sauce.
A huge shout-out to Stephen Howland for the day, the bikes, and the food. There’s a reason Beta bikes are sitting on the top step of the podium around the world. If you get a chance test ride one and you won’t be disappointed. Check with Beta Canada for the nearest demo day near you.
In a roundabout way CGP was on-hand catching the action at this years championship round held in beautiful Revelstoke, BC.
In between scouting areas and taking photos of Beta’s new line-up I was able to catch a bit of the action zooming around on a sweet 250 EVO for the weekend courtesy of Stephen Howland of Beta Canada. And, holy crow, what a sweet bike it is! A heck of a lot more ‘oumpf’, and smooth power delivery over my Gas Gas 200 TXT. Took me a while to get used to the extra power and the ergonomics it but by the end of the weekend I was becoming more comfortable on it. Maybe if I stopped buying camera gear I could afford a few new bikes!!
Kudos to all the competitors for a great sportsmanship as well as to all the volunteers it takes to run a two-day event. David Rhodes of Outlaw Beta and the folks with the Revy Riders Dirt Bike Club – a stellar job as always. Enjoy the photos and as always please feel free to leave a comment.
Riding for Beta Tino Marin of Spain negotiating a loosey-goosey steep uphill with ease. Congrats to Tino for taking home the pro win.Sam King of Australia, Beta Canada, in a very difficult rocky section of the course.Steve Day, riding for Gas Gas, picking his line.Tino Marin talking with minder Taff Parfitt of Sherwood, Alberta.With his line dialed in it was Steve Days turn.Junior Riders competing both Saturday and Sunday for a shot at the title.
Starting them young. This little guy could probably clean quite a few sections.It was a hot, dry, dusty Sunday making the climbs that much more difficult as shale and other loose debris moved underneath the tires.My steed for the weekend courtesy of Beta Canada – an EVO250. It’s an all-in-one smooth and and badass bike.Brandon Schmidt riding for Electric Motion concentrating before his leap. Congrats to Brandon for taking home the win in the advanced division.Stephen Foord on his way to winning the Advanced category.
My focus at Crankworx Whistler was to bring light to all the girls and women out there ‘sending it’.
For some the term ‘sending it’ referred to hitting the big 70ft Crabapple jump and whipping it good. For others, it mean giving it their all for that one race.
But, in the big scheme of things ‘sending it’ is a shout-out to all the girls and women riders who were there to visit, to ride, to compete, to throw it down, to laugh and to have fun.
Keep an eye open for the Autumn issue of ‘Mountain Bike For Her’ with special articles and photos of Crankworx Whistler.
Cheers to the Women of Crankworx 2016!
Ahead of the crowd during the children’s Criterium by the Olympic Village.Kathi Kuypers, of Trek Gravity Girls, was the only women rider competing in the Dual Slope Speed and Style.Tara Llanes ripping it up on A-Line about to grab some air during the Air Fox DH.Haley Smith of Norco Factory Racing bringing in the gold during the XC race held at Blackcomb.
Lalena Desautels transitioning from the medium jump line to the large jump line.Jonna Johnsen riding for Corsair Bikes in the right lane of the Dual Slalom.Jill Kintner, Queen of the Mountain, racking up another win.
‘It goes by fast’…are often the words young parents hear in reference to young children.
While it may feel like the diaper stage and the sleepless nights will never end it, invariably, does. And by the time you know it your kids will be asking for the car keys. Seriously.
I began to document my own children as they finished one stage and entered another. Like most families my two boys are active. Very active. And, asking them to sit down and smile for the camera wasn’t a photo that suited them nor was it one that was easily achieved.
I realised that the best photos of my children were the ones that had meaning. The ones where they were busy doing something, engaged in an activity of their choice. That brought out the best smiles, and looks from them. In exchange I was left with a photo full of emotion and meaning. I call this type of photography documentary because I record what unfolds in front of me. There are no fancy backgrounds, and I use natural lighting. This allows me to move freely and quietly. Simple, quick, easy and no more husbands grumbling for a sit down pose. Everybody’s happy because there is no change in routine.
I can now fondly look back through the years at what we’ve done as a family, the hardships that we forgot, (although at the time i didnt think I could ever forget), the good and the fun times. I take these special photos and put them in a video slideshow and print them on a luxurious flat book so that can be shared with friends and family either digitally or through traditional methods.
If you would like to document your family please consider me as your photographer. I am currently booking for mid-September and am offering half-day or a full-day sessions. Be assured, I love this type of family photography and strive to create photos that I would be proud to have myself.
Check out this little guy. He’s nine years old and riding technical trails. He didn’t get there overnight. I know as I’m his mother and I’ve watched him pedal, fall, stumble and try again.
Some days I know I need to sit back from an already hectic life and reflect. And I realise I can learn from that very same lesson that my nine year old has been learning from over the past few weeks.
It might take me a wee bit longer but eventually I realise that life is good, and that through preserverence I can achieve what I want.
It spat a tiny bit this past weekend but I was secretly wishing for rains of biblical proportions. You know…the type that drives into the ground hard and fills up pot holes in a jiffy. Of course, this was purely for my own selfish photographical reasons. I just wanted to take a photo of a cool race car with a big roost shooting out the back to add to my portfolio and secret project that I’m working on.
On site at Mission Raceway the folks from the Sports Club Car of British Columbia (SCCBC) recommended I hook up with local photographer Brent Martin. This was my first time at ‘Rivers Edge’ and thought it would be great to walk around with an experienced photographer showing me the ins and outs of this particular track. Brent was amazing – cordial, professional and unselfish. While I have been around car and motorcycle races often it’s always nice to have a personal tour for safety reasons and for hotspots. Check out his pics here.
There were several races – the open wheel, the closed wheel and the time attack class. My personal favourites are the open wheel class. These are the cars that scream speed and you don’t see often in urban setting (well ok…not at all). That, and the two minis that ripped around hugging the pavement like there’s no tomorrow. Mr. Bean would have been proud seeing his green mini taking to the track in fine fashion.
I spent the most part of the day getting artistic photos, working on my pans and looking at a life in the pits. While I may not have gotten that roost I was out after I am stoked at the photos I did get. I pushed my gear to the limit with some pretty hefty crops and marvelled at the speed of my new Nikon.
I would like to thank Laurie Kaerne, Marc Ramsay and the countless volunteers at Mission Raceway for taking the time to welcome me, and making me feel safe. It’s a great track with lots of high speed sections and corners for entertainment. As Jackie Stewart would have said ‘it’s a great, great day for a motor car race’ at Mission Raceway Park.Check out the SCCBC schedule of upcoming events – racing is closer than you think!!
Bracing myself against the passenger door the driver yelled back to me to hang on tight as we dipped into a sharp right hand turn. Feeling the G’s pushing me back against the frame was nothing short of an adrenaline rush. Oh yea baby…I’m hooked! Hanging out the side window of a pace car is super fun!
On Sunday May 22 I drove to The Ridge Motorsports Park in Shelton, WA to take photos of a Chump Cars World Series race. Having spent the last few years directly involved with off-road motorcycles it was fascinating to see the resemblances between the two sports. Whether you have two wheels or four we are the same…with a few exceptions.
I determined that the number one difference was the sheer level of organization simply needed to attend an event just to race. The amount of gear, pit crew and team members needed for a weekend race is mind-blowing. Bike riders bring BBQ’s, tents, motorhomes, tool boxes as well but with cars everything seemed bigger, larger and more plentiful. Think about it…everything needs to be doubled. Double the tires, the rims, the stands, the gas, the jacks, the oils and so on. Bigger trailers and towing vehicles too.
What I liked about Chump Car Racing, a parody of Champ Car Racing, is the accessibility of racing to the average person. Using cheap cars, insurance claims, or beaters a limit of $500 is placed on the car in order to keep a level playing field. Teams will be penalized for any performance mods made to the car that drive that amount up, safety features excluded.
‘If you cheat or screw-up or both… you’ll be docked laps. If you come to Tech Inspection with a car that’s worth $1,500… plan on starting the race about 100 laps down from everyone else. You can still run in the race and you’ll have a great time… but you’ll never win. If that doesn’t bother you, you’re our kind of Chump!
Seems fair to me.
While car racing is decidedly more expensive than off-road racing the camaderie and sense of belonging is equally as strong. Just because a vehicle has two extra wheels doesn’t mean that they aren’t sewn from the same cloth. Respect, competitiveness, rivalry, family and friendliness – this is racing at it’s finest.
For event photos please click HERE. My photos are for sale (digital format or prints). I thank you in advance for your support – it’s greatly appreciated.
Getting ready to rock n’ roll.Hanging out the back of a Ford Mustang with Nikon D3S, 24-70mm in hand trying to get an artistic motion-blur shot at 100 kph give or take. Yeehaw!Let the games begin.Pit Stop including mandatory driver change which must be done every two hours or less during a 6 hour race.Working on the exhaust system that I believe was falling down. The welder is a driver from another team. Love the camaraderie found at this level of racing!A gear bag isn’t big enough for a weekend race.
Ridge Motorsports had some cool areas for pans. Find your car in my event photos.
Despite it being a cool, wet North Vancouver spring day the competition was fierce, and the spirits were high among the young athletes participating in the second annual Montessori Track and Field games. On Thursday May 26, students from Lower Mainland Vancouver and Vancouver Island competed in various field and running events held at West Vancouver Secondary School.
Among the Montessori schools participating were Discover from Vancouver Island, North Star from North Vancouver, Pacific Rim from Richmond, and Squamish Montessori from Squamish. Students from both the lower and upper elementary divisions competed in events of their choice. Running events included the 100m sprint, the 400m sprint, and a 4×100 relay. Field events included the javelin, and the running long jump.
Over the past five weeks I had the pleasure of working and getting to know both the LE and UE students at North Star. It came as no surprise to see such a fine group work together and help each other out. But what really impressed me was the comportment of all the Montessori students. In addition to the competition and already established rivalry was a level of respect, camaraderie and courteousness among the schools. Regardless of whether they were competitors, brothers, sisters or friends the support felt and given on the field was clearly evident and noticeable. Impressive to see such young kids act better than most grown-ups at soccer or hockey games. Kudos.
Congratulations to all participants for a job well done and to all the volunteers who helped make this day a success.
Please click HERE to see the photos. They are free to download. All I ask is that you do not alter my images in any way including cropping. And if you ever need an action or a documentary-style family photographer please think of me. To understand my style please visit www.cecilegambin.com. Yes…I know this is a shameless self-plug. Thank you for being understanding 🙂
Artist: Nicole Fraser Armstrong – Title: Dans les Mains de Dieu – Medium: Acrylic on canvas. This image evokes a strong emotion. It reminds me of a typical cold winter Quebec scene but in reality is from Manitoba. It’s a familiar scene that gives me a sense of peace. Plus, I love the different shades of blues.
I’ve been working with quite a few talented artists over the past few months photographing their paintings. Each have their own unique style and use different mediums to explore and create. I relate easily with them as I am an artist myself – expressing my thoughts through my photographs instead of through acrylics, oil or watercolour.
I’ve put together a small collection of my favourite pieces from each artist along with their names and medium used. Most have come to me to reproduce their artwork to print or simply to have a digital record of their art. I enjoy working and seeing their paintings and am always amazed at the creativity people have. I love the colours, the textures and the image itself and what it represents.
Photographing a painting though is not as easy as it sounds. First the colour and tones must be 100% accurate. I use a colour checker as well as a light meter to help with this. I must also make sure that there is no distortion from lens barreling. A tripod is a must and shooting with a prime lens offers better success. The quality of the lens is also of paramount importance for a clear, sharp image. Some paintings come in framed while others are behind a glass. These in itself, while seemingly innocent, pose a variety of problems including glare. Sometimes the frames are crooked and so I must adjust for that. I try and do most of the work in camera – taking the time to set up is the most important – and this allows me to have a faster post-process work flow. Patience and attention to detail is key when photographing artwork.
This isn’t my artwork. My art is this case is reproducing to the best of my abilities an image and it’s my job to make sure it is 100% accurate across all facets.
Artist: Monique Hurteau Series: Precious Metal Medium: Watercolour on Fine Art Paper www.moniquehurteau.comMonique has a wonderful creative and playful style. Her abstract work is real, smart and connects with the earth. You should check out her Wrench series on her website! I love the earthy tones in this particular piece and the use of space and lines.
Artist: Diane Clark Medium: Acrylic on CanvasDiane Clark scenes are reminiscent of the interior (BC). Her lovely use of colours and attention to detail make for a precise yet playful painting.
Artist: Denise Grams Medium: Oil on CanvasI love Denises’ use of texture in her paintings. You can almost feel the feathers of her Crow Series. She builds her layers and with a close look several colours reveal themselves. Beautifully composed and true to the North Shore.
