Meet Zayne Heyes. He’s just turned nineteen and his future is bright with cycling. Formerly a XC ski racer, Zayne turned his attention to cycling only a few months ago in October 2013. Pumped with passion and his dislike for waxing skis Zayne has found that both track and road cycling fuel his competitive spirit and need to excel.
Quickly working his way up the ranks at the Burnaby Velodrome Zayne spends time riding both his road and track bikes to push him ahead of his competitors. He is coached and races for TaG – former cycling Olympians Leslie Tomlinson and Gina Grain.
I was stoked to set up the studio for Zane because I had never shot a roadie before! Hahaha…spoken like a true mountain biker and a downhiller at that! Jokes aside though it was a treat to photograph Zayne – his enthusiasm and ability to listen to directions made my job easy. Plus, he’s got a wicked carbon fiber bike and matching weave on his TaG jersey. At first I had thought about doing some black & white work but after seeing the bike and jersey combo I knew instantly the look I was after. My goal for the photoshoot was to give Zayne ample photos to use for potential sponsors.
I am really happy with how the photo shoot turned out. Next up are a few action shots of Zayne in the velodrome. I will be honest though…being in a velodrome scares me because I know I will want to try riding a track bike and I know I will want to pursue it. Which scares me because then I will have to buy a bike and some how I know my husband will give me an evil look. But my answer to that is ‘what’s another bike in the mix…you can never have too many!’
Rocket Lal is synonymous with perpetual smiles during rides and photo shoots. Even after a few hours in front of the lens, Lalena Desautels, still pumped out great energy by the end of the day.
I know Lalena is very proud of her new bike and she should be. Her 2014 Transition Covert is a one very light, capable machine with killer looks. She took the time to build it up with some sweet bling. Hopefully, in the future she’ll let me take it out for a rip in the local hills.
The focus of the shoot was to get some photos of her bike before it gets that’ worn in’ look from an ace rider. I’ll save the mud and scratches for a future shoot with her shredding the trails. Looking forward to that day because I know Lal can ride with the best of them and style it like no other women rider can. Her junior days on the Canadian National Downhill team may have been a while ago but time has only made her a more skilled and finesseful rider. Plus, she’s just plain fun to hang around with!
So while we were concentrating on bike shots I couldn’t help but notice Lal’s multifaceted personality – from a sweet little girl to a strong, and confident woman who can ride and shred a photo shoot. Saweeet. I really happy with how the photos turned out. I believe that my goal to capture her with emotion and give the world a taste of who Lal is came across.
Finally had a bit of time this past weekend to take the annual Christmas photo. Unlike other years, we had time working against us as the late afternoon light was quickly fading.
Luck was on my side though as a sliver of sun poked through the low hanging clouds. I had set up my flash, put the family beside a big, moss covered cedar tree (or was it a Douglas Fir?) looked over my shoulder and saw a shaft of light hitting another tree. I must have had a look of panic as my husband understood to grab the kids and shuffle them over – which is easier said than done as our youngest decided he wanted to run…away. While David was busy wrangling in the kids and tying the dog back up I changed my camera settings to allow as much ambient as possible.
I really like this photo of us as it completely represents us. Luc had me in a choke hold and was yanking backwards almost choking me, while David my husband was trying to hold him from doing so. Sebastien in his typical self was being a ham. By the time the timer counted down we were all laughing and ‘click’. Perfect shot with amazing side lighting. I had one flash on camera used as a fill in.
After the shoot, we walked around a bit. The sun had gone back behind the low lying clouds and darkness was quick to come. On our way back to the car I came across an incredibly textured wall and just told the kids to go stand there. I didn’t think there were just going to stand there and pause which is fine by me because these are the best photos IMO.
Merry Christmas everybody and safe stay during the holiday season!!!
Congrats to Kim for her badass Toyota XRU being selected for the X-Runner Underground 2014 Calendar.
I am honoured to have my photo not only selected among the many but also for having one of the highest number of votes from readers. Kims truck is super cool to look at and reflects her personality to a T. Edgy and fun. The big round metals covers drew my attention especially the one worded ‘Danger’. For the shoot, I actively searched a background that would represent her and came across this construction site. We weren’t able to stay long but I did manage to bang off a few shots. There’s also an active train line in the background. Love these types of photo shoots where I can focus on creativity and nailing the fit for the photo!
To view all the other contestants and to order your magazine click HERE.
Yes I am a ‘Newbie’. New to the province and apparently, new to hanging around motorcycles as I burnt my hand on the rad while posing for this picture. Which is probably why you don’t see me too often in photos – it’s dangerous!
Sunday, October 20 – I was introduced to many people by my long time friend Kellee Irwin at the Dual Sport BC ‘Fall Newbie’ Ride. This is a the last social function of the year and we were treated to another round of blue bird skies once the fog dissapted early morning. The ride was organised into 3 clearly marked sections with the A Loop being the most advanced leading into tight, twisty, rocky, slimey and greasy single track, the B Loop single track (with a bit less slime, roots and vertical) and the C Loop mostly double track and fire roads. There was a trail for everybody and every type of bike. Which made this ride sweet as it was great to share the roads and trails with the dualies.
This was a special ride because I had not ridden with Kellee in over 8 years and our last ride together was in the good ‘ol Ganaraska Forest. Today Kellee, and her friends showed me their stomping grounds and I even found a little bit of the Ganny during our tour. That put a smile on my face as I immediately felt at ease whipping in and out of the trees. More smiles were to follow as we climbed, and climbed, and climbed, and climbed a very long chewed up logging road. I don’t think I have ever climbed so much on the motorcycle. My shoulders and forearms pumped from the pull of the bike as I kept pace with the others in 3rd gear. As I followed the rocky path that dutifully wound upwards, passing a few riders here and there, a whole new level of admiration for those riding dualies bigger than 650cc came upon me. At the top surrounded by snow capped mountains in the valley below laid the peaceful town of Chilliwack. To my left and to my right layers and layers of deep green forests create the familiar backdrop of a mountainous province.
Riding with the big bikes. I have a whole new level of appreciation for these riders tackling mud, single track, rocks, roots and steep up and down hills.Every time I see or hear the name Chilliwack I fondly remember my LP…and one of my fav songs on it … ‘she talk crazy talk…mumbo jumbo…’. BTW, that’s Chilliwack in the distance.
Kudos to Kellee for skillfully riding a KTM 350 through the tight stuff and rocky paths.
Overall, a great day spent with friends. I even met an old friend from my downhill days, Dave de Jonge, who rides a big bike himself. Thanks to the Dual Sport BC for organising a great ride and social event. The trails were mint, and according to many riders, a lot of trail work and maintenance went into clearing the last bit of single track. Over 140 riders participated! Next up for me…hopefully another ride next weekend. I’ll keep you posted on Facebook.
For Vedder or for worse I went riding today. Ok…bad pun. This past weekends riding destination was at Vedder Mountain near Chilliwack, BC.
The day started early with a 5:30 am wake up call to pick a long time mountain bike friend, Karley Cunningham. I had not seen her in over 10 years. Thankfully I packed the night before so I was out the door in 20 minutes. From her place we picked up her friend, Cynthia. From there it was a short drive to the local UHaul to pick up a trailer and finally a quick stop at the storage center to get their rigs – a Yamaha 125 and a Honda CRF150. I used my KTM200 this time around and felt like a fish out of water! After two weeks of riding the trials bike and my mountain bike, the KTM felt really heavy and sluggish. No wonder my upper body is lightly sore today.
I found single track reminiscent of Ontario at Vedder Mountain albeit with a few more roots and killer vistas. From what I understand the umbrella group Vedder Mountain Trails Association oversees several mutli-user groups (horse, hikers, mountain bikers, and ATV’s), including the Cascade Offroad Motorcycle Club. All groups work together and have been doing a fantastic job of maintaining over 90 trails covering over 200 km of fire roads, double and single track combined!! It is great to see all sport groups functioning as a whole and creating a safe, and fun environment for all.
Cynthia decided to almost go for a swim on her Honda (it was a good save!) and the only injury was water in her boot. You got lucky girl! Next time, slow down before entering an unknown water hole, scan the area and look for other riders tracks.
Cynthia, notice the tire tracks to the right of the puddle. LOL!Slosh. All meant in good fun. I’m sure many of my friends can tell you stories of me watering out again, and again, and again.
As for me…no injuries this time. The only casualty was my KTM kickstand. Broke in the parking lot!! The only positive about this is that my bike is now a few pounds less.
Randy on his rare ‘Ivan Cervantes’ Gas Gas. Nice bike…wish I could have tried it.
We ran into Randy who was a real sweetheart. Basically showing us the way as none of us had ever ridden there. And, if you know me I’m lousy with directions so it was always nice to know that Randy was somewhere close by ready to redirect us. Have to love dirtbikers – they are such a friendly bunch. There are not too many other sport groups that have this type of camaderie. One of the reasons I love this sport so much – no one will leave you to hang dry!
Thanks for the great day Karley and Cynthia, Cascade Off-Road Motorcycle Club, and to Vedder Mountain Trails Assoc. Next week…I’m off riding with Kellee Irwin. I don’t know where she’s taking me but I know it’ll be some more fun.
A blue sky, warm temps, killer trails and snow capped mountains! Awesome. What through me for a loop though was the steepness of the trails from minute one onwards. Guess I’m used to a smooth, gentle rise in elevation. BC single tracks, in general, are pretty tough and I admit that the narrow paths, steep granite walls, and slick roots made my heart patter more than once. My years as a downhill racer led me to race more than once on BC trails so you would think I would be used to the difficulty. I have come to accept that I am green. My skills on a trials bike is negotiable and my friend Jon has now rated me as a beginner. After todays ride I accept that I am a newbie.
The technical – a 12.4 km ride, with over 800 metres of climbing in 4.5 hours (break time, photo time) and approximately 2 litres of fuel used. The start, as mentioned, clearly took me by surprise as the rapid narrow ascent became gnarlier and greasier as rocks and roots jutted in all directions. While you are visualising this throw in about 10 tight switchbacks into the mix. I surprised myself being able to keep up with Jon and Steve. I dabbed my foot on a slippery rock and that threw me off and I landed hard on my right hip. No problem. Pick up the bike and keep going. If I stop it’ll be that much harder to get going again so … ‘don’t stop’ became my mantra.
Eventually the trail straightened and a sea of lush green moss welcomed us into the higher levels. Only a few deciduous trees remained while big cedars and Douglas Firs (I think…I’m not really a botanist) lined the forest standing tall and majestic. The trail continued upwards but relaxed a bit in the steepness until faced with a few monstrous rock walls slick from moisture and drizzled with moss. I realised then I should pay heed to the kind words given to me by Jon before the start of the ride – he calmly and clearly stated for me not to be afraid to ask for assistance. Looking up at my first obstacle it didn’t take long to first laugh at the thought that I would even consider attempting this and finally, cave in and loudly cry ‘help’!
Now before I paint a picture of myself as some unskilled damsel I would like to say that I have matured and grown during my last two rides in BC on my trials bike. Clearly, it was evident that at times I was not going to clean some sections. And in an attempt to keep both myself, my bike and my friends happy I accepted the help and let the guys ride my bike up on some of the (as I found out) intermediate to advanced climbs. Afterall, we were riding a single black diamond downhill trail backwards so I guess I shouldn’t feel too bad asking for help once in a while. Besides…riding is way more fun than falling and fixing myself and my bike.
As I lay in bed that night I had some time to reflect upon my first two rides in BC on a trials bike and realised that there are 10 Cardinal Rules for Riding in BC. Along with my own thoughts, words of wisdom from both Jon and Steve led me to the following:
1. Be prepared – for me that means bring zip ties so when I loop my bike I don’t have to rely on friends to put my fender back on.
2. Tire Pressure – they are pretty much flat right now and grip is much better.
3. Back to the basics – clutch control, balance, body position need to be well rehearsed.
4. Commitment – Give ‘er!! is appropriate at times. Whatever the case…follow through and don’t back off.
5. Whoa! – and sometimes we need to stop and look before we ‘give ‘er’ as steep drops and giant boulders are the norm.
6. Feet on the pegs – self explanatory. If you must dabble at least keep on foot on for traction.
7. Plan a route – that means plan your route of attack before actually trying it.
8. Plan an escape route – just like the above plan an escape route should you not attain your goal and decide when and how to fall should the need arise.
9. Breathe – do not underestimate this Cardinal Rule.
… and the top cardinal rule …
10. Ask for help – there is no shame asking for help over an obstacle.
I cannot thank both Jon and Steve for their assistance. Without them I would have missed out on an incredible ride. I have learned a lot and plan to continue learning. One day I will tackle that monstrous granite wall…but maybe when it’s a bit drier. For now I am a beginner and loving where it takes me.
‘Up, up and away’. Jon tackles steep, slick rock. I chose to take photos instead.Having made it the highest Jon is King of the Hill as he tackles this steep, slick rock face. Can we go back so I can get more photos?? Need to work the rock on my end to showcase how steep and long this wall is.
There goes my Gas Gas expertly being ridden by Steve Bonnet. This was a 3 stage climb – the entrance steep, narrow and slick with a thick root at the top followed by a tight turn. Still charging upwards, parallel to the rock, and finally another steep, right turn and over some more greasy roots and rocks. Thanks Steve!! My bike and my body appreciate your help 🙂Taking a breather and soaking in a few rays.Steve laying down the law over the trail.Riding the front down the hill. Steve has some serious bike handling skills that I can only dream of!‘Roots, what roots? There ain’t no stinking roots here!!’
Just reworked a photo for a client. This was his first XC race and was on a CRF450R mx bike in the woods. A hand full I bet. We chatted a bit via online and I am happy to say that he is looking forward to more trail riding next year!! And, yes he has since purchased a pipe guard, hand guards and a skid plate since the race 🙂
Tomorrow I am heading out on my Gas Gas TXT200 with my friend Jon somewhere near Squamish or if the weather is good around Whistler. Squeeeeeee…I want Whistler!! I’ll be heading out with my camera bag locked ad loaded on my back of course and look forward to some awesome riding. According to Jon I am officially my riding skills hover in the beginner ranks (yes…my ego is bruised) but hopefully I will be able to post some pics of our day just as long as I don’t fall (hard) and damage my camera gear.
Cecile Gambin Photography is moving to Vancouver. During this time of transition my website will remain fully active. You may contact me via this website, or through my Facebook page Cecile Gambin Photography. I will be up and running again in a few days and be ready to take on new photographic jobs and challenges at this time.
I was recently asked to capture photos of this stunning pimped out blue Toyota Pick Up Truck and I jumped at the opportunity. This is my first car shoot and I can tell you it was a blast on so many different levels.
I am really happy at the way the photos turned out and did a lot of homework before the actual shoot. I wanted to incorporate my style blending fine art with my two or four wheeled friends. First up was the location. I wanted to find the proper background for this truck that suited both the owner, Kim, and her sleek low riser. Kim is not your typical ‘foo foo’ woman and is not afraid to get her nails dirty. I really wanted to find a location that suited both the edginess of the truck along with her personality. From drop down skirts, chrome mags to full on handcuffs this truck was tastefully done up.
Next up was researching what makes a good car photo. Lots of information out there – some good and some really bad stuff. So I took notes and learned. We decided on a day and I prayed to the weather Gods for weather that I wanted and they listened. Thank you!
I was stoked to find that the locations I chose worked perfectly. And luckily, I had chosen a few as we had to move from our first location to the second one. I will admit that I thoroughly enjoyed taking photos like this. I really liked researching my ‘subject’ and working the car. Taking photos of this truck opened my photographic vision to a whole new ball park and I would love to have the opportunity to try it again. In an odd sort of way this photo shoot reminded me of people portraits. Although my subject didn’t move or frown it did have it’s own ‘quirkiness’ that I needed to adapt to. Both come with their own set of special challenges!
I would like to thank Kim and Alex for giving me this opportunity!! And I can say with certainty that I am looking forward to another car shoot in the future. Any takers?
