A Cyclist and a Can of Purple: Simple Sports Portraits

As my journey as a photographer has progressed, I have slowly narrowed the subjects and niches of images I shoot.  When most of us start, we tend to shoot a little of everything whether it be landscapes, journalism, portraits, abstract, macro, etc.  I was no different.  Gradually, I found my passion of what I love to shoot as well as I what I tended to be naturally good at.  All photographers who make a go at attempting to make a profession at it will go through the journey of self discovery.
For me I started with shooting events and people, then moved on to screaming kids and weddings.  From there I found my true passion and love of commerical and advertising imagery.  While I still shoot families and a few high-end special weddings a year (I live in Utah), I have gradually curved my business plan and branding towards commercial work.

For this week's post, I had the opportunity to shoot for a fellow coworker at my part time gig.  Karissa is a cyclist who was seeking a media package in conjunction with her sponsorship of Purple Stuff Relaxation Beverages.  Karissa was preparing to ride in the upcoming 200+ mile LOTJA race which is a grueling and sometimes deadly race that commences in Logan, Utah and ends in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. 

I was estactic with the was this set turned out.  I goal was to keep it edgy and organic without venturing in to the overpopular and overdone world of HDR backdrops and subject cutouts.  Don't get me wrong, the HDR sports and fitness imagery pioneered and made famous by the one and only Joel Grimes has become a staple of the industry that countless numbers of clients have jumped on board.  I for one, am a big fan and idolize Mr. Grimes work and religiously watched his weekly show on Framed Network where he shared his techniques and offered welcomed advice.
My biggest gripe is that whenvever a photographer's particular technique goes viral, everyone else attempts to copy it!  I say be creative and "try" to create your own look fitting your own style and personality while fullfilling the client's needs and expectations.

If you are wanting to see how I lit this scene using One to Two Lights, see the video below.  In the event the Embed Code doesn't function (remember I am new to HTML), you can watch it by following THIS LINK to the YouTube URL