Each spring, several members of the Sports Garage crew embark on a team ride and enlist the help of a local photographer. The mission is twofold: test out the latest mountain bikes, technology, and gear, and capture some great content we can use to spread the stoke on our local Front Range trails.
This year, we teamed up with Colorado photographer and rider Emily Sierra. Chances are, you may recognize Emily’s work from brands and events in the mountain bike community, including: Wild Rye, Küat Racks, Red Bull Rampage, Grit Fest, and many more.
Our trail of choice for this spring’s shoot? Walker Ranch. This 7.8-mile loop delivers plenty of whoops interspersed with a few hard-hitting tech zones, one serious hike-a-bike, and two descents to scenic South Boulder Creek below. In other words, the perfect place to kick off the season.
After we loaded the bikes up and descended back down Flagstaff to open the shop, we caught up with Emily to get her take on the shoot and discover some of the intricacies about what goes on for a mountain bike photographer, behind the lens.
How did things go at Walker Ranch with team SG?
We had a successful trail shoot up at Walker Ranch, west of Boulder! The week of the shoot I was uncertain what the air would be like since the Front Range was inundated with wildfire smoke from Canada, but we were lucky to have a clear window that day. The group rallied for an early start and we milked the morning light for as long as possible.
Having a mechanical is always in the back of my mind during a bike shoot, but it somehow rarely happens. Today wasn’t one of those days. Elorie was ripping too hard through the tech zone and tore into her tire. She radioed down that she had what she needed and would catch up shortly. Given the shop’s “teamwork makes the dreamwork” approach, Dan and Blake zoomed back to help get her squared away. I must say, it’s really nice having riders on a shoot (or any trail ride!) who can quickly take care of any mechanicals. Fortunately that was our only one of the day!
Any notable moments or shots?
Moving through the morning, my favorite shots were the crew on the ridgeline in the distance, Elorie descending through the pine trees, Suzy and Brad pedaling past the abundant wildflowers, and Dan and Blake getting playful on the berm near the river. We had a great crew of riders, which made the shoot so much fun!
I love finding trails that have alternative lines or points where two trails merge and I can get multiple riders in a shot. There were a few stretches that day when Dan, Blake, and Brad could “race” each other up a hill. Those sorts of moments on a shoot are always a blast!
Anything special about Walker Ranch as a location for shooting Front Range riding?
Walker Ranch is a special place to shoot mountain biking on the Front Range. The trail offers a wider variety of terrain than many other places. There’s technical riding on rocks and roots, gorgeous vistas, a mandatory hike-a-bike staircase, and even a pine forest that might fool you into thinking we aren’t in Colorado anymore. This sort of variety is great for an outdoor shoot because we can be flexible depending on the light, weather, and—as in our case—the smoke.
The last shot of the day ended up being one of my favorites. Near the river, there’s a beautiful forested area, which was perfect for the harsh 11:00am light coming through the trees. I saw a beautiful patch of sunlight and Dan rolled straight through it.
See More of Emily's Work
Want to see more of Emily’s inspiring action photography? Follow along with her on Instagram, and look out for her and her new Pivot Shadowcat XO1 AXS on a Colorado trailhead near you this summer.
