Alpine Gravity Series - Round 2

The Alpine Gravity race at Barjarg, Victoria was held just recently and by all accounts it was a super sweet event.A�Ben Watkins from Alpine Gravity knows how to hold a race, combine it with some of the best tracks going and everyone wins. Check some of the footage from the race if you don’t believe us. David McMillan took out Elite, that is good because Dave is heading overseas soon to take on the rest of the world at the World Cups, so a definite confidence boost for him. Dean Lucas just missed taking the win on his new bike (check out our Inside Info with him hereA�if you haven’t already) so that is also good, as it shows he is comfortable and when he goes overseas with David he should be feeling confident too.

So, the race was good, everyone was happy! But that’s not what this article is all about, we love downhill and it is not just about riding your bike. There are plenty of cases where some of the best times aren’t even your bike! It is the ‘vibe’ of a whole event, as they say. So lets go behind the scenes a little… We all know the fast racersA�seem to have infinite style and skills, plus they always look good on a camera! But what if they were on the other side of the lens? Wouldn’t it be annoying if they were super good at that too? Maybe modern day cameras do all the work? There is always ‘down’ time between practice/seeding and finals (excuse the pun) so with camera in hand let’s see what Andrew Crimmins, David McMillan, Jake Lucas, Joey Vejvoda, Phil Piazza and Timmy Eaton came up with…

A very serious Timmy Eaton gives us his insight to his pre race rituals "Pre race I listen to music and try clear my head and only think about the track, things like my lines and anywhere I've had issues throughout practice and eliminate them mentally". — A very serious looking Timmy Eaton gives us his insight to his pre-race rituals “Pre-race I listen to music and try clear my head and only think about the track, things like my lines and anywhere I’ve had issues throughout practice and eliminate them mentally”.
Solid first photo, we like the lighting on one side of the face.

Cash for comment? David McMillan giving JL Media a plug here and he is not even on the cover! This photo does suffer from a messy background and Dave's head has been slightly cut out, as his elbow... — Cash for comment? David McMillan giving JL Media a plug here and he is not even on the cover!
This photo does suffer from a messy background and Dave’s head has been slightly cut out, as his elbow… Number two is the quality slipping?

A confident Ben Crundwell, unfortunately it wasn't the best weekend for Ben and his Swift Rocky Mountain team, high off the recent signing of Ben Hill (who wasn't at this race) it was a lack luster weekend which saw a puncture and an over the bars experience close out the weekend for the rest of the team. Nice photo as it has captured emotion well and doesn't look fake. — A confident Ben Crundwell, unfortunately it wasn’t the best weekend for Ben and his Swift Rocky Mountain team. High off the recent signing of Ben Hill (who wasn’t at this race), it was a lack luster weekend which saw a puncture and an over the bars experience close out the weekend for the rest of the team.
Nice photo as it has captured emotion well and doesn’t look fake, this saves photo number 2!

What is Luke Ellison’s pre race routine? “Between practice and racing I just try not to be too serious. Just do whatever really, usually stuff that’s funny”
Selfie? Surely the guys haven’t got FB profile pic on us have they? We don’t think so, good depth of field really makes Luke pop here, good stuff guys!

Time for a little bit of a review, David McMillan looks in why Joey Vejvoda reviews the action. Good to see the guys taking their photo challenge seriously and reviewing! — Time for a little bit of a review, David McMillan looks in why Joey Vejvoda reviews the action.
Good to see the guys taking their photo challenge seriously and reviewing! Focus is a little soft but we will let that slide as they are doing the right thing!

Whoa unlucky 13 or maybe it's lucky for some? Luke Ellison suggesting he would prefer the number one plate... Solid photo, nice colour! — Whoa unlucky 13 or maybe it’s lucky for some? Luke Ellison suggesting he would prefer the number one plate…
Solid photo, nice colour!

A not so serious Timmy Eaton, we asked him what should event organisers to do make races more fun or kill time during the day "I like pump track events at the end of the day of practice for a bit of fun! Maybe cutty comps or bar scraping comps would be cool haha". Sounds good to us! Someone has photo bombed the top right of this shot... — A not so serious Timmy Eaton, we asked him what should event organisers to do make races more fun or kill time during the day “I like pump track events at the end of the day of practice for a bit of fun! Maybe cutty comps or bar scraping comps would be cool haha”. Sounds good to us!
Someone has photo bombed the top right of this shot…

So much of downhill is just hanging with your mates, travelling, random laughs and good times, that's why we love it! This shot captures all that, the portaloo adds to it if anything, we have all seen them at the races! — So much of downhill is just hanging with your mates, travelling, random laughs and good times, that’s why we love it!
This shot captures all that, the portaloo adds to it if anything, we have all seen them at the races but not sure what the car door brings to the equation!

Someone has been twisting the dial for this shot, look at that depth of field. Andrew Crimmins practicing his ‘Blue Steel’.
Another well executed profile pic, we mean image!

Oh no what happened here?! A prime example of what happens if you don't get it right, the subject is way out of focus here. The price you pay for sharp shots, this drops the score for the guys... — Oh no what happened here?! A prime example of what happens if you don’t get it right, the subject is way out of focus here. The price you pay for sharp shots, this drops the score for the guys…

that's a better shot of Phil Piazza, really like the lighting, lifts the score back up and on we go! — That’s a better shot of Phil Piazza, really like the lighting, lifts the score back up and on we go!

When you get it right, everyone wants to see!

Very cool David! Nicely framed, good subject matter and golden light this shots a winner! — Very cool David!
Nicely framed, good subject matter and golden light this shots a winner!

Dean Lucas had a busy weekend, was the unveiling of his new bike (which you saw here on downhill247.com) playing on his mind? So much of photography is timing... — Dean Lucas had a busy weekend, was the unveiling of his new bike (which you saw here on downhill247.com) playing on his mind?
So much of photography is timing…

Watch out Europe! This face is coming at you soon... What more needs to be said about this shot haha! — Watch out Europe! This face is coming at you soon…
What more needs to be said about this shot haha!

David McMillan lets everyone know he finished in first place, nice work! The other person (who we guess was asking if David finished first?) has blocked this shot slightly though, in turn lowering its score. — David McMillan lets everyone know he finished in first place, nice work!
The other person (who we guess was asking if David finished first?) has blocked this shot slightly though, in turn lowering its score.

So there we have it, Pick of the Pics, Pro Edition! How did the guys fair? Pretty well, we can’t see the 200 other shots taken to produce these but that is the joy of digital. The next Alpine Gravity race is at Bright, maybe we will get the guys to take shots of moving targets!

Images: Andrew Crimmins, David McMillan, Jake Lucas, Joey Vejvoda, Phil Piazza and Timmy Eaton (just don’t ask who took what! Also thanks to Jason Stevens Photography for the editing!)