5 Tips for Photographing a Trail Running Event
Are you photographing a trail running event and need some advice? Well, you’re not alone.
I recently photographed the Sea2Sky race hosted by RunThrough Trails and since it was my first time shooting an event like this, I turned to the internet for some advice but as far as I could find, there isn’t much in the way for help shooting running events, let alone trail ones which garner even more logistical pressure.
So, I thought I’d take it upon myself to offer some of the things I learnt along the way in the hope that it can help someone else out there.
1. Don’t Shoot the Start
Okay so this might sound counterintuitive because as photographers we all know your images need to tell a story with a start, middle, and an end. However, unless you’re photographing one of the more popular events like a UTMB or Maverick, due to the low (but growing) popularity of these types of events, the start lines are often half-empty leaving your images a bit lacklustre and without tension. You’re better off spending the morning getting to a vantage point somewhere along the trail.
Of course if you’re being commissioned to capture the whole event and have no choice, then my advice would be to use a low aperture and get up close to people to create the illusion there are more people present. Play around with different angles too like getting low and shooting upwards using the sky as negative space rather than a half-empty crowd.
2. Do a recce
This one isn’t super essential if you’re strapped for time but I’d highly recommend doing one if you can. Even for just 1-2 hours. When I arrived in Wales I didn’t have time to check out the route beforehand so it meant I was on the lookout for suitable compositions whilst on the fly which yielded some pretty poor photographs and others which had heaps of potential but I just didn’t quite get right.
It was also my first time climbing Cadair Idris so from a fitness and timing perspective, I wasn’t quite sure what to expect either. Safe to say it was a pretty brutal incline straight from the car park all the way up to the summit where my route and the runner’s would intersect. If you plan on going up a mountain to shoot, make sure to give yourself plenty of time to accommodate for the incline, download the route so you don’t waste any time, and take plenty of snacks and water. A raincoat is always a good idea too.
If you can’t do a recce the day before though, do some research in the days leading up to the event by looking at other people’s images and following the route along Strava/AllTrails to gauge what the terrain and landscape looks like.
3. Find a spot with multiple vantage points
One thing I overlooked was the distance between potential photographing spot. Once the runners start coming, they come thick and fast so you need to be quick on your feet and have a “run ‘n’ gun” set up to maximise the number of images you can capture.
Obviously you don’t want to get the same image over and over again so my advice would be to pick 1-3 spots in close proximity which will get you a lot of variation across your images.
For example, you might want to look for a place where you can show off the landscape, with a sharp incline that captures the pain on the runner’s faces, and perhaps an aid station nearby to show them resting and refueling. These images pieced together will tell a much more compelling story in my opinion and give you a real sense of what it’s like to be a runner in that event.
4. Use a lens cloth and wipes
I know this sounds super obvious but when you’re chasing after runners, shooting on the fly, and flitting between different vantage points, it’s easy to forget some of the most basic things. At least for me it was.
It happens. You’re on the trails, there’s heaps of dust flying around so it’s only a matter of time before some lands on your lens. Just keep one handy in your pocket and you won’t have to spend ages editing out dust spots in Photoshop.
5. Get close up to the action
My final tip is to not be afraid to get up close to the runners. It goes without saying that if you’re on the trail and they’re running towards you, then you need to get out the way quick or they’ll go right through you. But do get close up and capture the emotion in their faces, the dirt splashing off their trainers, or the rugged terrain that they’re traversing. These are the shots that get people excited about these types of events. It’s the side of sport we all love. The side that shows the grit and sweat. The side which is more grimace than smile.
Best of luck.
