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Aidan Purcell - Upcoming photographer.
by bunkey
Posted: Mar 2, 2009
I caught up with up and coming photographer Aidan Purcell recently after an amazing day shooting at the infamous 'Mast' in Inverness. Here's what he had to say for himself...
Interview and Photo's inside!
Interview and Photo's inside!
What's your name, age, and where are you from?
My name's Aidan Purcell, I'm 19, and from the Inverness area; I'm usually found somewhere near there anyway!
What started it all off for you?
I can't actually remember, I remember being out with my brother on the bikes, we'd build a small dirt jump somewhere, and borrow a camera off someone who had film in it, and would finish off the roll for them. My poor Grand dad once got an entire 36 exposure film back showing just blurs of bikes with half the rider cut off! Eventually I got a digital bridge camera, a Canon G6 - which I still have actually - and it went on from there. Being able to adjust settings and see the photo immediately really gave me something to learn from.
Ah, so photography came from riding? Do you spend more time in front of, or behind the lens?
I can't really decide to be honest! Sometimes I'm quite happy just sitting with the camera, and others I'd rather ride! I think a mix of about 50/50 would be ideal.
Besides photography, what else do you do?
Digital Darkrooming! If I'm not taking photos, I'm adjusting things; that's the downside of RAW - time consuming. If I'm not doing that, then I'll either be fixing (more like bodging) something on my Land Rover, Bike; or just wasting time! If the weather's right I'll be out with my kite! (Laughs)
Personally, I'd class you as Freelance; But would you ever consider a career in the Photography Industry?
I'm not sure if I'm even Freelance! I don't sell my photos, okay I'll print them for people at a cost, but even just Freelance would be great! Not sure I see myself there yet, but maybe one day. My dream would probably be something like Staff Photographer for a World Cup DH Team, or even just following the World Cup and begging Magazines to buy my shots!
Fair Enough! So... If someone were to pinch your bag, what gear might they find?
My Canon EOS 30D, The Kit: 18-55 lens, an EF 50 f1.8 mk2, Wireless Triggers, Metz 54AF-1 Flash, Couple of Filters, Spare Battery, Shutter Cable, and a (clean) fork!
There'd probably be a Tripod kicking about nearby too.
Describe the perfect shot...
Something with that WOW factor, okay that's cliché but, I don't care. It might not even appeal to anyone else! Sometimes my favorite shots only get half the attention the ones I don't like as much get.
To me, it would be something which shows the whole atmosphere behind Downhill (which is about all I shoot right now). The Speed, Adrenaline, the Gorgeous places we end up with the bikes, and the fun that makes it all the more enjoyable! If it wasn't for getting a laugh with the Lads at the bottom or pushing up, I don't think half of us would bother!
Who most inspires you?
Probably Sven Martin, he uses Canon, and used to ride for Ironhorse as well: So he seems to put his riding experience into taking awesome photos. Hoshi Yoshida too, I just really like his photos; especially the ones which aren't as much of the riding, but of the whole setup and atmosphere. I think my favorite shot of his is the one of a start gate in Vallnord: There's no riders or anything, just spectators out of focus, a mass of cables, and the start button (which I guess drops the 4x gate), I just like the photo! There's something about it I wish I could capture in my photos.
Finally - Any words of wisdom? Stories? Shout outs?
I'm going to seem really mundane, but I don't really have much worth telling story wise! I'll shout out to the local lads (and lasses) in Inverness: I think that if it wasn't for you guys (and gals), I'd have no interest in DH and no idea of photographing Bikes; You guys are making it possible!
Thanks for your time Aidan!
Check out Aidan's Pinkbike profile.
And keep your eyes open over the coming months, I'm sure you'll be seeing a lot more of Aidan!
Peace.
Benjamin 'Bunkey' Blowers.
My name's Aidan Purcell, I'm 19, and from the Inverness area; I'm usually found somewhere near there anyway!
What started it all off for you?
I can't actually remember, I remember being out with my brother on the bikes, we'd build a small dirt jump somewhere, and borrow a camera off someone who had film in it, and would finish off the roll for them. My poor Grand dad once got an entire 36 exposure film back showing just blurs of bikes with half the rider cut off! Eventually I got a digital bridge camera, a Canon G6 - which I still have actually - and it went on from there. Being able to adjust settings and see the photo immediately really gave me something to learn from.
Ah, so photography came from riding? Do you spend more time in front of, or behind the lens?
I can't really decide to be honest! Sometimes I'm quite happy just sitting with the camera, and others I'd rather ride! I think a mix of about 50/50 would be ideal.
Besides photography, what else do you do?
Digital Darkrooming! If I'm not taking photos, I'm adjusting things; that's the downside of RAW - time consuming. If I'm not doing that, then I'll either be fixing (more like bodging) something on my Land Rover, Bike; or just wasting time! If the weather's right I'll be out with my kite! (Laughs)
Personally, I'd class you as Freelance; But would you ever consider a career in the Photography Industry?
I'm not sure if I'm even Freelance! I don't sell my photos, okay I'll print them for people at a cost, but even just Freelance would be great! Not sure I see myself there yet, but maybe one day. My dream would probably be something like Staff Photographer for a World Cup DH Team, or even just following the World Cup and begging Magazines to buy my shots!
Fair Enough! So... If someone were to pinch your bag, what gear might they find?
My Canon EOS 30D, The Kit: 18-55 lens, an EF 50 f1.8 mk2, Wireless Triggers, Metz 54AF-1 Flash, Couple of Filters, Spare Battery, Shutter Cable, and a (clean) fork!
There'd probably be a Tripod kicking about nearby too.
Describe the perfect shot...
Something with that WOW factor, okay that's cliché but, I don't care. It might not even appeal to anyone else! Sometimes my favorite shots only get half the attention the ones I don't like as much get.
To me, it would be something which shows the whole atmosphere behind Downhill (which is about all I shoot right now). The Speed, Adrenaline, the Gorgeous places we end up with the bikes, and the fun that makes it all the more enjoyable! If it wasn't for getting a laugh with the Lads at the bottom or pushing up, I don't think half of us would bother!
Who most inspires you?
Probably Sven Martin, he uses Canon, and used to ride for Ironhorse as well: So he seems to put his riding experience into taking awesome photos. Hoshi Yoshida too, I just really like his photos; especially the ones which aren't as much of the riding, but of the whole setup and atmosphere. I think my favorite shot of his is the one of a start gate in Vallnord: There's no riders or anything, just spectators out of focus, a mass of cables, and the start button (which I guess drops the 4x gate), I just like the photo! There's something about it I wish I could capture in my photos.
Finally - Any words of wisdom? Stories? Shout outs?
I'm going to seem really mundane, but I don't really have much worth telling story wise! I'll shout out to the local lads (and lasses) in Inverness: I think that if it wasn't for you guys (and gals), I'd have no interest in DH and no idea of photographing Bikes; You guys are making it possible!
Thanks for your time Aidan!
Check out Aidan's Pinkbike profile.
And keep your eyes open over the coming months, I'm sure you'll be seeing a lot more of Aidan!
Peace.
Benjamin 'Bunkey' Blowers.
50 Comments
- + 5
martin-kennedy
(Mar 2, 2009 at 13:52)
Nice write up and some really good shots
man those shots are really good for a 30D. not saying its not a good camera. just sounds like and looks like you really know what your doing.
Shure this is good photos nothing wrong with them. But they miss the kind of "extra touch" that make them special. Feel like the photografer has just pointed the camera at the rider and taken a shot, It would be funnier and more exciting if he used some different angles and stuff like that. Dont get me wrong you are really good but dont be afraid to experiment 
Aye, we're on a pretty steep learning curve, his shots are improving weekly - I just need to pursuade him not to upload EVERY SINGLE shot he takes! 
extra touches = photoshop = makes them look too good, check mine on my profile, all done by aidan with no photoshopping at all, just a big flash gun thats blinding
on your sell bo. Wicked seeing a local lad on the front page of pinkbike. never thought i would see the day.
fair play
fair play
[Reply]
[Reply]
good, but dont call yourself a pro. find better angles, comp., light. add some ART to them, not just shot straight on. its 1 thing to have knowledge how to use that the stuff you have but you need to wrok on the seeting up better shots part. good start though
For sure, 100% agree, but the title reads 'upcoming photographer' and not 'pro photographer' - No calling of Pro status here my friend. Aiden definatly has potential though!
No offence intended mate.
But I think the majority of the shots here aren't great. The angles don't work very well, the lighting in them is mostly quite poor and they lack any context at all.
If you went on any proper photography forums they would be ripped apart.
I'm not saying that any of my shots are better, just trying to help.
(I know "pinkbikers" will instantly jump on me for saying that stuff)
But I think the majority of the shots here aren't great. The angles don't work very well, the lighting in them is mostly quite poor and they lack any context at all.
If you went on any proper photography forums they would be ripped apart.
I'm not saying that any of my shots are better, just trying to help.
(I know "pinkbikers" will instantly jump on me for saying that stuff)
Personally, I disagree. I think the 1st berm shot has pretty good use of flash with the logs to the right, and also the last shot as the flash really gives the foreground that 'pop' to the sharpness and colours etc, while the background remains flat. But I guess its personal preference. I do agree that composition is something me and Aiden will have to work on - but as I say previously, we're on a pretty steep learning curve and every weekend sees mass improvment. Id suggest you keep posted on latest shots and track the development here and then give us some input. You seem quite analytical so I much appreciate feedback! Its all a learning process 
How would you suggest we improve?
How would you suggest we improve?
i think your pics are pretty dam good. love the use of lighting to highlight parts of the trail which arent necessarily the first thing you wuld look at. keep up the good work. (Y)
hey bunkey, you're a good cameraman too. u and aidan should work together and create a film that we all would love.
Im actually working on a feature length production - i thought you knew? im filming mikes segment at the mast atm. il link u to wat ive got so far once i get this edit finished.
Apparently you removed my comment. This must have been an accident (who would do it on purpose?), so i'll post it again:
These pictures are good - but not frontpage mention-worthy. Too much playing with the flash, the shots are too direct and predictable.
That said, your pics are better than lots of the one's i've seen on PB.
These pictures are good - but not frontpage mention-worthy. Too much playing with the flash, the shots are too direct and predictable.
That said, your pics are better than lots of the one's i've seen on PB.
"the last shot as the flash really gives the foreground that 'pop' to the sharpness and colours etc, while the background remains flat."
That pic is so close to being awesome that it hurts my head. If the pic showed where the rider's coming from, or where he's going, it would be soo much nicer! The contrast is really striking, between the colourful bike + rider and the dark shadows cast by the flash. If only the far left of the pic (the forest, further away) also had that contrast. + the shadow of the front wheel on that rock is distracting. So to make that a better pic, I would have shown the lip where the rider jumped from (to the right), and cropped the leftmost 30 % of the pic, so you can't identify the shadow as the shadow of a wheel. Chances are that that composition would have given the whole pic that colour-to-black contrast (everything in the picture would have been closer to the flash).
Just my 2 cents
That pic is so close to being awesome that it hurts my head. If the pic showed where the rider's coming from, or where he's going, it would be soo much nicer! The contrast is really striking, between the colourful bike + rider and the dark shadows cast by the flash. If only the far left of the pic (the forest, further away) also had that contrast. + the shadow of the front wheel on that rock is distracting. So to make that a better pic, I would have shown the lip where the rider jumped from (to the right), and cropped the leftmost 30 % of the pic, so you can't identify the shadow as the shadow of a wheel. Chances are that that composition would have given the whole pic that colour-to-black contrast (everything in the picture would have been closer to the flash).
Just my 2 cents
im by no means a photographer but ive been well impressed by the guy who posted this actualy listening to the constructive critisicm coming his was
i also quite like your shots
i also quite like your shots
yeah. im not replying as much, but taking on board what i read here too.
Im the Aidan thats taken those photos btw. haha
Im the Aidan thats taken those photos btw. haha
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