Every task has its obstacles, but as usual with sports photographer Jesper Grønnemark, they’re overcome in style and professionalism. For this shoot, Jesper had the idea to capture Mike Jensen, the current world champion in stunt riding, on his bike and accompanied by explosions – yes, actual explosions – while freezing the action with the help of the Profoto B1X.
From idea to action
After selecting the right people to handle the explosives, finding the location and picking up the brand new A7RIII from Sony and Profoto B1X’s, it was go time. The location was in a gravel pit, while a stunt rider is used to riding on asphalt. Jesper knew he had to push Mike Jensen’s abilities to the max as the stunt rider was put out of his comfort zone. Mike Jensen went for it with no hesitation, and the result was uncanny.
The weather Gods
As they all arrived on location in the morning, the weather conditions were not ideal. It was raining and the wind had started to pick up. Fortunately, the rain eventually stopped and they found a spot with cover from the wind. There was only one rehearsal before the actual shoot and this put pressure on both the photographer and the subject. ”Wanting to catch 1/1000 of a second, with Mike in the right position and the explosion at its peak, timing is of the essence,” Jesper said.
The lighting
For this shoot, Jesper brought a B1X Location Kit. With bike-riding subjects and explosions, it’s important to have fast gear you can rely on. The two Profoto B1X’s were equipped with OCF reflectors to give them that extra punch to overpower the strong explosions. Without them, Mike and the bike would have become silhouettes against the flames on this overcast day.
Parts make up the whole
The powerful combination of the components that contributed to aligning this shoot resulted in absolutely stunning images. How Jesper manages to put the right combination of ideas, people, work and creativity together is almost a mystery.
