The Lingbot Light Composer
An Interview with Sterling Lorence
Sterling Lorence is an adventure sport photographer who is passionate about mountain bikes and the North Shore. His work goes beyond the typical eye-candy you may expect from the world of adventure sports. He hustles to get the “right” shot and will chase good light to the ends of the earth (literally). His work has graced numerous publications. In between trips to Utah and other places light likes to play Sterling took the time to answer some questions we had for him concerning his craft. Take a scroll below and step into the light.
TDS: Tell us how you became an adventure sport photographer?
LORENCE: I grew up on Vancouver’s North Shore. Fortunately this led me to live an outdoor lifestyle that included skiing, snowboarding, mountain biking and fishing. I was in the elements all the time and was inspired by the natural world and its light at an early age. I was intrigued to be able to take pictures of all the places my sports took me when I was about 13. Since then it has been the goal and challenge to take pictures—using light as effectively as possible—in a way that reflects the place and the feeling.
TDS: What would you say differentiates your work in the extreme sport world?
LORENCE: Well I would say a couple of things. First of all, I would say that I have a good understanding of the sports that I choose to shoot as well as the angles and compositions that I choose to communicate the action in those sports. I think this “knack” comes from loving to participate in the sports I shoot as much as I enjoy to shoot them. You gotta know what’s up, or it shows.
The riders are very perceptive of this too, they can often “see” the shot and know what I’m up to—a trust forms. If you don’t quite know what the riders are going through, you can’t see the shot the same.
Secondly, I would say I also possess a desire to paint the setting in the most dramatic way possible. I don’t just settle for the actions of the rider or random light. I want those actions to be surrounded or accentuated by a wicked use of light, cool composition and some technical prowess.
TDS: Of all the sports you’ve shot, what is your favorite and why? And yes, you must pick one.
LORENCE: I chose to become a mountain bike photographer because it is my favorite sport. I have ventured deep into the ski world, and skimmed the surface of the surf world but I am home on the North Shore when on my bike. I truly believe it is one of the best adventure sports in the world given where two knobby tires can take you and how unlimited we are to the conditions of Mother Nature.
Surfers/skaters/skiers/snowboarders all get worked by the timing of weather. I’ve been in Maui before and have seen lake like conditions at the surf for three weeks in the winter ... rode bikes everyday. We as riders can go more often. The amount of singletrack that graces the entire planet is mind boggling; the places that those trails can take you are just as mind boggling. Not many photographers have gone in deep by tread, I am happy being one of the first few that have tried.
TDS: We came across your amazing work in Bike magazine and The Collective films. Talk about the sport of mountain biking, its metamorphoses over the past seven years or so and where you see it heading.
LORENCE: The big push into the freeride side of the sport happened when we got "suspended" (read: bikes built with front and rear suspension) by all the wicked engineers out there. Bikes now have multiple inches of suspension. This was the gateway into taking the bikes from the singletrack and venturing them into new areas that the mountains could provide.
We could now apply a new set of eyes across the land; find new “modern” ways of riding a bike in new and different places in the mountains. The new generation of riders were able to ride these bikes in a manner that reflected motorcross, ski and snowboard. This dramatic way of riding in beautiful landscapes presented another great forum that was worthy of recording in movies. That evolution grew and exploded into where we are today.
The Collectivefilm company choose to make their films that honor all the fun facets of the sport and they constantly challenge themselves to present our sport in a way that entertains the entire sport and makes them desperate to go out and shred ASAP. The name “Collective” was to respect the views of the riders, the views of the filmmakers, and the photographers.
Often in the past, the riders were subject to weak cinematography and filmmaking and were never satisfied with how their riding was portrayed. The Collective’s goal was to do the opposite. The rider needs to be hella-stoked first.
TDS: Sticking with mountain biking, who do you see as the biggest innovator in the sport and what sets him/her apart from the rest?
LORENCE: That’s a tough question to answer. Our sport has grown into so many sub categories and often to the point where there is no overlap. Each one of those areas has an innovator that is worthy to mention. From the street to dirt jumps to trials to big mountain to racing, all have amazing talents that make our sport super rad.
Names like Chase, “the claw” (Darren Berrecloth), Leach (Ryan Leach), Lacondeguy, Strait (Kyle Strait), Vanderham (Thomas Vanderham) etc.
But, if I had to choose one name that was best able to cross all platforms and apply sick skill and talent in a pure mountain bike way, I’d have to say Wade Simmons. For innovative riding, Wade has always had the ability to pull something out that was different from the others. He loves mountain biking and it shows in how much he is out there riding and how his life is surrounded by the sport. That love and pure talent for the sport also shows why he is able to have game in all the genres. High alpine backcountry epics, big mountain, street sessions, the shore, bowls, dirt jumping, beach side cruising, tuning his bikes …
TDS: Adventure writer Michael Scott calls you the Lingbot. Care to elaborate?
LORENCE: I guess when I set some goals I am willing to bust my ass to achieve them. If “eye” see something I like, I must have it … so I go into endless-energy-committed-robot mode and Mitch has witnessed this time and time again. Hence, Lingbot.
TDS: Your job is unique in that you have combined two of your passions—mountain biking and photography—and made a career out of it. How important is it that people are passionate about their work?
LORENCE: Life is short. I can’t imagine being trapped in a world that I wasn’t happy in. Those quotes you learn when you are young like “dreams do come true,” “if you want it, you can get it,” all that stuff is true. I worked super hard getting to where I am today, I want to work super hard at furthering my career and certainly use the love of what I do as fuel to the fire. In a job that “expresses” I would say that a lack of passion shows very quickly. So yes, passion is very key.
TDS: Your work is very artistic in nature but also serves a commercial purpose. How do you maintain the integrity of your art while making sure it serves its commercial purpose?
LORENCE: To make a career of what I do, I need to be able to apply my skill-set to the needs of clients. When I’m on a shoot for a commercial client, I always try and give them as many options in my shots as possible. I will go from shooting specific product based angles that glorify product, right through the magic hour of light to the point where I will have shot many compositions and crops and end with a silhouette if the opportunity exists. That way, the integrity is alive in the variety of images attained and it is in their hands to choose. If I nailed my job that day, the client’s job of choosing “the one” is really hard.
TDS: Looking through your site gallery, the North Shore photos really stand out. Talk about how growing up in this play-land has shaped your work.
LORENCE: My evolution into mountain biking occurred in the forests of the North Shore. I spent countless hours with my best friends riding up there. It has been twenty years of “being” in those forests and loving being a rider there. The photos I take on the Shore are a direct interpretation of the inspirations, feelings and thoughts that I want to express to others. One could draw to conclusion that yes it is dark as night and foggy most of the time, and when it is not, super green surrounded by huge beautiful trees … and that is what I love about it.
TDS: If you could pick anywhere in the world for a weeklong (freeride) shoot, where would you go, what riders would you take with you and why.
LORENCE: One week for a freeride shoot is too short. Why? Because we spend so much time scoping for unique lines to shoot, and then we prep them, the riders practice, I scope for shot angles, and then we wait for the right light. But, to answer the question and restrict to seven days, I have to say somewhere in Utah.
Utah has the great combination of quality dirt, steep fall lines, dramatic geography, consistent sun hours and clean light—very favorable for shoots. It is also in North America, which means we are not to far from help, and we can eat well.
For riders, I find three is the best number for Utah. And I would take three riders that have different riding styles so that they are scoping for different landscape features. You need a big mountain guy, a trick guy, and a street guy. This way you can make the best use of all the crazy terrain you walk across when in Utah.
For big mountain, Matt Hunter or Thomas Vanderham—both of these guys want 8 inches of travel and make full use of it.
For tricks—Cam McCaul or Bearclaw—it’s rad seeing crazy tricks combined with the burly landscape of Utah. Bearclaw is great to scope with because you sometimes find things that are beyond the decision making of the photographer or filmmaker and it is a guy like Bearclaw that throws down his blue collar work ethic and his riding talents and ‘get’s ‘er done’
For ultra-technical streety lines—the guitar hero—Aaron Chase. Chase was meant to be a rock star … the skinny-mullet-clad lead guitar player that does rad solos in the middle of the tune. Yes, he does rip it up on electric too. I have scoped in Utah with Chase before, and his radar for lines is so cool. I can’t find lines for Chase, but I sure enjoy shooting them.
Over ‘n out.
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