I’ve spent many a cold night pedalling round in circles, my little legs going faster than I thought possible, desperately trying not to drop behind the pack.
The Velodrome in Herne Hill is a place I’ve loved and hated in equal measure. I’ve pushed myself hard there and worn down my pride. But equally (nearly) always left feeling elated and full of fresh drive to achieve new things. There’s an electric atmosphere down there and a lot of laughter and general camaraderie. It’s the place Bradley Wiggins started his cycling success. My success is measured more on whether I manage to keep up with the riders on a Sunday ride, but it’s nice to know others have used it to achieve greater things.
My beloved Windrush Triathalon Club train there on Tuesday evenings so it was a pleasure to head down and photograph it for them. It was tough lighting conditions, but the dramatic floodlights are all part of the atmosphere, so I worked with it. It required plenty of shutter speed control and steady hand movements, but some of my favourites have turned out to be the one’s which capture the speed in a blur of colour.
If you feel inspired to have a go yourself… here’s some links to Windrush Tri Club and The Velodrome:
www.windrushtri.co.uk and www.hernehillvelodrome.com/
Please do get in touch if you'd like any photography for your own sporting venture.
