This guide is put together to help answer most of your questions about what you will be doing as a contract or associate shooter. If you have any more question, feel free to reach out. Return of emails and questions or inquiries are made after business hours.

The event we are covering:

https://www.granfondonationalseries.com/gran-fondo-asheville

Sample gallery:

https://www.iconmediaasheville2.com/2026-highlands-gran-fondo-1

You will receive two cards from me prior to the start then head to your position to get started. You will shoot on them. They will need to be formatted to your camera. We will start about 7:30 am and be done by 5:pm(Most of the time we are done around 4:00pm). At the end of the day, you will give the cards back to me and I will check your work. You will receive a meal, beverage, break. You will be paid at the end of the event or the following day by Paypal or Venmo or Zelle. There is no editing. Detailed instructions for the day will be emailed a day or two prior. You will be given access to the photos for you to use for your portfolio.

Your gear

Sunscreen

Please be sure the time and date are correct in your camera. You will be fined if the date and time are not correct. Format the cards to your camera.

Shoot in JPEG. No need for flashes or tripods.

Shoot in auto white balance.

Auto focus should be set to continuous.

3 to 5 shots per participant.

Your image color output should be set to neutral or standard.

Shutter Actuation speed set to medium or Low. 3 to 5 shots of participants does not mean hold the shutter button down and guesstimate on full shutter speed. No Spray and Pray.

You will need to shoot with single point focus. Area focus or eye tracking or zone focus will not work! It will definitely not work if you have five racers coming at you at 30 miles an hours. It may not see through cycling glasses. Please know how to use this feature of your camera and have it set up prior to shooting. The best results in cycling come from putting your focus dot on their face, number plate or front tire/handlebars.

The Finishing Chute: Finishers coming back from the race will come into the chute and head across the finish. You will want to shoot from one side or the other. You will want to wear the yellow photo smock here to make yourself most visible. From here you can sit to shoot as below the eye level of the racer give the most flattering point of view. Sometimes they just ride across, sometimes they celebrate, or high five/hold hands with the ones they are riding with. These are the shots to get. There is usually a barrier you can sit behind. Do not turn your back to cyclist and do not get hit.

Examples below.

Hero Shooter: After coming down the finish chute, the riders will be stopped. They're timing chips will be removed and they will receive their finishers award. There will be a lot of staff here. This area gets crowded, it needs to move move quickly. You will need to grab a shot of the rider or group of riders holding their medals. You may need to coach them a bit. Make sure they smile. Make sure their medal is facing forward. Be sure their number plate is in the image. If not, snap a photo of their number on their back. Some have just ridden 100 miles on a bicycle. The may have race brain. Some will not want to have their photos made. No problem. Allow them to move on. Move them up if you need to. Be polite but firm. .

Examples Below.

On Course: You will be asked to go to a position or two on the course. There will be ample parking. You may be with a volunteer at the end of a checkpoint or you may be in a corner or low spot on the course. Bring what you need to be comfortable. Snacks, drinks, tunes, etc. You will need a photo vest. It is Hi-Viz yellow and the law to wear one when working by the roadside. If you have your own and want to wear it, bring it. You will shoot from a low position up toward the racers. Bring a stool or a camp chair if you like. They will come at you fast, use your long zoom and fill the frame or get some of the background if it is nice enough. Please do not get in the road or block traffic in any way. Usually there are volunteers there and a flag.

Examples below.

As the end of the race comes to your position, you will be waiting on the sweep. They are usually in a large silver F350 Pick-up, a Prius, or a white sprinter van. It will have a Gran Fondo Logo on it somewhere. Ask them if you like if they are the sweep. They will let you know. They will be following the last rider or removing the course markers. Unless otherwise instructed, when you see them, move on to your next position or come back to the finish.

Examples Below:

Every image we take if there is a number, we need to capture a number in the image. This helps the racers find their images. If it is not in the image, grab a shot of their number on their back if you are the hero shooter. If you are on course. Don't worry about it.

Please no art shots, no creatives, no pans, no ultra shallow depth of field, no back shots(shots from behind unless you are getting their bib number). Their may be a time when you can get some of those here, but when shooting in the above positions, please shoot as specified above. Your success brings our success . This is not a competition of who can out shoot the others or who has the best gear. Do not get hit by a car or a bicycle. Do not take photos from out of your position unless you are covering for someone. Someone is working the same position you are taking extra photos of. You are adding more work for you and me. Please don't do it.

Spray and Pray - If you do this, you will be docked $100.

Date and time not correct - You will get docked $100 for not having the correct date and time.

Do not take random photos and use them for set up and leave them on the camera. Delete them.

Not acceptable examples.