Kristof Ramon of kramon.photoshelter.com is a pro-cycling photographer who covers some of the worlds biggest and most prestigious races including the Tour de France, the Giro d Italia, the Tour of Flanders and Paris Roubaix.

Kristof was born and raised in Belgium and attended film school at the age of 19. It was here that he discovered photography. He eventually followed his passion for cycling and photography and started photographing the sport.

It's difficult to define Kristof as a sports photographer. His photography captures so much more than the action.

He says the riders are always his main focus… and that comes through when you see his portfolio which features close ups portraits of racers caked in sweat, mud, dust, snow and grime.

You’re not going to catch all those little moments and it’s exactly those little moments that set you apart or that makes it unique and what makes it absolutely worth for me are those little moments – Kristof Ramon

Marcel Kittel (DEU/Etixx-Quickstep) congratulates teammate Tom Boonen (BEL/Etixx-Quickstep) with his win
Brussels Cycling Classic 2016

Following this interview, I’d love to read your feedback and comments. Was there something from this interview that struck a chord, inspired or motivated you?

Will you take any kind of action after hearing what Kristof had to share?

The thing is you evolve. When you begin something and you learn a trick or a technique and you try it out, you always tend to overdo it. But in later photography, it’s like those little tricks you try to implement them more subtly and that’s when it becomes interesting because I needed those to go really overboard to be able later on to make that trick more subtle and maybe not noticeable or not as noticeable as the trickery it is, and that’s technique – Kristof Ramon

Let me know by leaving your thoughts in the comments below.

If you have any questions that I missed, a specific question you’d like to ask Kristof or if you just want to say thanks for coming on the show, feel free to add them below too.

A Tinkoff rider couldn't resist getting a feel of the snow up the misty Colle dell'Agnello (2744m)
stage 19: Pinerolo(IT) – Risoul(FR) 162km
99th Giro d'Italia 2016

Your own voice is much much much more important than being a tool for whatever art director or somebody who is not into photography and telling you how to do it is completely wrong – Kristof Ramon

New (and old) CX World Champion Wout Van Aert (BEL/Crelan-Willems) after finishing
Men's Elite Race
UCI 2017 Cyclocross World Championships
january 2017, Bieles/Luxemburg

I’m a sports photographer in that I focus on one sport and it’s simply the one sport I really like and the one sport I’m passionate about, which is cycling – Kristof Ramon

Sep Vanmarcke (BEL/LottoNL-Jumbo)
Post-Tour Criterium Mechelen (Belgium) 2016

The difficulty is that I don’t want to put a style on anybody. And I think I have a style or a specific point of view and an experience, and I can only bring that experience to that person and hope that he develops a style all by him/herself – Kristof Ramon

The Espresso Mafia coffee bar is another enterprise (like La Fabrica) owned by former professional cyclist Christian Meier and his wife, Amber Meier.

I want in the future to have a more classical look that can hold the test of time. So that’s when you get away from effect or heavy effect and be very much more interested and that’s where I am now is storytelling – what makes a picture – Kristof Ramon

black melted ice mud festival
Azencross Loenhout 2014

As a photographer, you develop a style simply by your cultural reference – Kristof Ramon

Stephen Hyde's (USA/Cannondale) post-race mudface
Elite Men's Race
UCI 2017 Cyclocross World Championships
january 2017, Bieles/Luxemburg

I think the biggest, absolute biggest mistake you can make is to let yourself be told how to shoot – Kristof Ramon

Kristof Ramon Website

Kristof Ramon on Instagram

Kristof Ramon on Twitter

Bahamontes Magazine

Soigneur Magazine

Rouleur Magazine

PhotoShelter

Wout Van Aert (BEL) during course recon & training in the snow
2015 UCI World Championships Cyclocross
Tabor, Czech Republic

Thanks again for listening to the show and thanks to Kristof for coming on and experimenting with a new and different format for this photography podcast and for sharing his thoughts, views and ideas.

Shoot how you want and need and feel to shoot. People pick up on that. If people come to you  and tell you how specifically to shoot, then that’s the wrong client for you. Or you’re doing it wrong because if you give in to that, you’ve lost – Kristof Ramon

Also, a big thanks to the Laura Babb and the people behind the SNAP Photography Festival  for sponsoring this episode of the podcast and making the show possible.

Use the promo code SNAP100 to save $100 British pounds (roughly AUD$170 and USD$125) on your Snap Tickets.

SNAP will take place on a farm in West Wales, UK on the 24th – 28th July 2017 and will be attended by photographers from all over the world.

It's largely aimed at wedding and lifestyle photographers but they will have speakers from across all sectors of the photography industry, including photojournalists, fashion photographers, landscape photographers and academics.

SNAP organisers are focussed on learning outcomes, rather than just throwing together a line up of big names.  They aim for a well balanced, diverse programme.

I've heard the closing parties are epic and there are always a few surprises along the way.  At last years event, two festival attendees got married!

As well as the learning and speakers, there will be activities like wild swimming, beach trips and camp fire hangouts.  SNAP is a chance to recharge your batteries before wedding season starts.

To young photographers or aspiring photographers, specifically, find your voice and let it be heard – Kristof Ramon

If you have any suggestions, comments or questions about this episode, please be sure to leave them below in the comment section of this post, and if you liked the episode, please share it using the social media buttons you see at the bottom of the post!

That’s it for me, hope everything is going well for you in life and photography!

Thanks and speak soon

Andrew

The post TPX19: Kristof Ramon – Breaking Through to Become a Pro Cycling Photographer appeared first on Photography Business Xposed - Photography Podcast - how to build and market your portrait and wedding photography business.