2023 - in pictures

Another year has slipped by somewhere. My annual look back on what I’ve had the chance to do with a camera and Albion has become a little visual diary for me. A couple of sign posts that remind me I’m grateful to do this.

I’ve had amazing help from Harvey this year, taking over some trips and campaigns where things clash or I’m overstretched. He’s really helped develop Albion and keep me on my toes.

On a personal level I want to thank all my brilliant colleagues, all the people I’m lucky enough to meet, the riders, ambassadors, customers and anyone who cares. It means a lot.

Sauna Run

The Sauna Run started as friends making a two day winter pilgrimage from London to Fforest Farm in West Wales. The promise of the incredible welcome, tiny pub and wood sauna enough to keep the inevitably bad weather in perspective (hopefully). At the beginning of March we were joined some friends and partners from Denmark for the journey west. This image is taken after we arrived, in the on-site pub, sharing stories and a beer round a hard-earned fire.

Isle of Wight

I always say that Albion has given me the chance to explore the British Isles with my bike, and camera, and for that I’m grateful. Watching evening light roll in, and the world go by from the Isle of Wight coast is a nice memory. A time of year when the evenings are starting to draw out again, and the summer almost feels in touch again. We’d finished ‘The Island’ shoot and everyone was in a good mood as we’d gone up to this vantage point for sunset.

AP1

Albion has really forged a strong partnership with Pertex on fabric and innovation. The AP1 project was a collaborative in-house design project exploring zero waste manufacturing. Creating jackets from a cutting edge Pertex fabric in a way that meant almost zero fabric wastage was inspiring to watch. We photographed the jacket a short walk from our studio in Deptford. The whole project was exciting to just do something totally different, and that included the style of imagery for us.

Black Mountain

This year I’ve tried to do as much shooting from the bike as I can. Being forced to strip back the equipment to the bare minimum is something I enjoy these days, whilst trying to maintain and evolve the style. Jack and Molly joined us for a trip to Black Mountain in Wales to put the new Zoa stuff through its paces.

Thailand

This is a slightly different one. As I was on holiday. I’d decided to put a bike trip onto the end of a family engagement in Thailand in May. This image is taken as I headed out of Chiang Mai on the first morning of the 4 day loop I was going to make through the mountains to Mae Hong Son. I was pretty unsure what lay ahead. The country was experiencing a heat wave and it was already extremely warm pre 6am. It was a real adventure. Getting to ride my bike somewhere so different to anywhere I had before was an amazing experience, full of roadside noodles and friendly people. I suppose I’m really lucky that Albion has allowed these things to blur together sometimes. Being surrounded by and inspired by people doing amazing things gives you the confidence to take these things on, and go out and try to find some adventure.

Further Scotland

I’ve loved going to the Further events over the last few years. Taking the sleeper train into the Highlands for the inaugural Further Elements was a real highlight of the year for me. I could have chosen loads of images from this. The isolated Corrour Station House and Loch Ossian Hostel was the base for the 500km mixed terrain race. Photographically I love the ‘dusty corners’ of the Further events. Always in beautiful locations, and wonderfully rustic.Here Race director Camille McMillan and joint winner Neil Phillips are sharing a whisky whilst huddled up late at night in the ‘gardeners shed’ on the end of the hostel, which was serving as the finish line. A clear line of sight up Rannoch Moor for lights was the only way of seeing a rider approaching the finish. No signal for tracker checking. It did mean having to endure the weather blowing in off the Loch though.

Co op, Ballater The weather at Further Elements was mostly atrocious. Torrentially wet, and cold. Ballater was the first town of significance after about 200km. All the riders took the chance to find food, accommodation or running repairs. We waited around the CoOp for a couple of hours, it must have looked like an oasis to riders dragging themselves off the now dark Highlands.

This image captures that for me. Callum here has emerged from the shop, ready to head out into the night. The wringing out of his gloves gives an indication of the conditions. I like the composition of him being haloed by the backlighting of the shop doorway.

Finally from Further Elements I wanted to include these portraits. After 26hrs in the cold rain, Neil and Laurens couldn’t be separated and arrived at Loch Ossian Hostel together; joint winners.

It was only after they’d set off in the back of the Land Rover to be driven up to the station house, I decided to make a portrait of them both. First equal seemed rare.

So I had to ride pretty hard up a 1.5km gravel track after the Land Rover to try catch them before they jumped in a much needed shower. Just managed it.

Marin

I joined Finley Newmark for a few days in Switzerland, to help with the film ‘Le Coursier’ he was making during 2023, about Albion ambassador and ultra endurance rider Marin de St Exupery. Marin has gained a respect and following within the ultra scene for his stance of riding to the start of races wherever possible. Completing an ‘ultra distance’ ride before the start of an ultra distance race is a remarkable achievement given he goes on to be fighting for the top spots in these races. This was a really enjoyable trip, as Marin prepared for the upcoming Trans Continental Race. I relaxed into shooting some colour film whilst out there. I’ve tried to do more of that this year, when possible. The need to slow down, think, and shoot very little is a nice challenge. I also want the contact sheet to be an output of using film. Trying to cohesively put the entire roll into a single piece of work, so as to not waste any frames. This first image is the sunrise after Finley and I had ridden and camped up above the Col du Petit St Bernard. The first warming rays of the July heat creeping across the mountains. Getting to work a little with Finley this year has been rewarding and exciting; a young man doing really interesting things with a great attitude.

Molly/AW

We took a trip to Wales with Molly Weaver and Jack Childerstone in September to shoot the new AW All Road products. I have picked out this image of Molly. I look at it and really see Albion. However many years since we started doing this, it still feels like this was exactly the spirit of the very first trip we made in late 2016. The place, the colours, it still feels cohesive to me of what Albion is all about. Of course things evolve and grow, but I like that I feel I can still see the origins of it all in this image.

Sweden

Following the Sauna Run in March, our friends were keen to return the favour and invite us for two big Scandinavian days on the gravel roads from Båstad to Gothernburg. The week of the trip saw unseasonable cold weather and snowfall, meaning that the route became unfeasible and unsafe potentially, and plans had to adapt. In the end we enjoyed two memorable days in great company, exploring the still countryside and forest tracks in temperatures that were never warmer than -10. An amazing highlight of the year for me which will remain long in the memory.

Seun - The Island

Over the last few years we’ve been really proud to support the Ultra Distance Scholarship – an initiative increasing diversity and representation within ultra distance cycling. Personally getting to know these riders has been really great and seeing the journey they go on during and after is inspiring. Seun joined us on the trip to the Isle of Wight. He’s a massive personality who’s energy and good humour is infectious, and always fun to be around. I chose this image from shooting the rain jacket. I really liked the orange jacket leaping out of the shadows of the image.

New Forest

Harvey and I joined Brad and Lorah for a day out in the New Forest, on the trails and tracks. I grew up not too far from the New Forest, but it was my first experience riding off road down there, and I loved it. Like I said earlier, carrying very little camera equipment, being on the bike myself is something I enjoy when attempting to document these things. The day will stick in the mind as ending up as one of the wettest rides I’ve ever been on. One of those you have to just put the camera away and accept photographs aren’t happening anymore. We ended the day holed up in the Woods Cyclery drinking hot chocolate trying to dry out.