Onboard with a Mountain Biker (enlarge photo)

I love to ride my bike. I love to shoot mountain biking photos. But there are times when I ride by myself and still bring my camera along in search of something unique. When I ride solo, I have the time to examine things a little closer, and push a little harder for something original.

My Nikkor 20mm lens, like all wide angle lenses can capture an amazing depth of field (that is the distance between the nearest and farthest thing in a given photo that are in focus). On more than one occasion I have tried to find a way to hold the camera while riding. This isn't especially safe for the rider or more importantly the camera. However, determined to make the shot happen, I found a way to "mount" the camera to my body, using a homemade harnessing system. With enough patience it is possible to aim the camera with relative accuracy and compose an interesting "onboard" photo.

This particular shot was taken while riding down a short steep flight of stairs just moments before sunset. It isn't quite "head-cam", but this gives you a sense of what the rider (or at least their belly) sees while descending. At the top-right of the photo you can see a patch of green grass; there is about a 30 metre vertical drop from the camera's vantage point to the ground. For those that are interested, the object in the immediate foreground is my seat - the laws of physics dictate that while descending steep hills, you need to get your body behind your seat, or else you're bound to get an extreme closeup of the trail, otherwise known as an endo.

(Please note that this image has been modified in Photoshop. One of the straps from my Camelbak was dangling down into the frame, partially blocking the view of the trail. I digitally removed the distracting strap in an attempt to make the photo more aesthetically pleasing.)