Jesper Grønnemark captures stunt rider against an explosive backdrop | Profoto (US)

Jesper Grønnemark captures stunt rider against an explosive backdrop

15 October, 2018

Written by: Kira Andersen

Every task has its obstacles, but as usual with sports photographer Jesper Grønnemark, they’re overcome in style and professionalism. For this shoot, Jesper had the idea to capture Mike Jensen, the current world champion in stunt riding, on his bike and accompanied by explosions – yes, actual explosions – while freezing the action with the help of the Profoto B1X.

From idea to action

After selecting the right people to handle the explosives, finding the location and picking up the brand new A7RIII from Sony and Profoto B1X’s, it was go time. The location was in a gravel pit, while a stunt rider is used to riding on asphalt. Jesper knew he had to push Mike Jensen's abilities to the max as the stunt rider was put out of his comfort zone. Mike Jensen went for it with no hesitation, and the result was uncanny.

Shot with 1 x B1X and OCF Beauty Dish Silver camera right.

The weather Gods

As they all arrived on location in the morning, the weather conditions were not ideal. It was raining and the wind had started to pick up. Fortunately, the rain eventually stopped and they found a spot with cover from the wind. There was only one rehearsal before the actual shoot and this put pressure on both the photographer and the subject. ”Wanting to catch 1/1000 of a second, with Mike in the right position and the explosion at its peak, timing is of the essence,” Jesper said.

Shot with 1 x B1X and OCF Magnum Reflector camera left.

The lighting

For this shoot, Jesper brought a B1X Location Kit. With bike-riding subjects and explosions, it’s important to have fast gear you can rely on. The two Profoto B1X’s were equipped with OCF reflectors to give them that extra punch to overpower the strong explosions. Without them, Mike and the bike would have become silhouettes against the flames on this overcast day.

Parts make up the whole

The powerful combination of the components that contributed to aligning this shoot resulted in absolutely stunning images. How Jesper manages to put the right combination of ideas, people, work and creativity together is almost a mystery.

Shot with 1 x B1X with OCF Magnum Reflector camera right and 1 x B1X behind the subject to create rim light.

Shot with 1 x B1X with OCF Zoom Reflector camera left.

Written by: Kira Andersen

Products used in this story

OCF Zoom Reflector

Adds power to our flat fronted lights
$159.00

OCF Magnum Reflector

Adds maximum power to our flat fronted lights
$225.00

OCF Beauty Dish Silver

A portable beauty dish for off-camera flashes
$149.00

Air Remote TTL

Wirelessly connects your AirTTL light with your camera
From $249.00