June 2024

Rob Perry - Self Shot

Self Shot.

2021 - Ongoing.

Whistler, BC, Canada.

My name is Rob Perry I am a full time freelance photographer based in Whistler BC Canada, originally from the UK.

The majority of my work is in the Sea to Sky corridor in BC and circulates around the outdoor industry, particularly mountain biking. I shoot athletes, photostories, products, races and events.

I started the self-shot project in 2021 when we had to abide by strict social distancing rules, set by the Canadian government, due to the COVID-19 outbreak. Without anyone to shoot or to take photos with, I set out planning a self shot project around the local trails here in Whistler. The ethos of this project was to spend as much time as was needed to capture a series of action self portraits f that I would be happy to claim ownership of. I shot a few of these images for use by companies I am affiliated with but the main goal of the project was to spend time seeing what was possible within the boundaries of the self-shot image.

The process was pretty simple. Camera, lens, tripod, wireless trigger, and time, lots of time. Each image would take a minimum of 20 tries and at the very least 2 hours of work. Waiting for the correct timing, light, and positioning. The wireless trigger did have its own mount made of various bike parts that I’d attach every time, despite this, and for ease of use I settled for using electrical tape to attach the trigger to the handlebars, under my right thumb.

I enjoy the pace and process of this ongoing project. The act of spending hours and hours to try and capture a few, or one image. There would be, and probably still will be, days I would go out and return with no usable images, have gear issues etc. The countless hours spent on this project are never wasted and it always will be a learning process.

Late 2023, I filmed some self shot videos as more of a test for the project I’ve begun filming this season. I feel that the concept of self shot mountain bike video has been explored more publicly and successfully by many riders. My aim with this new video project is to push further into a concept I’ve been toying with over the last few years. I hope to have it finished sometime before the end of 2024. I’m still shooting self shot images throughout this year.