Benedict Campbell

Benedict Campbell - CYCLING PHOTOGRAPHER

Photographer, filmmaker and visual artist, Benedict Campbell, wanted to be a professional cyclist before taking and making pictures for a living. A recent collaborator with Café du Cycliste, Benedict’s love for cycling is very much in the frame with his commercial and personal work. Creativity for him is intrinsically linked to a life on two wheels, and here he discusses how riding is key to preservation and productivity.

How long have you been cycling?

I’ve been cycling for a very long time, 42 years maybe I’ve been riding. I started racing when I was 12 years old, and when I was a junior, I wanted to be a pro. At the same time, I started to get into photography. My dream was still to become a professional cyclist. But then I had a motorcycle accident and almost lost my leg. My injury meant I couldn’t compete to the levels needed to turn professional. It was about this time I took up photography, at the age of 17.

How did you discover photography?

My parents were architects. And my father started doing architectural photography. So, I was surrounded by cameras at home and we had a darkroom there too. I knew it was something I wanted to do, being both a practical and artistic pursuit. I’ve been a commercial and advertising photographer for 35 plus years, and I’ve worked in the bicycle industry as a team photographer and advertising photographer for brands such as Café du Cycliste. I’ve also made films, including cycling documentary For the Love of Mud about cyclocross, and films on motorcycling culture including Cafe Cowboy, about a motorbike builder called Dustin Knott.

How do you ride today?

Before the pandemic I would ride maybe 50 kilometres three times during the week, on a mixture of either road or off-road. And then a 100km plus ride at the weekend. But post-pandemic I’ve only been riding once or twice a week. But I’m getting back to my own riding. I feel I must ride for my own mental well-being; it makes me happy. I never ever regret riding, whatever the weather, and in England we have very bad weather… Even if it’s raining hard, I come back feeling good and never regret it. It’s hard to get out in bad weather, but it’s always good.

In winter in England, I ride a cyclocross bike with cyclocross tyres, and in the summer a gravel bike. I think with gravel or off-road riding the routes are more creative.

How does riding and creativity work for you?

You think about the routes more, and there is almost a beauty in the route you pick, the variety of weather you might see. I find cycling is the best way to find things visually sometimes. If you walk you can’t cover the same distance, if you drive you can’t stop when you want to. Quite often if I’m looking for locations in a city or somewhere, and I’ll ride around and find locations and ideas, and then log them. The best way is going by bike. I find that very useful.

I think when it comes to creativity, I get more from riding off-road. When I ride off-road, I have more time to think. When riding on the road, I tend to be riding with groups of people either riding very fast or it’s talking. But when I ride off-road, I take in nature, I take in the route more, and that’s when I think about things.

Usually when I have a creative block, riding off-road with certain friends, helps me to see things and relax. And that really aids the creative flow. Just being out in nature and experiencing things I think is fantastic. Sometimes I bring a small camera, but I find it becomes too much like work. Sometimes I just want to keep the things I see to myself and not worry about taking pictures, and just ride. It depends on my mood. And I find now that everybody takes pictures on their rides.

My favourite epic ride I’ve done is Torino–Nice Rally. The views are exceptional, and only accessible by bike. 750 kilometres of epic scenery. It’s so varied. The thing is not to do it fast, take your time and see things. I may not bivvy next time I do it though. Maybe mix it up with some hotels…

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