From the Field: Meet Photo Pace - Kyle Thornhill

From the Field: Meet Photo Pace - Kyle Thornhill

Posted on by Linnaea Kershaw

From the Field: Meet Photo Pace - Kyle Thornhill

Describe yourself as a photographer - What is your aesthetic? What are you looking for in a good photograph?

That is a loaded question. It’s hard describing myself as a photographer. For the longest time I struggled with even calling myself a photographer. To an extent I still struggle with that title today. I enjoy taking pictures and the process of creating an image. My aesthetic is more in line with the great film photographers both past and present. I use all four corners of the frame and I try to fill as much as possible as I can within that frame. What I am looking for in a good photograph is a sense of telling the story within that image. Capture the emotion of the current situation. And bring the viewer all the way through the frame.

How did you come into being involved with Photo Pace?

I became involved with Photo Pace through the common meeting place between bikes and cameras. Social media brought us together. Great storytellers tend to gravitate towards each other and it was kind of natural that we found each other. We all ride together and share this love for photography that extended the relationship even more.

What is your favorite part of storytelling?

The easy answer is the story itself is my favorite part about storytelling. Photographers capture a story in the absence of words. I like taking people along for the entire experience. Whether that's a bike ride or just a day walking around. The best part about the story is being able to tell it. The written and verbal forms of storytelling never appealed to me. I am a man of few words. Photography allows me to tell a story without the need for words.


How have you felt photography has fit into your life on the bike? Have you benefited from photography in any way?

Photography was just the natural next step while riding. It is a way for me to combine both of my hobbies into one. I still only carry a camera about 10% of the time I am on bike. Riding for pleasure is still extremely important to me. Riding bikes was the first hobby I had as a kid. I never outgrew it. I picked up photography later on in life. I was never the best artist but I always had a love for the arts. Photography was the form of media that I felt okay doing. Photography has benefited my life by allowing me to express my artistic side.

      

What does Photo Pace represent for you?

Photo Pace to me represents this niche within the cycling community where KOMs and Watts are not the most important driving factor behind the reason to get on the bike. There is a less serious side of cycling that is extremely appealing to me. Photo Pace has taken the less serious approach to this. Stopping to look around while taking everything on a ride is more important than how fast you climb the mountain. Carrying a camera is a great way to tell the story of that ride. Photo Pace is bridging the gap between riding and visual storytelling.

In a perfect world, where do you hope to see Photo Pace at its pinnacle?

Riding together more than we do now. Publish our work in some form of media. Whether that's a zine or a book. Printed form of photography is still one of my favorite aspects of photography. I'd like to see our work on a coffee table somewhere.

        

Describe yourself as a photographer - What is your aesthetic? What are you looking for in a good photograph?

That is a loaded question. It’s hard describing myself as a photographer. For the longest time I struggled with even calling myself a photographer. To an extent I still struggle with that title today. I enjoy taking pictures and the process of creating an image. My aesthetic is more in line with the great film photographers both past and present. I use all four corners of the frame and I try to fill as much as possible as I can within that frame. What I am looking for in a good photograph is a sense of telling the story within that image. Capture the emotion of the current situation. And bring the viewer all the way through the frame.

How did you come into being involved with Photo Pace?

I became involved with Photo Pace through the common meeting place between bikes and cameras. Social media brought us together. Great storytellers tend to gravitate towards each other and it was kind of natural that we found each other. We all ride together and share this love for photography that extended the relationship even more.

What is your favorite part of storytelling?

The easy answer is the story itself is my favorite part about storytelling. Photographers capture a story in the absence of words. I like taking people along for the entire experience. Whether that's a bike ride or just a day walking around. The best part about the story is being able to tell it. The written and verbal forms of storytelling never appealed to me. I am a man of few words. Photography allows me to tell a story without the need for words.


How have you felt photography has fit into your life on the bike? Have you benefited from photography in any way?

Photography was just the natural next step while riding. It is a way for me to combine both of my hobbies into one. I still only carry a camera about 10% of the time I am on bike. Riding for pleasure is still extremely important to me. Riding bikes was the first hobby I had as a kid. I never outgrew it. I picked up photography later on in life. I was never the best artist but I always had a love for the arts. Photography was the form of media that I felt okay doing. Photography has benefited my life by allowing me to express my artistic side.

      

What does Photo Pace represent for you?

Photo Pace to me represents this niche within the cycling community where KOMs and Watts are not the most important driving factor behind the reason to get on the bike. There is a less serious side of cycling that is extremely appealing to me. Photo Pace has taken the less serious approach to this. Stopping to look around while taking everything on a ride is more important than how fast you climb the mountain. Carrying a camera is a great way to tell the story of that ride. Photo Pace is bridging the gap between riding and visual storytelling.

In a perfect world, where do you hope to see Photo Pace at its pinnacle?

Riding together more than we do now. Publish our work in some form of media. Whether that's a zine or a book. Printed form of photography is still one of my favorite aspects of photography. I'd like to see our work on a coffee table somewhere.