From the Field: Meet Photo Pace - Christopher Stricklen
From the Field: Meet Photo Pace - Christopher Stricklen
In his own words:
My name is Christopher Stricklen. Most people call me Cree or Creedub which is totally acceptable whether you know me or not. I’m from a small town in the outer Bay Area called Fairfield. It’s very “Bay Area” but it’s also very wine country on the west side where I grew up so we get the best of both worlds.
The camera has been in and out of my life several times. The first time I picked up a camera with any purpose was when I was about 19. I was shooting the daily life of the homies. The photos were whatever but the memories were good. I would take that thing everywhere I went. That came and went as did my
residency of California but when I moved back my sister had a camera and I would use it all the time to take pictures of my son. It wasn’t until a few years later that I would own my own camera and soon after that Photo Pace began.
Describe yourself as a photographer - What is your aesthetic? What are you looking for in a good photograph?
For me I like drama or a sense of energy. All of the fundamentals like, leading lines, contrast, complimentary colors are usually present but I’m generally looking for an emotional moment. I’ve played music since I was a really young kid so colors have sounds for me when I see them. Likewise, photos also have sounds when I see them. So even though I prefer to have a full body of work when I go out - never happens - at the very least, I’m hoping to capture an emotional moment that I can see, feel and hear when I look at my selects.
How did you come into being involved with Photo Pace?
I’m going to go out on a limb and say Kyle Thornhill created this. He didn’t create the name. He most likely didn’t create the group DM where we all congregate on a daily basis. But I don’t think Photo Pace (PP) would exist without Kyle. Honestly, Kyle introduced me to Rj and Gene. I followed Patrick already but we randomly met in a coffee shop in Walnut Creek and that online relationship was for sure through Kyle. I also already followed [Chris] Corona but I literally remember the day that Kyle said, “I’m going to meet @dirtdrops today and do Diablo. . . He has a good eye.” Shawn, I already kind of knew because we both raced around the same time but, once again, that actual friendship only exists because of Kyle. Zack and I are fully in-love but that match wouldn’t exist unless Kyle connected the dots. It all happened very organically. Kyle has been KILLING IT for so long plus him and I have spent so much time together the last five years that it was only natural that he is/was the centerpiece for all this.
What is your favorite part of storytelling?
I don’t know how else to say it besides that I just love it! I love to write. I love making photographs. Anytime you can illustrate a beginning, middle and end you’re captivating the viewer. Think about it - without any physical imposition you can create something so interesting that a person wants to continue to engage with your content from the initial impression, through the climax, until the very end. That’s a full deconstruction of the moment and no one thinks about it that hard when they’re shooting but that’s what’s happening. Even though I don’t always get a full story when I go out and shoot I find myself falling in love with some of my sets that I've taken in the past. It’s fun! And it’s always “for fun” which is probably the best part as well.
How have you felt photography has fit into your life on the bike? Have you benefited from photography in any way?
This iteration of having a camera has been amazing. It came shortly after I started riding and it’s really opened up a whole knew perspective on how to enjoy riding. When I first was finding myself with a camera or in front of a camera the two ideas still lived in separate parts of my brain - even though I would ride with a camera. I was still racing. Now, the two ideas have completely merged. I burned out on racing pretty quick and I wasn’t finding much purpose in riding anymore even though I didn’t want to quit. When I finally talked myself into riding so that I could go shoot that’s when I really found a way to love both cycling and photography that much more. Cycling, in general, has been a godsend. I can imagine the life I
would have lived without cycling vs the opportunities I’ve been provided… I’m going to keep riding, haha.
I don’t really travel but cycling has allowed me to get around a little bit more. I love writing and I’ve been able to get some small articles in major publications plus a magazine cover (thanks, Kyle). None of that would happen without riding or without this group of lads that I’m surrounded with.
What does Photo Pace represent for you?
Literally it’s the intersection of riding and photography. You can’t go that fast if you want to be able to take photos too, it’s a different mindset. More philosophically it’s the concept of slowing down to take in what you’re doing. Even though the term “photo pace” derives from cycling I hope that more people pick it up. I
would love to see a rockclimber put #photopace on their instagram posts, or a runner or anyone living an active lifestyle that is taking the time to slow down to enjoy the side of their sport that has nothing to do with “crushing it”. I’ve had enough of “crushing it”. How about “enjoying it”? It’s not to say that the two are
always mutually exclusive but we don’t need to end each activity thinking about KOMs and normalized power all the time.
In a perfect world, where do you hope to see Photo Pace at its pinnacle?
Woof! I would love for Photo Pace to provide all of us, there are eight, to do whatever we want in life. That’s super lofty I guess but why not? We have great relationships and we are trying to build a reputation for ourselves. I hope that the eight of us can lay out what we want or what we want to do and it just happens. Not to say it comes without hard work but I’m hoping that Photo Pace creates a space in cycling and active lifestyles that has not been tapped into.
In his own words:
My name is Christopher Stricklen. Most people call me Cree or Creedub which is totally acceptable whether you know me or not. I’m from a small town in the outer Bay Area called Fairfield. It’s very “Bay Area” but it’s also very wine country on the west side where I grew up so we get the best of both worlds.
The camera has been in and out of my life several times. The first time I picked up a camera with any purpose was when I was about 19. I was shooting the daily life of the homies. The photos were whatever but the memories were good. I would take that thing everywhere I went. That came and went as did my
residency of California but when I moved back my sister had a camera and I would use it all the time to take pictures of my son. It wasn’t until a few years later that I would own my own camera and soon after that Photo Pace began.
Describe yourself as a photographer - What is your aesthetic? What are you looking for in a good photograph?
For me I like drama or a sense of energy. All of the fundamentals like, leading lines, contrast, complimentary colors are usually present but I’m generally looking for an emotional moment. I’ve played music since I was a really young kid so colors have sounds for me when I see them. Likewise, photos also have sounds when I see them. So even though I prefer to have a full body of work when I go out - never happens - at the very least, I’m hoping to capture an emotional moment that I can see, feel and hear when I look at my selects.
How did you come into being involved with Photo Pace?
I’m going to go out on a limb and say Kyle Thornhill created this. He didn’t create the name. He most likely didn’t create the group DM where we all congregate on a daily basis. But I don’t think Photo Pace (PP) would exist without Kyle. Honestly, Kyle introduced me to Rj and Gene. I followed Patrick already but we randomly met in a coffee shop in Walnut Creek and that online relationship was for sure through Kyle. I also already followed [Chris] Corona but I literally remember the day that Kyle said, “I’m going to meet @dirtdrops today and do Diablo. . . He has a good eye.” Shawn, I already kind of knew because we both raced around the same time but, once again, that actual friendship only exists because of Kyle. Zack and I are fully in-love but that match wouldn’t exist unless Kyle connected the dots. It all happened very organically. Kyle has been KILLING IT for so long plus him and I have spent so much time together the last five years that it was only natural that he is/was the centerpiece for all this.
What is your favorite part of storytelling?
I don’t know how else to say it besides that I just love it! I love to write. I love making photographs. Anytime you can illustrate a beginning, middle and end you’re captivating the viewer. Think about it - without any physical imposition you can create something so interesting that a person wants to continue to engage with your content from the initial impression, through the climax, until the very end. That’s a full deconstruction of the moment and no one thinks about it that hard when they’re shooting but that’s what’s happening. Even though I don’t always get a full story when I go out and shoot I find myself falling in love with some of my sets that I've taken in the past. It’s fun! And it’s always “for fun” which is probably the best part as well.
How have you felt photography has fit into your life on the bike? Have you benefited from photography in any way?
This iteration of having a camera has been amazing. It came shortly after I started riding and it’s really opened up a whole knew perspective on how to enjoy riding. When I first was finding myself with a camera or in front of a camera the two ideas still lived in separate parts of my brain - even though I would ride with a camera. I was still racing. Now, the two ideas have completely merged. I burned out on racing pretty quick and I wasn’t finding much purpose in riding anymore even though I didn’t want to quit. When I finally talked myself into riding so that I could go shoot that’s when I really found a way to love both cycling and photography that much more. Cycling, in general, has been a godsend. I can imagine the life I
would have lived without cycling vs the opportunities I’ve been provided… I’m going to keep riding, haha.
I don’t really travel but cycling has allowed me to get around a little bit more. I love writing and I’ve been able to get some small articles in major publications plus a magazine cover (thanks, Kyle). None of that would happen without riding or without this group of lads that I’m surrounded with.
What does Photo Pace represent for you?
Literally it’s the intersection of riding and photography. You can’t go that fast if you want to be able to take photos too, it’s a different mindset. More philosophically it’s the concept of slowing down to take in what you’re doing. Even though the term “photo pace” derives from cycling I hope that more people pick it up. I
would love to see a rockclimber put #photopace on their instagram posts, or a runner or anyone living an active lifestyle that is taking the time to slow down to enjoy the side of their sport that has nothing to do with “crushing it”. I’ve had enough of “crushing it”. How about “enjoying it”? It’s not to say that the two are
always mutually exclusive but we don’t need to end each activity thinking about KOMs and normalized power all the time.
In a perfect world, where do you hope to see Photo Pace at its pinnacle?
Woof! I would love for Photo Pace to provide all of us, there are eight, to do whatever we want in life. That’s super lofty I guess but why not? We have great relationships and we are trying to build a reputation for ourselves. I hope that the eight of us can lay out what we want or what we want to do and it just happens. Not to say it comes without hard work but I’m hoping that Photo Pace creates a space in cycling and active lifestyles that has not been tapped into.