As our video call connects, my eye is instantly drawn to the magnificent moustache that Piper Albrecht is sporting. Which somehow—to be totally honest I couldn’t resist—leads me to question whether a very special kissing technique is required in order to avoid entanglement. Not, I should add, one of my prepared questions and maybe entanglement is the whole idea?
But Piper is very gracious and this proves to be just one example of the many conversational detours that perfectly characterise his energy and lack of pretence as he traces his journey from a liberal upbringing in Australia, by way of racing mountain bikes at an elite level, to his current career as an accomplished and in demand sports photographer.
cyclespeak
That’s a great cap you’re wearing. Kind of shabby chic with an emphasis on chic.
Piper
Why thank you. It often gets compliments. It’s had a life.
cyclespeak
And I can’t not mention your moustache. So dapper…
Piper
And it’s mostly even today as well. Some days it can be all over the place.
cyclespeak
Is it a case of proceed with caution when it comes to a kiss?
Piper
Well, I’m currently single but that can always change.
cyclespeak
So is that the barometer of your romantic entanglements? If I ever spot you clean shaven, I’ll know why?
Piper
Or when you see that it’s grown even bigger [laughs]…
cyclespeak
You’re calling from Boulder, Colorado?
Piper
Fresh from a Mountain Bike World Cup that was raced just outside of Salt Lake City in Utah. I’m staying with the SCOTT racing team and Bjorn Riley—one of their riders and a good friend of mine—grew up in this neck of the woods so he’s been busy showing the team all his favourite trails.
cyclespeak
I’m guessing the season is close to winding down?
Piper
Tomorrow we fly over to Montreal before crossing to New York State for this year’s final World Cup of the season that’s being held in Lake Placid.
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cyclespeak
It’s been mentioned that the vast majority of the individuals I interview have really cool names. And yours, very obviously, fits that criteria.
Piper
I’m yet to meet another Piper that is a man. In Australia it’s popular enough for girls but my mother really loved the name and then on a flight to Austria—my father’s Austrian which accounts for the Albrecht—she was looking through the on-flight entertainment and noticed that an actor who played in the film adaptation of Little House on the Prairie had a son called Piper. So that was it!
cyclespeak
Do people ever feel the need to shorten it?
Piper
My brother calls me Pipes, I do get Pip a little bit, and a childhood friend called me Pipsqueak which was rather endearing. But really, Piper is short enough. It just rolls off the tongue.
cyclespeak
You mentioned growing up in Australia. What did that look like?
Piper
I was pretty loud and boisterous as a child. Traits which have mellowed the older I’ve got. And I grew up in what you might call an eco-village in rural Victoria. Set up by the founder of permaculture and based on his ideals. An amazing place to grow up—free rein to run wild—and I also went to a Steiner school which, in hindsight, was also amazing. Which I guess all ties in to me chasing an alternative pathway.
cyclespeak
Can you remember—once cameras came into your life—when you first pressed the shutter with some intent other than merely documenting a moment?
Piper
To be honest, it kind of came in waves. As a child my father was into mountain biking which quite naturally meant that me and my brother were also into mountain biking. And then at the grand age of 11 or 12, I decided to retire from racing which coincided with me first picking up a camera. But even that was a little eccentric because I was obsessed with this very particular technique called light painting. Long exposure photography at night to create these painterly images. I’d saved up half of the cost of a camera mowing lawns—a Canon 600D—and my mum paid the other half. But then I got back into racing and went to the World Championships as a Junior before retiring again in 2021. Which all coincided with the first time I got paid to take photographs at a mountain bike race—so much fun and I got 500 bucks—after I’d listened to this podcast that featured the mountain bike photographer Boris Beyer. He was talking about when he first started; how he slept in the back of the team truck to make it all work. Which all kind of resonated with me and was why I decided to do the same. So I bought myself a sleeping bag, took myself over to Europe, and bedded down on the eve of race day on the TV platform, on top of the gondola building, or tucked away behind anti-doping. Which was how I made that first season work; the fact that my overheads were so low meant I didn’t have to charge a huge amount to shoot and I ended the season breaking even.
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cyclespeak
And the next year?
Piper
A Swiss team had been following my story and at the season-end afterparty, they came up to say hello. Then, a little later, they offered me accommodation at all of the next season’s races. So it kind of all paid off and I’m very grateful.
cyclespeak
Are those the hard miles that people talk about?
Piper
With the caveat that it’s my immense privilege being a white male, I felt perfectly safe sleeping outdoors, and could risk it all in the knowledge that my parents would support me no matter what.
cyclespeak
Do you feel that your background racing mountain bikes helped in that transition?
Piper
I guess you could argue that someone with no prior exposure would capture an event without any preconceived notions? How a completely new eye might see things very differently? But me having an understanding of the racing—what it’s like to be an athlete and the crucial moments in a race—has definitely been helpful. Especially when I was seeking out clients after spending my first year shooting all my friends which I’d known from when I was racing.
cyclespeak
So if someone walks up to you and asks for your advice on how to pursue a career in sports photography?
Piper
That does happen and it’s not always easy to know what to say. For me, there was an element of right time, right place in pulling it all off.
cyclespeak
Does the perfect photograph exist? Or are mistakes equally valid to the eye?
Piper
That’s funny you ask because last night I was looking back over my recent work, trying to choose an image to submit to this competition. One single image to sum up the Mountain Bike World Cup season. And I could almost picture in my head the type of image that could win it: maybe an incredible pass, a crash on the course, or the heightened emotions at the finish line. So many perfect moments at each and every race.
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cyclespeak
And mistakes?
Piper
Mistakes can be amazing and are definitely valued. And one thing that I’m trying to get better at, is playing more with edits of photos that I initially want to discard. Only very recently, I was shooting with the SCOTT factory team for the launch of their new bike and one of my images was a pan-shot that I thought was garbage—horrible dappled light in the middle of a Tuscan forest—but that shot is now one of two key visuals for the campaign. And what’s funny is that I thought it was shit and nearly didn’t send it through.
cyclespeak
Considering we live in a world suffused with content in a myriad of digital forms, is it arguably more challenging to be creatively original?
Piper
I definitely take inspiration from other people’s work but you always put your own spin on things. And maybe I’ll see something really groundbreaking in the running world that I can apply to mountain biking. And that’s what I find so cool about photography; in that you develop a signature style in the way you interpret the action and the edit you produce.
cyclespeak
You mentioned being in the right place at the right time. And I was wondering if there’s a particular method to achieving this and whether it’s possible to improve your odds?
Piper
I suppose there’s a need to preempt things that will happen. And the more races you shoot, the more you notice these patterns of how people behave.
cyclespeak
Almost like you’re reading the race environment?
Piper
Totally. And let’s be honest, there are so many moments that I miss and end up kicking myself. But that only makes me want to try and do better the next time.
cyclespeak
There’s a quote on your website bio that references your desire to create people-first images with compassion and honesty. Can you unpick that for me?
Piper
In a very literal sense, I dislike too much image manipulation. The use of healing tools and such like. My own editing I would describe as simpler with some gradients and dodging and burning but nothing taken too far. And a big part of what I love about working as a photographer is making images that excite people. When someone I’ve documented is happy with how they’ve been portrayed, that makes me really happy. Which I guess explains the people-first reference; an empathetic approach to the way you capture someone.
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cyclespeak
So are the photographic rules on framing and composition there for a reason or meant to be broken?
Piper
The details in and around your subject can definitely help tell the story. The way a crop can emphasise a portrait or salt stains and mud-covered earrings are able to convey a sense of time and place. But maybe that’s because I’ve got zero formal education in photography and the images I take are based purely on what I see as exciting and visually pleasing to the eye. Very vibe-based, I guess you could say?
cyclespeak
And avoiding the formulaic?
Piper
Maybe there’s this desire in me to ask questions of the viewer.
cyclespeak
There’s always the argument that the more effort you put in, the greater the reward. And maybe we can ascribe that to viewing a photograph?
Piper
There are so many images in sport—mine included—that might have a repetitive feel about them. When you look across a season it’s almost inevitable. So to break away from that—to have something different, maybe extraordinary—there’s such value in that. And I remember some feedback I had, back at the start of my career, that suggested how some of my images didn’t always represent a race day. Which I actually found very gratifying because I was consciously trying to hide the tape. And I struggle with busy photos and jarring colours; if someone is wearing a bright green backpack or a red jacket. But I shoot almost exclusively using primes so I’m always cropping and can play around in post.
cyclespeak
Sometimes it’s what you leave out?
Piper
Often I’ll be going back and forth over millimetres to frame a shot the way I want it. There’s so much freedom to play around and sculpt an image.
cyclespeak
In an age of AI, shrinking budgets—the brands would have you believe—and everyone carrying a smartphone, what are the challenges of making a living as a photographer?
Piper
The challenges that I see stem from a perceived lack of appreciation for what photography can be. That might be a marketing team or a brand not noticing the difference between good and great imagery which is maybe a question of education?
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cyclespeak
And AI?
Piper
In race photography—which is primarily what I do—I can’t really see AI taking over.
cyclespeak
Because you’re at the sharp end, on location, documenting the race action?
Piper
I guess it would be ridiculous to try and artificially create those moments. But I had an athlete friend who’d had his image included in a series of AI assets used by a brand for marketing purposes which were only taken down when the photographer sent them a cease and desist notice. And it’s the idea that certain marketing teams would think this is okay that shocks me the most. In much the same way that one of my own images had a tree artificially added to balance the frame which really pissed me off.
cyclespeak
Good. I’m glad you were pissed off.
Piper
I’d had a conversation not long before about putting an AI safeguard into my licensing contract which, at the time, I thought was maybe me overthinking things. But I guess not and when it happened I thought, fuck, I definitely need to stress that this is anything but okay.
cyclespeak
A world away from AI generated content, there’s a nice project you worked on with Taylor Phinney for Mission Workshop. Was that you filming, sound recording and video editing?
Piper
I do also film…
cyclespeak
Your Instagram bio has you down as a video dabbler…
Piper
That’s right [laughs]. And last year I was getting more video work—which was wonderful—but then I decided to focus more on my photography for 2026. But I still do video bits and pieces, I still love it, and that was a nice little project that pulled together video and sound recording. And working with Taylor is always so much fun. He gets these hilarious ideas and then we just play. A childish sense of adventure and joy that translates into these creative projects we work on together. Which I guess is why so many of the photos that I really love have this thread of silliness.
cyclespeak
Travel is one obvious aspect of your career. Is this welcomed or on occasion a necessary but tedious process?
Piper
It’s become more the latter. And I’m saying that, sitting here in Boulder and Boulder’s sick. But this nomadic life is what you sign up to and that means you’re never in one place for that long which can make having relationships a little challenging. Not that it’s tedious but it can be tiring.
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cyclespeak
So have you got a base with artwork on the walls, some vinyl to play?
Piper
I’ve been living in Girona, on and off, for the past few years. Currently I’m sharing a place with Bjorn Riley…
cyclespeak
The mountain bike god…
Piper
In your words, yes [laughs]. And living with him is so nice, he’s very charismatic, and you pictured it perfectly with his paintings on the wall and a growing record collection.
cyclespeak
So how do you switch off? Is it easy to put the camera down?
Piper
I’m really bad at taking photos for fun so I find it very easy to switch off. And what that looks like is a lot of listening to music and indulging in my hobby of sound recording outside in nature. Something I want to delve deeper into with a possible view to creating ambient music using these found sounds. And I love spending time with people; or should I say not too many people. The right amount of people.
cyclespeak
Which is?
Piper
Three is possibly the sweet spot? Any more and it can get hard to hold an actual conversation.
cyclespeak
Returning once more to your Instagram bio, it has you down as a motivational speaker. What do you speak about and how do you rally the crowd?
Piper
I added that many years ago as a funny aside. But I’m actually a very good listener and friends do seek me out for my opinion on things. So maybe there’s a thread of truth to that throwaway phrase?
cyclespeak
So it’s your opinion they want rather than advice?
Piper
I don’t really have the required experience to be dishing out advice but my Mum’s a psychologist and maybe something of that has rubbed off? Making people feel comfortable and heard is such an important thing.
cyclespeak
I think the ability to connect with someone in a world where we’re arguably more and more disconnected, is something you should be proud of.
Piper
And what’s interesting is how that translates to my profession. It’s very rare that someone gets hired for taking amazing photos but they’re a terrible person to be around.
cyclespeak
So, for you, what are the joys of working as a sports photographer?
Piper
Working as a freelancer, I have so much time. Which this summer meant I could take five weeks off and go travelling through Tajikistan. But more specifically, when it comes to mountain bike race photography, having these connections with the athletes is really beautiful. And what that looks like at the moment, is working for my best friend’s team and following them from race to race. Which is kind of super special.
Feature image by Thomas Weschta
All other photography with kind permission of Piper Albrecht / piperalbrecht.com
