About Me

Mountain Biking - Where It Started

I've been riding bikes for as long as I can remember, but my mountain biking journey really began in the early 1990s at Te Mata Peak in Havelock North. As a teenager living in Napier, I would ride over to Te Mata Peak, spend the entire day climbing the road and descending the trails, and then pedal all the way home again.

Mountain biking became more than just a hobby. It became a constant in my life. No matter where I was living or what was happening around me, there was always a bike nearby and a trail waiting to be ridden.

Photography - Where It Started

My interest in photography began long before I owned a modern camera. During deployments overseas between 1997 to 2004, I took 100's of photos on film, the cameras available back then were a long way from today's technology. Alot of my trips over seas i would just pack 5-10 desposable cameras as it was easier. I still have a drawer full of photos and negatives from those years.

Photography became a hobby again in 2010 - 2012, but as life became busier and a newborn arrived, photography gradually took a back seat. 

Present Day

After spending more than a decade away from photography, I found my way back behind the lens in an unexpected way.

It started when I broke four ribs just a week before the Wainui Enduro January 2025. While recovering, I remembered a photo taken by Jeff Mein Smith of me that reignited my passion for photography and inspired me to start shooting mountain bike events. I photographed a few races, but once I had recovered I was back on my bike, photography again drifted into the background for a couple of months.

Everything changed after the Whaka 50 in November 2025.

Heart issues forced me to step away from riding altogether. Rather than leaving the mountain bike community behind, I picked up the camera once more and shifted my focus from competing to capturing the action from the sidelines.

Today, mountain bike photography has become my way of staying connected to the sport I love. It allows me to remain part of the community, tell the stories of athletes and events, and continue sharing my passion for mountain biking in a different way.

When the mountain bike race calendar is quiet, you'll also find me photographing a variety of other sports and events.

Tim