It wasn't long ago that I used to shoot and compile a story about an event over a period of weeks, then wait another few weeks for the magazine to be printed and distributed. The photos and words, a shiny package that readers pawed over, sometimes months after an event had run. They were great times, pressure on my terms.
Then along came the internet and monthly deadlines became weekly and then daily. The editorial cycle was accelerating. For years we got away with regular posts, days after an event without ruffling a feather. But the thirst for immediacy was unquenchable. The cycle accelerated again and savvy media teams started to post constantly. Readers loved it. Social media stats went through the roof and the media landscape shifted forever.
Roll on the Emerson's 3 Peaks Enduro mountain biking race this weekend and a team of many started to beam images and film clips of the action – seven stages over the two days – on the fly. I was downloading images from each stage and flicking them off a few minutes later to a receiver at my office to upload to the various social media and websites. My daughter Taya was shooting film clips, editing on the go and uploading 30-second clips to YouTube throughout the day. Drones were buzzing around and the media machine was in impressive form as one of New Zealand's best enduro races unfolded in the hills above Dunedin. That's pretty cool ...
In the end it was Joseph Nation, of Christchurch, who proved unassailable, winning all seven stages. You can read the full story right here on the world's biggest mountain biking website.
A few pulses in swell this week and light winds for the next two days. Make the most of it.
See you at the beach ... Derek
PS Thinking about Christmas gifts? We have our newest book Merino Country in stock now, prints ready to frame from just $49 and gift vouchers for those of you unable to make your mind up (we know the feeling). Visit our gallery at 1 Dowling Street or shop online from the comfort of your workspace.
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