Outdoor Photography How To

Che Chorley Takes an Epic 3,000-Mile Winter Bicycle Odyssey to Shoot the Australian Coast

Ron Leach  |  Dec 21, 2016

When the weather is nice there's nothing better than an afternoon bicycle ride along the ocean, right? Well, Australian seascape photographer Che Chorley had a slightly more ambitious plan when he hopped on his bike for a 3,000-mile photo excursion along the Australian coast in winter.

 

A photo posted by LAND SEA YOU ME (@chechorleyphoto) on

Chorley has always had a passion for the ocean and is a commercial photographer as well as an avid surfer and adventurer. He studied photography at the Centre for Creative Photography in Adelaide, Australia, where he currently lives.

 

A photo posted by LAND SEA YOU ME (@chechorleyphoto) on

Embarking on his journey with little more than a bicycle, his camera gear, and minimal camping equipment, Chorley’s goal was to photograph seascapes, landscapes, and the occasional winter storm.

 

A photo posted by LAND SEA YOU ME (@chechorleyphoto) on

As it turned out, however, the weather was a bit more than he bargained for and he battled strong winds and some of the worst weather Southern Australia has experienced in years.

“It’s been weather front, after front, after front,” he said at the time, adding that he spent some “pretty interesting nights in the tent.” In fact, he endured 50-60 mph winds while holding on for dear life, only to wake up and head into the maelstrom on his fully-loaded bike.

 

A photo posted by LAND SEA YOU ME (@chechorleyphoto) on

Looking back, Chorley says the travails were worth the effort, as he came home with some pretty special images. “This is what I set out to do,” he explains. “I wanted to challenge myself emotionally, physically and artistically and this winter has set me straight.”

You can see more images from Chorley’s epic ride on his Instagram page and website. And don’t forget to follow us on Instagram at @ShutterbugPix where we’re sharing our favorite photos from our followers.

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