With there being so much talent in Women’s MTB, we often find ourselves reading about the athletes, but barely anything about who they are off the bike. In today’s interview, we’re going to learn more about Kelsey Toevs, a talent on the bike but also a specialist in interior and exterior architectural photography. Learn more about Kelsey and her experience as a freelancer below.
Hi Kelsey! I am so stoked about this opportunity to learn more about you and your life outside of MTB. But first, let’s talk about MTB! How were you introduced, what caught your interest, and would you say you’re a MTB lifer now?
I was introduced to mountain biking through my fiancé Steve Vanderhoek, a big shocker there! But for the first 9 years of our relationship, I didn’t ride at all. I just knew of all the people in the sport and all the events because Steve was always talking about it. It wasn’t until 2016 that a few of my girlfriends got into biking and then pushed me to give it a try. I went out for my first ride and hated it! I was completely out of control, I had zero idea what to expect on the trail and I decided it wasn’t for me. A year went by and was pushed to try again. I went out with a group of friends this time, the fun group mentality was really inspiring, it changed the way I looked at biking. It was more the experience of being out on the trails with your friends, supporting each other, and just having a blast doing whatever you wanted that changed my mind. I was hooked! 2 weeks later I bought my first bike.
There’s no doubt that MTB has taken you to some amazing places, could you share with us a moment where you thought to yourself, “wow, I can’t believe I’m here” and a moment where MTB has made you say “this fu*cking sucks”.
Yes, mountain biking has definitely taken me to some great places. I used to be an avid hiker, and with that, I got to see some really amazing places but once I started biking, I realized that I could go further and also enjoy the ride down! One of my favourite places to bike and really enjoy the scenery is Pemberton, BC. There is always a moment on the ride that you must stop and say “Wow, I can’t believe I get to experience this”. I’m also heading to Utah to shoot Redbull Formation this year and I can’t wait to have my mind blown by that spot and of course all the shredding that those ladies can do!
There have definitely been crashes that I’ve had where I’ve thought “this fu*cking sucks!” but it’s when I’m on a trail that I have no business being on that it truly sucks. When you take the time to go out for a ride only to have to walk your bike down the majority of the trail that’s when I’m like “This Blows” haha.
How is your life split right now, what percentage would you give that MTB occupies your life pie chart, how much does photography take, etc etc
I would love to say that it’s a good balance between work and riding for me, but I let work take over a lot of my time. Sometimes I feel like I am out riding a lot but in reality, it’s just that I’m in the forest shooting other riders. I like it though, it’s fun that my job gets me out there and I get to showcase talented riders. It also helps me learn from them, watching them ride I pick up tips from them while I’m working so that when I actually do carve out some time for riding I can progress my own skills.
When it comes to shooting interior architecture, what are your top 3 checkpoints to ensure you’re set up for the best shot? What needs to be done to achieve extraordinary visual impressions?
For interior architecture shooting, I always focus on making sure that the rooms are clean and organized. Making sure there is no clutter is a big one. The ideal homes to shoot are obviously the staged ones because a designer has made sure that everything is perfectly placed. So, I always appreciate a well-staged home. The second is good lighting, making sure that my lighting equipment is set up right as well as the lighting in the home and outside. The third would just be lining up the shot so it looks well balanced, no huge pieces of furniture taking up half the frame or distracting elements that take your eye away from the entire space.
Is a great photographer bred or taught?
I definitely think that a photographer can be taught. It’s just the photographers that have a passion for it that stand out though. I think you can tell when someone is on the job and they are just going through the motions of taking the photos and checking them off the list vs the ones that are enthusiastic about what they are shooting and making sure they are getting all the angles and really showcasing their subjects.
As women, we tend to undervalue our skills and abilities, and in return, we don’t value ourselves enough to charge properly too. Was this something you also faced when you first got into freelancing? Any lessons here you can share?
I relate to this a lot. In the real-estate/architecture world it’s easier to navigate because everyone is very upfront with their pricing. It’s almost always a set rate based on the size of the property so that one was easy to navigate. But for the mountain bike world, I’ve found it’s very different. No one really tells you what is average for pricing because it is a very wide range. You have to just try your best to get an idea of where to start and then it’s just trial and error when it comes to getting jobs. I’ve had lots of times where I’ll give a price to two different companies, one says that my rates are cheap, and the others say they are overpriced. It really messes with your head because you are always second-guessing your skills and comparing yourself to others, which then in turn ends up with underselling yourself. I would say a tip for anyone would be, to not be afraid to ask the companies what their budget is going into the project, and then you can evaluate from there how much time you can give them to make it happen.
What’s something in this journey of freelancing and working for yourself did you learn, that new freelancers should know?
I think that I’ve learned that for getting jobs it’s not necessarily how many people you reach out to trying to find jobs, it’s how hard you work for people on the jobs that you have. I have never sought out work to try and fill the gaps, I have always had people reach out to me because someone recommended me to them because of how hard I worked for them. People appreciate the effort and making sure they feel like you are taking the extra step to give them what they are wanting out of a project.
As a photographer, what’s in your digital toolbox? Like, what are your go-to apps to do what you do?
I just use the Abobe Creative Suite for all my photo editing and Video needs. Photoshop and Premiere Pro are my trusty steeds!
Do you have any tips on finding clients and building your portfolio?
I think this just piggybacks off the previous answer for landing jobs, but one tip would be to not be afraid to step outside of your comfort zone with jobs that are offered. There have been a few jobs that I felt were not in my wheelhouse or felt intimidated by the job or company but after giving them a shot I had a lot of fun doing them and it made great connections for future opportunities.
Who are 5 photographers, the ones that influenced how you capture moments and edit images?
Ema Peter is someone I follow for inspiration in the architecture world, everything about her photography is so natural and visually pleasing. For lifestyle photography I love Christie Graham, I went to high school with her and have followed along as she got into photography and grew her wedding photography empire. For the mountain bike world, there are way too many to name but the obvious are Sterling Lorence, Margus Riga, Dave Smith, and JB Liautard.
Lastly, where will Kelsey Toevs be in the next 5 years? Where do you want her to be?
I don’t really have a set goal for myself in 5 years’ time, I know I’ll still be doing architecture photography because I love it and it’s a great long-term job for me. For the mountain bike photography, I am already hitting top goals of mine within last year and now this year that I never thought was possible. Getting to work with all the amazing riders and brands within the last couple of years has been unbelievable and now getting the incredible opportunity to go to Formation with Christina Chappetta for the Pinkbike crew is just mind-blowing for me.
Steve and I started this journey together many moons ago just kids having fun, him riding his bike and me taking photos and videos. Together we have gotten to where we are now, and we are very grateful for each other. We are very aware of each other’s role in our successes, and we understand that as soon as we aren’t having fun doing what we’re doing that it’s ok to step back. So, in 5 years I just hope we are both still having fun doing what we love and supporting each other in whatever opportunities are in front of us!
Follow Kelsey Here: Kelsey Toevs Photography | @Toevs
