Matt's Top 10 Photo Gallery

One of our regular photographers for the AMB magazine and website, Matt Rousu, has put together his ten best photos and the stories behind the shots. Check them out below to see which ones made the pick and why they were so special. Thanks for your work Matt!

Words and Photos: Matt Rousu

2019 was a really great year for me, I was able to travel around Australia, Canada and the USA to capture images of the best mountain bikers on the planet, It’s my 3rd year in a row in the b-zone and I’ve made some great friends on the side of dusty trails and in slimy mud holes, however it is slowly becoming clear that the tight knit world of mountain bike photography is getting smaller and harder to manage. That’s not to say I’ll stop anytime soon, there’s nowhere that I feel more alive than 4 days into a World Cup with 6 hours sleep under my belt, immediate deadlines (I could live without these to be honest), wet socks, sore feet with some foreign version of Redbull to keep me going. I love it.
 
This year I’ve narrowed down some of my favourite shots of the year, most have interesting stories behind them but some are just plan rad! You can see a full collection of my work in the slideshow which also has some narrative thrown in thanks to the amazing season that was 2019. You’ll notice that it has a heavy Aussie focus, It was one of the best years for us it’s only proper they get the attention they deserve.
 
Amaury Pierron sprinting for the line

We can all agree that the climax of the Snowshoe DH World Cup was one of highlight events of 2019, the points race was as close as it’s ever been and the effort it takes to be at the pointy end is written all over Amaury’s face in this photograph. 6 months of hard work all comes down to one last 3 minute effort and I’m super happy I was on this last corner to capture it.
 
Laurie Greenland – Lost in the Crowd

I’ve been to the last 3 World Cup/champs at Mont Sainte Anne and this years World Champs easily had the biggest crowd. It’s hard to come up with new angles at the iconic venue which has been on the circuit for nearly 30 years but I love this shot of Laurie Greenland flying over the last jump while the crowd watches on. I particularly like how he is in the sunshine contrasting the crowd in the shade.
 
Luke Meier-Smith – Rainman

You can be guaranteed that it will rain at Mont Sainte-Anne at some stage and it’s not just a light shower either. I learnt back in 2017 (when Gwin laid down his historic run) that you need really good wet-weather gear for both yourself and the camera. Invest in a good rain cover for your expensive camera and you’ll feel happy when it rains. This is my favourite rain shot of the year as Luke Meier-Smith sails down the motorway during his Quallie. I love how the rain makes it appear like film grain.
 
Aaron Gwin

Speaking of Aaron Gwin, it was always an unknown to see how he would come back to racing after a tumultuous year. After his miracle run in 2017 there were more than a few rumbles around the pits about how he would perform. Alas he wouldn’t snag the rainbow jersey and the Peaty curse continues. I know that almost every photog has a shot or two from this now infamous start hut at Mont Sainte Anne but I figured the mystery of Gwins’ return was quite fitting to publish before timed runs began, the typical focus and determination of a master desperate to get back to the top.
 
 
Josh Carlson – Wild Child

A little bit closer to home is this photograph of Josh Carlson during the EMS Enduro at Mount Buller, It’s the biggest enduro series in Australia and is closely linked to the EWS. The alpine region of Australia is famed for its snow gums and wild flowers so it was fairly critical to try and tell the story with those elements. The hardest part about capturing Enduro events in Australia is the fact that there’s usually no start times after the first stage, so as the day progresses it becomes increasingly difficult to keep track of the riders. Luckily for me I had an ebike to keep in front of the top racers and happened to stumble upon this awesome crop of wild flowers on the side of stage 5, I was also very lucky that the aggressive cornering style of Josh Carlson came into my viewfinder. This photo needs that little disclaimer that’s on a cars side mirror; “objects are closer than they appear”. Haha.
 
Bec and Sarah

I have over 10000 finish line images from 2019 including epic celebrations from Loic Bruni, Tracey Hannah, Kate Courtney and Kye A’hern but this one of Rebecca Mcconnell consoling Sarah Tucknott is my favourite. Bec had just won the Elite National title and the U23 category was fiercely fought between Sarah Tucknott and Katherine Hosking behind her. Sarah had led the race from the very start but had a silly crash on the last lap allowing Katherine to swoop past and take the win. As Sarah crossed the line in 2nd she came to a stop and collapsed onto the top tube in frustration and sadness, Bec was one of the first people to realise what had happened and immediately offered a shoulder and I’m sure some sage advice. It must of helped as days later Sarah would win the Oceania title in a sprint finish.

Sunset Dreaming

I’ve been super lucky to produce some great work with Ride High Country over the last 15 months and its a relationship that has enabled me to take my career to the next level. I never thought I’d go down the tourism road but as long as I get to go to places like this and shoot with former world champion Paul Van Der Ploeg it’s a pretty rad road. This shot ended up on the cover of their annual Ride High Country magazine which is full of unique photos and riding experiences in north east Victoria.
 
Little Trace – on the hunt

Snowshoe once again, but this time it’s a happier tale. I know the World Champs and the final World Cup was super stressful for Tracey Hannah as I could hardly get a word out her during those 2 weeks. So I just left her alone and talked shop with Mik while in the pits, it wasn’t until after she’d secured the overall title that her shoulders relaxed and the tension had released. I can’t imagine what the pressure would have been like. I specifically set out to try and capture an image of Tracey on the hunt but also trying to stay hidden away from the media and her competition, sometimes thinking outside the normal boxes really can tell a unique story.
 
Loic Bruni

However, there was no hiding for Loic Bruni while wearing the rainbow stripes at Snowshoe. The man is no stranger to pressure yet it almost got the best of him at the final World Cup. Being in the finish corral during those last few runs was just mental, you couldn’t have made it up! I for one and super stoked Bruni finally won the overall title, the man is quickly becoming a legend. This light pocket in the dense Snowshoe woods provided the perfect pop for Loic’s Rainbow Stripes to shine.
 
Bec & Dan

There’s at least one moment a year when I start to tear up behind the safety of my camera, this year Rebecca and Dan Mcconnell created that moment. This was taken about 15 minutes after Bec won the Bronze medal at the World Championships, usually Dan would have been on a warm up ride to prepare for his XCO battle but he managed to sneak over for a quick yet emotional hug with Bec. The relationships that I’ve created over the last 5 years have enabled me to capture moments like this and I feel very privileged to be apart of. Over the last couple of years it’s been a real battle for the Mcconnell’s and I believe the success at the end of the 2019 season is just the tip of the iceberg. I can’t wait to see what 2020 brings them.

 
That’s a wrap for my 2019. We are in the midst of a long and hot Summer here in Australia and the racing kicks off early in 2020, you can find me trackside at selected events up until April. Plans to cover any World Cup action are up in the air at the moment so if you’re looking for a photographer, be sure to hit me up for the 2020 season.
 
A massive thank you to all of my clients in 2019, without you I wouldn’t be able to take half of these photos: Australian Mountain Bike Magazine, Ride High Country, Mountain Bike Australia, Specialized AU, Blue Dirt, Dean Lucas Racing, Falls Creek, Alpine Timing.
 
In the meantime you can follow my Instagram for weekly updates HERE