The Man Behind the Lens

Meet Lyndon Marceau. He’s the guy responsible for some of the most memorable and iconic images of trail running in Australia and New Zealand.

What got you into photography?

It started just as a hobby then with my adventure and outdoors lifestyle I started taking photos more in the outdoors and selling images and getting recognized by my peers. I was then asked to shoot one of the first The North Face 100km races alongside another photographer by a friend just to go along and support him and it went from there. He became my mentor and my go to and I assisted and shot with him for a couple years all the while honing my skills and learning not only the shooting side but also how to run your own successful business. 

What do you enjoy most about shooting running events?

The people and their achievements, the locations and the surroundings I get to shoot in, and the atmosphere and energy of the race.

12022088_10153613499920070_1025710923_oWhat are the best and worst things about shooting ultra races?

Best – Capturing those moments that really tell the story of the race and/or of the journey and the pain the runner is going through on their way to the finish are some of the best moments I can walk away with.

Worst – Unexpected delays, unforeseen circumstances and conditions that change out of my control that make me miss a shot or unable to get to a location quick enough.

What’s your most memorable event photograph and why? (Can I get a copy of it to use?)

There are too many to mention but this year’s The North Face 100km had a staggeringly competitive field in the men’s and it was always going to be tight to see who came out on top. At about the 65km mark waiting for the leaders to come out of Leura Forest when all of sudden Francois D’Haene, Dylan Bowman and Yan Longfei appeared pushing hard and breathing heavily mashing up the stairs section with concentrated looks on their faces and getting the job done. I think the image really speaks for itself.

What global race would you most love to shoot and why?

UTMB however that is now a highly commercialized event so I’d probably more love Transvulcania or Transgrandcanaria where the landscapes are bit more vast and baron with pockets of amazing lush scenary. However hiking in to those photo locations would be an adventure in itself, the photos I could capture I know would so different to those in the southern hemisphere.

What gear do you typically use at an event?

For a typical race day I have 2 pro DSLR bodies, one long zoom and a standard zoom lens, a wide lens, a fish eye, 2 flashes with remote triggers and a quiver of memory cards, batteries and spare parts. Not to mention the food, drink and clothing often required all goes on my back too.

When not taking photos, how do you pass the time?

I’m often at home working! But when I’m not doing in my down time that I’ll be out exercising riding my bike, down the beach, at the gym or with spending time with beautiful better half and/or socialising with friends