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If you photographed the pro peloton for 40 years, the logical next step after retirement is to publish a book about the experience. That’s just what Graham Watson has done…

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How do you pick a cover photo for a book titled ‘40 years of cycling photography’? It’s a near impossible task to whittle down the list of potential images and commit to one shot that properly reflects all that’s printed inside.

Ultimately, the decision was made. We see a line-up of sprinters spread across the road in the Tour of Oman. Who’d have thunk it? For all the historic images taken by Graham Watson, we see a Marcel Kittel the centre of a bunch that includes Tyler Farrar, André Greipel, Graeme Brown, (an obscured) Peter Sagan, Tom Boonen, (an obscured) Mark Cavendish, and Nacer Bouhanni. It’s a shot from early in the 2012 season and it bleeds to white.

Perhaps that final point, the fade-to-white effect, confirmed the choice. Who knows and, frankly, it doesn’t matter too much.

What’s important is that you take a moment to look inside and discover what the book is all about.

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It’s a fantastic book about photography, but there are surprisingly few photo-only spreads… 

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This will be a review in two parts, maybe more*. The book was delivered yesterday and I’m only just beginning to pore over the pages. There’s a lot to consider and even just taking photos for this post, it reminds me of how much cycling Graham Watson documented over an amazing 40-year career. What’s that saying again? ‘He’s probably forgotten more than you ever knew…’? Something like that.

In the case of Graham and pro cycling, he’s certainly seen more than just about anyone for a critical time in the sport. He pioneered ways to take photos of cyclists. He adapted to changes in technology. He understood the nuances of racing. He respected the jobs of the riders, the race organisers, the journalists and publishers he worked with. And even after a year to adjust, it’s strange to consider a season without his images being supplied week after week.

I’m proud to say that my copy includes a personalised note from Graham on page three. “To Rob, many thanks for the years of friendship and working together. Graham.” Nice.

The 225 pages that follow are littered with images that remind us of special times in pro cycling. Many of the photos are iconic but exactly which one makes you stop flicking through the pages, I suppose, depends on when you first came to the sport and what era you most relate to.

If you’re like me, there’s probably one of Graham’s photos that featured on your wall for a period of time. I found a few such examples in the book. LeMond in 1989. Chiappucci in 1991. Indurain in 1995. Van Moorsel-Zijlaard in 2000. Etc.

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Graham explains the stories of his photos and write about the equipment he used.

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There’s a long list of possible favourites but what makes just a glance at this book special is that it really does serve as a catalogue of memories. There are moments in time captured by Graham and selected for publication because of relevance to the broader narrative of cycling from the late-1970s to early 2017. And there are reminders of special events, spectacular scenery, amazing riders, and a few bastards along the way.

There are winners and losers, stars and scoundrels… and there’s plenty of commentary as well.

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After 40 years doing what Graham did, it’s logical that he would want to share a few anecdotes.

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Graham didn’t deny being conflicted about some of the associations he’s had over the years. We spoke on the day he announced his retirement in February 2017 and we paid special attention to one particular rider who helped the photographer earn an income.

It’s impossible to ignore Lance Armstrong when you consider the era that Graham Watson documented but the Texan doesn’t make the cut in the list of 10 “Legends” selected by the author (and photographer) of the book.

“Whatever he did wrong, he did wrong,” said Watson of Armstrong in February last year. “And, you know, bygones are bygones.

“He played a huge role in my career… I made a fortune off him and would never say a bad word about him but, I mean, we’ve all moved on.”

There are some who attacked Watson because of his years of association with Armstrong and there’s little that can be done to placate those who are irritated by all that transpired, but Graham cannot change what happened nor did he have any influence on the actions of the rider when he was a racer.

Armstrong appears in the book and it’ll be interesting to read the commentary offered and find out how Graham handles that predicament. The American wasn’t the only cheat in cycling during the time that Watson worked in the industry and there are plenty of others in the book who achieved notoriety thanks to unscrupulous means… but that’s how it was/is in cycling. It’s pro sport and it’s not perfect, but that’s another story that doesn’t relate to an overview of a book.

* * * * *

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It’s a book about cycling… but also photos and a photographer.

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Graham Watson sat on the back of a motorbike for around 180 days a year for a good percentage of his life, season after season, race after race. He saw a lot of cycling from a privileged position. He got to know the riders, saw their triumphs and failures, their smiles and anger.

He documented a sport as it matured and turned from Euro-centric into something truly global. Cycling is different in 2018 than it was for the 40 years before; and one pivotal figure has been absent from the peloton for a little over a year, still Graham Watson’s influence is strongly felt.

There are some photographers who continue to use methods that he pioneered, others shoot angles that are deliberately different to how Watson worked – as they are trying to establish their own style for a sport which is truly dynamic, colourful and begs to be photographed. But there’s no denying that the work that’s catalogued in this book will stand the test of time.

Created by “Graham Watson Publishing Ltd” this may simply be a passion project, but I hope that he has printed enough to sell to the huge audience that exists for a book such as this.

The media landscape is changing rapidly, and everyone is working out how to adapt to the changes that have been accelerated in recent years but ultimately there is true value in creating a catalogue of memories and packaging it up in a tome weighing 1,921g.

If you see ‘40 years of cycling photography’, pick up a copy and plonk it down on your coffee table. It’ll prompt you to flick through the pages for many years to come. It’ll remind you of some of your favourite moments in cycling. It may even inspire you to get out for another ride again soon. Perhaps it will lure someone you know into finding out more about this fabulous thing we know and love… and it could be that you even learn a thing or two as you read what Graham has to say about the peloton, the photos he took, the personalities he met, and the equipment he used.

– By Rob Arnold

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Visit the shop on Graham Watson’s homepage to find out how to order a copy of his book…

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*There’s a lot of commentary in the book that not only supports the images but also explains how Graham worked, the evolution of his equipment, his views on doping and the charades associated with a troubled time in sport, and many other themes. A second stanza of this review will follow once I’ve had time to digest all that’s been written.

For now, we’ll let some of the pictures tell the story. – Rob

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The shot of Bernard Hinault and Greg LeMond from 1986 (above) is Graham Watson’s favourite photo from his years in cycling.

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At the beginning of 2017, Graham Watson explained his favourite photo during his first Skype call ever. Click the YouTube link above to listen to his story about the photo of Hinault and LeMond from 1986.

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