MEET OUR VIDEOGRAPHER: MURDO MACGILLIVRAY
We caught up with Murdo MacGillivray, the talented Scottish videographer who captured the magic of this year’s Etape Caledonia. Based between the Isle of Skye and Aberdeen, Murdo’s love for cycling shines through in his work, as seen in the stunning post-event video he produced this year.
Official Etape Caledonia 2024 Video. Shot by Murdo MacGillivray.
Keep reading to learn more about Murdo and his work!
Tell us a bit about yourself and how you combined two passions - cycling and videography - into your career.
“I’ve been riding all sorts of bikes, on and offroad for most of my life now, as well as messing about with cameras, I feel very lucky to be able to combine the two and do it as a job.”
How does Scotland’s landscapes shape your creative style?
“There’s so much variety in the natural environment across Scotland and it changes so much between the different regions – the constantly changing colours also give character to many of my projects too.”
Your video perfectly captures the energy and atmosphere of Etape Caledonia. How did you approach this project creatively?
“For a project that covered so much ground, it was important to know where we wanted to shoot before the day arrived so we picked out some key spots while scouting the course. Filming the riders up close was a bit different, we just went with the flow and tried to capture the vibes during the event.”
What stood out to you the most about your experience at Etape Caledonia?
“What stood out to me the most at Etape Caledonia was the huge number of riders of all different abilities that were taking part, it was also so nice to see all the happy faces crossing the finishing line at the end of the day.”
The Etape Caledonia route features some of the most scenic views in Scotland. Do you have a favourite spot along the course?
“My favourite part of the course would have to be the first section leaving Pitlochry, along the shore of Loch Tummel. The scenery along that part is really varied and the road has lots of nice corners too.”
If you could recommend one ride in Scotland that everyone should experience, what would it be?
“It would have to be the Snow Roads route in Aberdeenshire! There’s so much climbing and the views are amazing over the hills as the route takes you through Deeside and parts of the Cairngorms.”
If you could recommend another Scottish creative our audience should follow, who would it be?
“I’d recommend taking a look at the work of Andrew Leinster, a fellow student freelance photographer who has years of experience shooting all things bikes. You can guarantee he’ll come out with bangers after every shoot and is great to work with too!”
Andrew shot our photography at this year’s event too, you can check out our 2024 Etape Caledonia Gallery to see some of his amazing work.
If you have an interesting story you’d like to share, please contact us at hello@etapecaledonia.com - we’d love to hear from you!