Cracks on Track (@cracksontrack) is a running club. Its members train on an athletics track in Paris, from sunset into the night.

At a glance

  • Client: Cracks on Track, a running club in Paris
  • When: September 2026
  • Where: an athletics track in Paris
  • Runners: between 25 and 50
  • Light: sunset, then night, with the stadium lights and Profoto flashes
  • Delivered: 40 to 80 retouched photos, published on the club’s Instagram account
A group of runners on an athletics track at sunset

The brief: a full session, from daylight to dark

The club asked me to photograph a session. I followed it as the light dropped: the group running at sunset, the warm-up, the group efforts, then the runners alone in the dark.

Club members warming up on the track in front of the stands
Runners lined up on the track before the session

Photographing runners as the light drops

At sunset, natural light is enough: it comes in from the side, stretches the shadows across the track and cuts the runners out against the sky. Once it goes, the stadium lights take over, but they are not enough to freeze a runner at full speed. That is when I brought out my Profoto B10X Plus flashes: a short burst stops the movement, even in the dark.

I did not try to freeze everything. On some frames I kept the blur of moving legs: on a track, that blur is often what shows the speed.

A group of runners doing lunges as night falls
A lone runner on the track at night in front of the stands
A runner seen from behind on the track at the end of the day
Legs of two runners in motion on a blue track

Tips for a club that wants photos of its training

  • Tell members in advance: those who would rather not appear can say so, and the others come in club kit.
  • Pick a varied session: warm-up, group drills and intervals give you different images in a single evening.
  • Time it around sunset if you want both golden light and night shots.
  • Think about Instagram from the start: most images will be seen vertically, on a phone.

Do you run a club, a sports brand or an event and need a photographer? Write to me.

See also: Corporate Events · Brands in Focus · Lifestyle and commercial photographer in Paris

Frequently asked questions

How many photos were delivered?

40 to 80 retouched photos, posted on the club’s Instagram account.

How do you photograph runners at night?

With Profoto B10X Plus flashes: a short burst freezes the movement, even when the stadium lights aren’t enough.

How many runners were there?

Between 25 and 50.

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