Behind the lens at the European H.O.G. Rally: how brand immersion drives creative agility

You learn a lot about a brand when you crouch on hot tarmac with a camera, a light box and a crowd of Harley-Davidson riders streaming past. You learn even more when your brief is deceptively simple: return with portraits that feel true.

At this year’s Harley-Davidson’s European H.O.G. Rally, our designer Rupert Burroughes worked shoulder to shoulder with photographer Colin Dutton to create a series for The Enthusiast magazine, an annual print publication and premium benefit for the Harley Owners Group (H.O.G.), the world’s largest manufacturer-sponsored riding club. What unfolded was a masterclass in immersion, agility and the kind of fun that unlocks results.

“The brief was simple enough,” says Rupert. “Go to the H.O.G. event and take cool pictures of Harley-Davidson riders… get stories from them and try to capture unique personalities around the event.” Simple, yes, but never straightforward. Because what H.O.G. wanted wasn’t just faces - it was feeling.

“They wanted impactful and black and white, while capturing a broad spectrum of H.O.G. members,” adds Colin. Rupert and Colin were looking for a wide range of riders: those that were younger and finding their first motorcycle, women who’d crossed continents to be there, families, old friends, long-term members and brand fans, people who embodied the spirit of adventure and camaraderie that is what makes H.O.G. special.

Immersed in the brand

Why be there in person when you could plan from afar? Because presence sharpens judgement and nothing replaces the sound of side stands clacking down or the way a rider’s posture changes the second a helmet comes off.

“We worked out three locations around the site where people were arriving on their bikes,” Colin explained. “After a while someone interesting would arrive and take their helmets off.” Then the signals begin - subtle hand cues between photographer and producer - and the dance of approach, consent and set-up starts.

Rupert puts it plainly: “We’re wandering around finding people, but finding the right people... pitching up at spots, meeting cool people as they ride in, or walk around the main event.” He talked about the moment a member hopped off his bike, friends ribbing him, everyone laughing - the exact second personality becomes photograph.

The brief and the challenges

On paper, the task sounded straightforward: replicate a visual style established by an American photographer for the magazine, keep it black and white, make it impactful, represent the breadth of the H.O.G. community. In practice, that meant reverse engineering technique, rehearsing under unfamiliar skies, then balancing aesthetics with logistics.

Colin began by testing at home. “I had to understand the technique in terms of lighting and composition,” he said. “I did some tests with lighting using my assistant here in Italy who put on a leather jacket and dark glasses just to try and get that look.”

Technically, the shoot hinged on a controlled clash of light. “It was black and white - I like that - so that solved one problem,” Colin explained. “What I was asked to do was to underexpose the sun. I had to shoot from low down so behind the subject there was clear sky... then use the sun as a second light and overpower it.” Rupert became mobile-light-stand-and-safety-spotter: “He had the flash with a big soft light box... I’d position the subject so the sun was touching them from the back or side, but the main light was what Rupert was holding.” The settings were exacting - shutter speed, flash power, high-speed sync - but once dialled, stable enough to move fast.

And yet, the day is never just about the camera: it’s permission forms, safe spaces among moving bikes, language quirks and rapidly shifting plans. Rupert laughed as he described his secondary job: “I’m the annoying person walking up and going, ‘do you mind just signing this form please…’ and then we write down a number so we know which photo each person is.”

Time and terrain were relentless. “As a photographer, you’ve only got that time window to get your content,” Colin said. “It’s not like a writer who can look around then go home and write it.” Rupert mapped the rhythm: “You end up giving yourself mini time constraints - two hours now, let’s go and get six different people... or if it’s quiet, stop for a while because we know we’re not going to get any good shots.”

A second shoot was also required for The Enthusiast, showcasing H.O.G. duos. From long term couples to best friends, these couples were identified prior to the European H.O.G. Rally, with communications established and the photoshoot locations planned in advance. This was less ‘guerilla’ event photography and more creative editorial shoot. But as ever, there was a spanner in the works. “We had planned in advance for the subjects to arrive at specific locations but one of the locations just wasn’t going to work,” Rupert noted. “So, one morning while driving to the event site me and Colin found a new location on our phones, quickly checked it out - giving it a drive past - then letting the subjects know where to go.”

Creativity in action

What does creative chemistry look like at speed? It looks like Colin on the ground framing sky, Rupert feathering the soft light box millimetres at a time and a rider relaxing because the process feels considered, human and specific.

Colin prioritises psychology as much as physics. “There’s a whole load of psychological methods to get potential subjects to say yes,” he admitted with a grin. “You need to be friendly... and the first thing you need to say is explain who you are and what you’re doing.” He teaches this to young photographers because the difference between “can I take your photograph?” and “we’re shooting for Harley-Davidson; you’d be a brilliant fit” is night and day. He also insists on clarity about the model release paperwork: “You know what it’s like these days with legal stuff... signing a document like that is their protection as well as ours.”

Once someone agrees, momentum matters. “When I’ve got a few frames, I’ll show them the back of the camera,” Colin said. “Their reaction is usually, ‘oh my God’, because I’m doing unusual things with the lighting... what comes out is not what they’re expecting at all.” Confidence rises. Posture shifts. The portrait breathes.

And then there are the ‘Zen’ pockets. Colin says: “Sometimes there’s a kind of moment where everything just works and you happen to be in the right place at the right time.” The clothes, the stance, the light - and suddenly you’re making something that feels inevitable.

Compositionally, Colin is restless by design. “We had to take about 40 portraits of people next to their motorbike,” he said. “Accordingly, I had to introduce enough variety so when the photographs make it to lay out in the magazine there’s enough difference for creativity to flourish. Every time I’m trying to capture difference - they’re sitting on the bike - let’s get them behind the bike... leaning on the tank... from the headlight looking towards them.” Variation is not decoration. It’s editorial empathy.

The human moments that make it work

The images matter. The moments around them matter too. Rupert recalled a rider who recognised the team from the previous year: “He’d been in the magazine last year and brought a copy of it for Colin... and a bandana as well. I’ve got a photo of them together. It was great. It just shows how we’re building bridges with people about the things they love.”

Colin remembered a British rider, older, open, candid. “He’d gone through mental health problems and the bike for him was a kind of therapy... touring around Europe with his wife... doing it for charity.” Only immersion surfaces these hidden elements.

Do all encounters click? Of course not. “There are times where it doesn’t work,” Colin said. “Maybe not as interesting as you thought.” And that’s fine. You thank them, move on, keep your energy for the next conversation.

What this teaches us about brand immersion

For marketing teams, the lesson is simple to say and hard to practise: go where the brand lives, then earn the shot.

• Be specific about variety. If your audience is broad, your casting should be too. Rupert’s member-spotting and mix-balancing ensured the portraits reflected the real H.O.G. community, not a cliché.
• Front-load clarity. Colin’s open introduction - who we are, what we’re doing, why you’re perfect for this - increases consent and improves performance. It also reduces friction when you introduce paperwork.
• Master your controllables so you can ride the uncontrollable. The pre-work on lighting meant that when the sun showed, Colin and Rupert could spend attention on people, not dials.
• Build micro-rhythms. Short sprints to hit mini quotas, planned lulls to conserve energy, gentle course-correction when the environment shifts. That cadence turns a sprawling rally into an achievable day.
• Show progress in the moment. A glance at the back of the camera is not vanity - it’s alignment. It reassures the subject and accelerates the session.

And yes, have fun. Energy is contagious. “We’d listen to see what country they’re from,” Colin laughed. “In Croatia there were loads of Italians... we had too many Italians.” A little mischief keeps you alert. It helps you notice the next great face walking towards you.

Face to face still matters

Could this project have been coordinated remotely? You could try - mood boards, briefings, calls - but you would miss the conversation by the barricade, the hand-signal that says wait for this rider, the instinct to pivot when a cloud slides over the sun. You would also miss the community’s response in real time.

Rupert sees it clearly: “It’s nice to hear when you actually bump into people who have been represented and love it.” That immediate feedback loop - the grin when someone sees themselves on the camera, the chat about their H.O.G. chapter, the message that arrives a week later - is data as much as delight. It sharpens future briefs and strengthens trust.

Notes on practice

• Immerse yourself fully.
  • Spend real time in your client’s world, listen carefully, and notice the subtle details that reveal how the brand truly lives.
• Prioritise consent and safety.
  • Keep release forms simple and transparent, secure permissions early, and always protect people and equipment in dynamic environments.
• Marry artistry with organisation.
  • Establish your creative and technical parameters first, then let your logistics - timing, roles and locations - serve that vision.
• Design for diversity.
  • Seek a genuine mix of people, styles and stories so your work reflects a real community rather than a single type.
• Stay aligned in real time.
  • Show progress as you go, share previews, and adjust pace and approach when the energy changes.
• Make space for enjoyment.
  • Treat fun as part of the creative process; it builds trust, encourages openness and often leads to your most authentic work.

Outcome and reflection

All the content captured at the European H.O.G. Rally ran in global printed member communication The Enthusiast and online. Members spotted themselves online and in print. The client was delighted and the work has become a highlight that the community recognises and anticipates.

So, what did this project prove? That brand immersion, agility and creativity are more than processes - they are attitudes. They are habits you build across years of events and hundreds of conversations. They are also, crucially, the reason a rider will walk across a packed rally with last year’s magazine and a bandana, just to say hello. That’s the image behind the image. And that is why we show up.

Read more about our approach to photography and video, or on our partnership with Harley-Davison.