In part two with Ashley and Jered Gruber we unpack how their journey into cycling photography truly began.
From a chance meeting sparked by a flat tire in Athens, Georgia, to moving to Europe with no real plan, a €1,500 car, and a pocket-sized camera, this episode traces the early years that shaped their visual language.
Jered and Ashley share how racing dreams shifted into storytelling, why landscapes and atmosphere mattered more than finish-line shots, and how shooting differently helped them find space in a crowded world of race photography.
The conversation dives into their first Castelli shoots, the Koppenberg with Andreas Klier, the iconic Passo Giau image with Peter Stetina, and the unexpected chain of events that led them to shoot the Giro d’Italia. Along the way, they reflect on learning by doing, working without moto access, and building trust as a creative duo within the chaos of professional cycling.
This episode explores cycling photography from the inside out — not just how images are made, but why they’re made that way.
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🇮🇹 Nel secondo episodio con Jered e Ashley Gruber torniamo all’inizio di tutto: un incontro casuale, una foratura e una decisione che ha cambiato il loro percorso. Dalle prime foto scattate quasi per necessità ai grandi giri, raccontiamo come hanno costruito una carriera nella fotografia ciclistica seguendo istinto, curiosità e uno sguardo diverso sul ciclismo.
🇩🇪 In der zweiten Episode mit Jered und Ashley Gruber blicken wir zurück auf die Anfänge ihrer Reise. Von einer zufälligen Begegnung und den ersten Fotos bis hin zu den großen Rundfahrten sprechen wir darüber, wie sie sich ihren Platz in der Radsportfotografie erarbeitet haben – mit Geduld, Neugier und einer ganz eigenen Perspektive.
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CHAPTERS
00:00 Intro
03:07 How Ashley and Jered First Met
05:22 From Racing to Photography
08:33 Moving to Europe
09:34 Discovering the Camera
11:23 First Breaks
12:24 Life on the Road
14:01 Meeting Castelli & First Commercial Shoot
16:17 Koppenberg & Giau
20:25 Becoming Photographers
23:46 Creative Duo
27:52 Finding Their Style
31:32 The Photo That Changed Everything
33:13 Giro Opportunity
36:27 First Grand Tour
41:24 Evolving the Vision
45:46 Milano-Sanremo
49:40 Race Day Workflow
52:14 Creative Pressure
55:00 Ending
CONNECT
Ashley Norris Gruber
https://www.instagram.com/ashleygruber/
Jered Gruber
https://www.instagram.com/jeredgruber/
– HOST –
Søren Jensen, Global Marketing Manager at Castelli, has worked for this iconic brand since 2006. He usually rides backroads and dirt trails, testing new gear in the Italian Dolomites. If you can't find him there, check the Castelli Headquarters in Fonzaso. Connect: LinkedIn
Check out our new collection: Castelli-cycling.com
SUBMIT YOUR QUESTION
If you want your questions to be answered on air, be sure to submit your questions by sending us a message on social media or by email to podcast@castelli-cycling.com
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