“The riders were riding in the dark while we constantly battled water on the lenses,” says photographer after winning high-profile award with 2am shot

Photographer Lear Miller triumphed in the 2026 Bike category at the prestigious Illume Awards with a striking shot taken at 2am. Miller explained that the shoot was extremely challenging, both logistically and due to harsh conditions. Temperatures plummeted to around 40°F (4°C) and heavy rain added to the difficulties. The main challenge was the constantly fogged lens and waterlogged gear.

Miller had to frequently clean his lens and keep the camera under his rain jacket while waiting for the riders. The winning image featured professional mountain biker Hannah Bergemann soaring off a jump under the "Tree of Life" during filming for the surreal nighttime sports film, Mountains of the Moon. Miller faced additional obstacles when the riders had to navigate a greasy, wet mud area before reaching the jump.

Despite these "pretty brutal" conditions, Miller was thrilled with the final result, knowing it encapsulated the chaos and energy of that moment. As the winner, Miller received a Leica D-Lux 8 camera and his photograph will be featured in the 2026 Illume Photobook. The winning image and other commended shots can be viewed on the Illume Awards website.