On August 13th, 2025, I headed out to the Cargill Sports Complex in Shreveport for an evening BMX session. We planned to get started around 5:00–5:30, but I made sure to arrive by 4:30. When I pulled in, Mike Arender and his grandson, Remington, were already there testing the starting gate and getting a few things set up.


I’ve wanted to do BMX racing since I was a kid. I remember seeing another track years ago over by Hamel’s Park, but that one has long been gone. Until now, I had never been to a BMX race or seen the action in person. My only exposure had been in TV shows or movies where it was just a quick scene. Last night was the first time I was actually there to watch riders doing it for real, and it was every bit as exciting as I hoped it would be.


Not long after I arrived, James Lee and his dad Nate showed up, followed by Christian “Boogie” Brown and his dad, Kenneth. We started off at the starting gate, getting a mix of close-ups, portraits, and some clean action frames as they powered out of the gate. From there, we moved on to the jumps, timing it so we could work in that softer light as the evening went on. It was hot, humid, and the kind of weather that soaks you through in minutes, pretty typical for mid-August in northwest Louisiana. The forecast had shown a 40% chance of rain at 4:00, dropping to 15% by 5:00, but the weather worked in our favor. The sky was mostly cloudy with thin, stringy clouds and small breaks of blue. As the afternoon went on, those clouds opened up just enough for a good sunset, which gave us some great color to work with.


Boogie was the big jumper of the evening, getting surprising height and making for some of the best air shots of the day. Toward the end, Remington climbed up onto one of the high berms, about 14 or 15 feet up on the knife edge of that asphalt wall, holding his bike. It was then that I thought about what Mike told me about the yellow plate on Remington’s bike. That wasn’t something you just go buy at a store and bolt on. It had to be earned. Winning it was an achievement, a mark of accomplishment that meant something to both of them. It added another layer of pride to those portraits. I set my lights and camera, and we caught a series of shots just after sunset with the clouds still lit up behind him.


While we were there, I learned this was more than just a practice night. BMX racing at Cargill has been a family tradition for generations. The grandfathers who were there had raced when they were younger, their sons raced, and now their grandsons are carrying it forward. It’s a big part of the story and one of the things that makes this track, which has been around since 1991, special.


For lighting, I used Godox AD600s with long-throw reflectors and 7-inch standard reflectors, along with my Canon R6 and the RF 24–105mm f/4L. I brought a fog machine, though we only used it for a couple of shots. The hard light from the reflectors fit the look I wanted, BMX is a tough, gritty sport, and those smaller metal modifiers also hold up better outdoors without acting like parachutes in the wind.


The riders, their fathers, and grandfathers all enjoyed seeing the images on the back of the camera, and it was clear they were proud of how they looked. Unfortunately, James had to leave before we could get the planned group shot, and the others chose to finish the evening with a few last jumps before the light faded.


Overall, it was a great time. Everyone seemed to enjoy themselves, and I walked away with images that show not only the action and skill of the riders but the family tradition and community that’s been part of this track for decades.

BMX rider in white uniform performing jump on blue bike at dirt track with ramp and trees in background.
BMX racer on wooden ramp wearing helmet and racing gear at outdoor track during sunset.
BMX rider performing jump on dirt track at sunset with sunburst through trees in background.
BMX rider in white and blue gear performs an aerial trick on a dirt track under cloudy skies.
Silhouetted BMX rider performs aerial tricks against a dramatic orange sunset sky during a dirt jump session.
BMX rider performs a trick on a wooden ramp at sunset with a dramatic sky backdrop.
Mountain biker rides trail at sunset through silhouetted pine trees casting long shadows on winding dirt path.
A BMX rider in white racing gear with number 1 plate poses on a blue bike against a cloudy sunset sky.
Silhouetted BMX rider performs aerial trick against dramatic orange sunset sky over dirt jump track.
A motocross rider races down a steep dirt track in darkness, illuminated by spotlights during a night competition.
Group of professional motocross riders racing on dirt track wearing protective gear and helmets.
A BMX rider performs aerial tricks against a vibrant orange sunset sky on a dirt track.
BMX rider in black and purple gear performs trick on ramp against cloudy sunset sky.
Mountain biker silhouetted against dramatic orange sunset sky performing sequential jump progression on dirt trail.
BMX rider in white jersey and blue helmet races down a dark dirt track at night.
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