1st attempt at shooting DH Mtn Biking

[kumicho]

Thoughts? I was stuck at the top waiting for my own race run through most of the field, so once I got to the bottom caught my breath and hiked up to shoot the pros coming down. C & C welcome, just be easy on me, it's my first attempt. :)

http://kumicho.zenfolio.com/img/p1057751110-4.jpg

5 points to whoever sees what's drastically wrong (mechanically) in this shot...
http://kumicho.zenfolio.com/img/p569446167-4.jpg

http://kumicho.zenfolio.com/img/p847156791-4.jpg

http://kumicho.zenfolio.com/img/p651707804-4.jpg

so far I'm not happy with the extraneous trees/tape/etc in the shots, but didn't have any chance to really plan it out, just tried to see what I could get...

[BCDH]

Nice work. Perhaps a closer crop would do some justice, or else get closer to the trail next time. Your panning technique looks pretty good, but can (and definitely will) improve with practice. A lot of race photos that you see in magazines and such will be from a more head-on angle (anywhere between 10-45 degrees to the side). It's nice to see the rider's face sometimes -- don't limit yourself to those though.

I'm a fan of #1, save for the tape, but that's sometimes hard to avoid. A slightly closer crop would do it justice.

Keep up the good work. Two weeks until I can test my new camera at with race photos. Definitely looking forward to it!

[ksegel]

Looks like the left side crank is almost parallel with the right side crank, I race Mt. Bikes as well, and I for one would not want to see, or, feel that!!!!

Great shots!!!

[crazyfoo88]

I shoot downhill myself, so I feel your pain with trying to frame everything right. Usually I use a fill flash since its under the tree canopy.

Sorry to hijack, but here is what I mean:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v499/crazyfoo88/Sports/Mountain%20Biking/2007/Kelso/IMG_4875.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v499/crazyfoo88/Sports/Mountain%20Biking/2007/Kelso/IMG_4971.jpg

Try to crop as tight as possible, and find ways to play with the lighting.

1st shot is with a 24-70 F2.8 and a 580/420 slave combo on a tripod.

2nd shot is with the 70-200 F2.8L and is right down to F2.8.

Hope this helps! Send me a PM if you have further questions.

Andrew C

[ksegel]

Nice shots Crazyfoo88!!

[kumicho]

cool, I was shooting with the onboard flash since it was under the canopy, which definitely helped (580 would've helped more... ;)). do you do any high-speed flash sync, or is that at the normal flash sync speed (200? 250?)? it's just hard to use a fill flash when you're trying to stop action...

nice shots, although there was no way I was setting up a remote flash, I could barely stand up after my race run. :-D

[drewr]

Nice shots mate;

The mech problem in #2 appears to be the non-driveside crank, looks like his spindle has snapped or something.

[kumicho]

too late, ksegel has you beat by a couple hours, though. :)

thanks though!

[ksegel]

Yea!!!! lol :)

[Freddeh]

Nice set of images mate.

On #2, I can see his cranks and feet being vertically parallel, instead of horizontally. Besides that, I don't think he's leaning back far enough. He won't be getting a top ranking like this...

[Big WIll]

Good start mate, keep practicing and playing with some fill flash!

I presume you must ride an Iron Horse kumicho? Given your name and Ironhorse link?