Wood chop

[bubba zanetti]

Its ekka time here (aka show;carnival;fair) & i had some decent light to get the wood chop.

They all oil their axes just prior. Pretty serious business.

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Photographing through a nylon net here in the event of an axe head flying off into the crowd...considering they are razor sharp if it hit the net blade first it wouldnt even slow it


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Jim...its his 44th year of competing in this very spot.


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[MMD]

I like the second to last picture the most. Good detail on the axeman and good exposure, and a very good frozen moment action shot.

Too bad shot #1 has a thumb covering the bottle, could have presented it to the company with commercial intent!

[manutd101]

Nice shots, I remembering watching a competition like this on ESPN, pretty interesting :)

[dispatchermike21]

Very nice series, well done.

[bubba zanetti]

I like the second to last picture the most. Good detail on the axeman and good exposure, and a very good frozen moment action shot.

Too bad shot #1 has a thumb covering the bottle, could have presented it to the company with commercial intent!

Your right...i didnt think of that. I guess they need all the help they can get...that timber is gum which is a very hard wood. Used across the country for railway sleepers.

Tks for looking.

[bubba zanetti]

Nice shots, I remembering watching a competition like this on ESPN, pretty interesting :)

Tks...its an old sport but well supported here. I spent a long time on an axe myself & often think i would like to try my hand at competition however they do have to travel big distances to events a lot.

[bubba zanetti]

Very nice series, well done.

Tks mike.

[booju]

I've always admired watching these events on the television...great skill and precision and the SAME for YOU in capturing these images!

Well done....;)

[bubba zanetti]

I've always admired watching these events on the television...great skill and precision and the SAME for YOU in capturing these images!

Well done....;)

Tks booju. Hard going with the safety net in between. Prefocused in the end.

[ian408]

Interesting set. Don't see much of that in the states--more of a tourist thing here.

What these shots can't show is the speed with which the axeman works. They definitely convey the intensity of the sport.

Nice work Gus.

[bubba zanetti]

Interesting set. Don't see much of that in the states--more of a tourist thing here.

What these shots can't show is the speed with which the axeman works. They definitely convey the intensity of the sport.

Nice work Gus.

Hey my old driving buddy ....tks

I dropped the shutter back for a few but man its a fine edge (no pun intended) to get the axe moving but the men still. They were going through these logs in maybe 30 seconds.

Still very popular here.


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[bsmotril]

Great shots that capture the intensity of the event. I think I'd be wearing steel toe boots though.

[bubba zanetti]

Great shots that capture the intensity of the event. I think I'd be wearing steel toe boots though.

Tks bsmotril...i was thinking more along the lines of chain mail socks. There would be no coming back from missing the block, they are incredibly sharp axes & the pace is unbelievably fast.

[chadmcm]

I used to compete in college. The person in the horizontal chop has great touch - perfect cuts!

Never did see a handle break, but you're right about the nylon not stopping a runaway head. Those heads are made of key steel, and are razor sharp when correctly honed.

Nice photos.

[AdamLewis]

Those are sharp! ;)

Looking for CC? Or just sharing?

[bubba zanetti]

I used to compete in college. The person in the horizontal chop has great touch - perfect cuts!

Never did see a handle break, but you're right about the nylon not stopping a runaway head. Those heads are made of key steel, and are razor sharp when correctly honed.

Nice photos.

Ive seen plenty of heads fly off handles from the days i cut wood...bad fitting & maint wise that is. I used plums with rough old gum handles but i noticed these fellas used hickory handles. Ive used hickory & they are beautiful handles.

That bloke was amazing with his accuracy.

[bubba zanetti]

Those are sharp! ;)

Looking for CC? Or just sharing?

Tks adam. Without wanting to upset anyone i just do my own thing regardless of CC. I was very close with a 400mm going through nylon mesh from one point in the crowd so there isnt a lot i could have changed other than shutter speed. I love my 400 !

[AdamLewis]

Tks adam. Without wanting to upset anyone i just do my own thing regardless of CC. I was very close with a 400mm going through nylon mesh from one point in the crowd so there isnt a lot i could have changed other than shutter speed. I love my 400 !

I was going to comment on the net but figured Id wait to see what you were looking for :)

Carry on!

[bubba zanetti]

I was going to comment on the net but figured Id wait to see what you were looking for :)

Carry on!

No your cool mate. Being that close with that lens it was constantly getting the net so i just prefocused & went to manual. You can see it in some of the photos. I just prayed i didnt get a foot sliced in 2. Ive got adze scars all over my lower legs & feet. I used to travel about with my father cutting wood as a kid & he always told me to put an oil drum either side of the log & put each foot in them.

[curiousgeorge]

Excellent shots. Razor sharp too. What lens did you use and did you do much sharpening post processing?

[bubba zanetti]

Excellent shots. Razor sharp too. What lens did you use and did you do much sharpening post processing?
Tks curiousgeorge. My favourite lens, 400 L 5.6. Those that own it know its sharpness. I did the smallest amount of sharpening in PP. I needed to get close & through the safety mesh. It has amazing focus speed.