Collegiate MTB Dual Slalom

[Big Hands]

My son is now in the first year of college and has followed the lead of his sister and joined his school's cycling team. Fortunately for me, being an action photo junkie, these races are a target rich environment ;~).

I shot some of the practice and qualifying with my 20D/70-200 f/2.8L. The race pics were shot with the Tokina 12-24 and the Canon 17-85is. I thought I grabbed my "dust inhaler" (Canon 17-55 f/2.8is) before I left the house at 6am for the drive up to Los Olivos, but apparently I was still in a fog and didn't have my glasses on and grabbed the 17-85is. Oh well! I likely saved myself from having to clean it again.

1 -
http://photos.imageevent.com/johansen01/letsgoracin/cowpieclassic2009/cowpiedspracticequalifying/IMG_2011.jpg

2 -
http://photos.imageevent.com/johansen01/letsgoracin/cowpieclassic2009/cowpiedspracticequalifying/IMG_1965.jpg

3 -
http://photos.imageevent.com/johansen01/letsgoracin/cowpieclassic2009/cowpiedspracticequalifying/IMG_2341.jpg

4 -
http://photos.imageevent.com/johansen01/letsgoracin/cowpieclassic2009/cowpieclassic2009race/IMG_2516.jpg

5 -
http://photos.imageevent.com/johansen01/letsgoracin/cowpieclassic2009/cowpieclassic2009race/IMG_2638.jpg

6 -
http://photos.imageevent.com/johansen01/letsgoracin/cowpieclassic2009/cowpieclassic2009race/IMG_2645.jpg

7 -
http://photos.imageevent.com/johansen01/letsgoracin/cowpieclassic2009/cowpieclassic2009race/IMG_2695.jpg

8 -
http://photos.imageevent.com/johansen01/letsgoracin/cowpieclassic2009/cowpieclassic2009race/IMG_2670.jpg

C & C is always welcome. Thanks for looking!

Regards,
Jeff

[namasste]

Love em, especially the last although I wish there were some more evident panning. I can't believe these kids get to race DS! We don't even have cycling here unless its on the road.

[Big Hands]

Love em, especially the last although I wish there were some more evident panning. I can't believe these kids get to race DS! We don't even have cycling here unless its on the road.

Scott, I loves me some panning too! But this was one of those times I wanted to play it a bit safe (so safe I didn't even try to get spoke blur) so I could get as many decent shots of as many kids as possible. I ended up p&p'ing 450 shots of the DS even alone and still have to p&p the XC race pics :cool:

I went up mainly to watch my son race, but before I left, my daughter reminded me to be sure to shoot pics for the racers as they really appreciate having them. When I would shoot her races, she would be a little . . . . . disappointed . . . . when I panned so many pics as the keeper ratio goes down the toi-toi when I do that.

If I was shooting for my own playtime I would have spent half the day doing some really low speed panning, especially with those backgrounds!

I feel you tho brother! Thanks for the comments!

Regards,
Jeff

[rideuntildeath]

Love the yeti got one of those myself!
#7 and #3(because its a yeti :P)
#4 is also quite nice

I'd like to see a few with not as tight of a crop, at least see the landing or jump
but overall great shots!

[namasste]

Either way, I love em Jeff and I like that Yeti too. I have a Blur 4X right now and its just silly in the corners but the bb is so low that you really have to pay attention or it'll remind you the hard way!

[Big Hands]

Scott, my son and I ride matching Reigns, but for some reason, mine doesn't seem to fly through the air like his does :D

http://photos.imageevent.com/johansen01/letsgoracin/cowpieclassic2009/cowpiedspracticequalifying/IMG_2056.jpg

I just put together a 29er hardtail that is getting a lot of my time and the lower BB is causing me to get some pedal strikes I'm not used to from the Reign. Love it though, it really hauls the mail on my local trails!

[namasste]

I ride a lot of bmx with my son so I know what you mean. Once they pass you up in the skills dept, there's no turning back. Funny about the HT since I sold a rigid 29 singlespeed last season and have regretted every second of it. I'm actually looking to sell the Blur and go back to a 26" singlespeed. I'll save my spills for the bmx....

[FZ1]

The expression on #6 is killing me :) You have some nice shots there.

[Waffles_Media]

guys face on 6 looks scary... LOL

[Rick_R]

Nice Shots: I've shot a couple of DS Races there and have found the panning/low shutter speed shots there really hard as the riders go by you. I have found that another option is to catch them coming off the smaller jumps straight on with a longer lens does ok:
http://bikeguy.smugmug.com/Santa-Ynez-MTB-Race-April-2009/Dual-Slalom/Dual-Slalom-Photos-from-Sat/Edited-4411/522830179_vsRRQ-M.jpg

Hopefully it was not as hot for you has it has been for me. BTW; I understand what you mean about try to keep up with your kids on bikes. Started riding at 8 and thought I would keep up until he was 16 or so, at twelve he was smoking me on pretty much everything (something about riding 2~3 hours a day while I'm working)

If you like shooting DS, come on up to Sea Otter in April. Super fast course and about twice a long as Los Olivis with great berms


Regards
Rick

[Jagman]

I love some of the expressions you've captured, but why no pictures of both riders at once? These all look like DH pictures, you wouldn't know to look at them that there is someone else racing at the same time. I know you don't get to fill the frame quite the same way usually, but it is pretty key to the feeling of the sport.

[Big Hands]

OK Jagman, here's some side by each action for my encore ;~)

http://photos.imageevent.com/johansen01/letsgoracin/cowpieclassic2009/cowpiedspracticequalifying/IMG_2092.jpg

http://photos.imageevent.com/johansen01/letsgoracin/cowpieclassic2009/cowpiedspracticequalifying/IMG_2094.jpg

http://photos.imageevent.com/johansen01/letsgoracin/cowpieclassic2009/cowpieclassic2009race/IMG_2534.jpg

http://photos.imageevent.com/johansen01/letsgoracin/cowpieclassic2009/cowpiedspracticequalifying/IMG_2004.jpg

And a couple others from that day. . . . four months ago :~)

http://photos.imageevent.com/johansen01/letsgoracin/cowpieclassic2009/cowpieclassic2009race/IMG_2672.jpg

Always good to see the ladies gettin' down and dirty too. . . . .

http://photos.imageevent.com/johansen01/letsgoracin/cowpieclassic2009/cowpiedspracticequalifying/IMG_2456.jpg

And the guy in the BG's expression says it all.

http://photos.imageevent.com/johansen01/letsgoracin/cowpieclassic2009/cowpiedspracticequalifying/IMG_2144.jpg

As I recall, I tried to get a good angle for some side by side shots, but the sun just wasn't cooperating to my satisfaction for getting good exposure with shadows on half the rider's faces. Sometimes you can't force it and just have to go with the flow. Thanks for all the comments.

Regards,
Jeff