Sports? Maybe...

[Rafromak]

There was a sprint dogsled race taking place this weekend in North Pole, Alaska. These dogs are simply amazing, and want to run as soon as they are harnessed :D They can't contain themselves, so several people have to hold-on to them to prevent them from 'jump starting" the race. They run at full speed for around 4 miles, and when they cross the finish line they don't want to stop. The musher has to have several helpers to grab and slow the dogs past the finish line.
http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y51/Rayfromalaska/MyPictures/Chena_1387d.jpg
http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y51/Rayfromalaska/MyPictures/Chena_1387e.jpg

[christisdale]

lovin the frozen slobber on the dogs face ( front left dog)

cool shot

[Rafromak]

Thanks, Chris.

[asysin2leads]

Heck yes, that is a sport. However, I would like to see more of the driver in focus. Great shots of the dog, though.

[bps]

I love the crop on the dogs. Outstanding!

Bryan

[palmor]

Great dog sled photos! Also nice to see some photos of someplace I've actually been. We took a month long trip to Alaska a few years ago and who can resist a trip to the North Pole when you swing through the Fairbanks area :lol:



John

[tracknut]

Wow, now that's action! I've never seen the frozen slobber thing...

Nice shots,
Dave

[H20boy]

First pic is soooooo original, great capture. Of course, not many people would want that for their living room wall (maybe a sled dog trainer, drivers, dog lovers), but hey... its still a fantastic shot!

[Rafromak]

First pic is soooooo original, great capture. Of course, not many people would want that for their living room wall (maybe a sled dog trainer, drivers, dog lovers), but hey... its still a fantastic shot!

Probably not the best photo in the dining room :lol:

[OldNick]

Lovely shots! Hah! yeah the frozen slobber. They must be tough! dogs. I think I like the one with the driver, and the OOF part can work, because the dogs are everything here. As you say the driver needs help just to stop them, so he is just a "passenger", or hanger on. :) The shot relegates him to that category.

[FELINEDEBOURGES]

I think the dogs are surely the focus and I think it really works - but if you wanted to sell the photo to that guy you probably would want a greater DOF so he's almost as sharp as the dogs.

The frozen slobber is incredible, I've never seen that before; and man are those tongues flying!

[OldNick]

Are we about selling? I know it's nice, but there is the art....

Hey! And if it was me, I would go for the dogs. I have heard these guys talk, (on TV :() and it's all about the dogs. They love them.

It's like fishermen and their boats: drivers and their cars, truckers and their rigs....

[jcpoulin]

great shots!!! Love the tongues. These dogs work hard and love to work.....too bad people couldn't model after them!!!

[Fosters]

I have to agree with everyone else. The frozen slobber on the dogs is perfect - especially the middle dog where you can plainly see the lines. I've never seen anything like that.

Josh

[Tvw]

Now this is a cool action shot. I like them both.

[Rafromak]

Thanks to all of you for the nice comments.

Set the camera to ISO 100, and the 200mm prime to f/5.6. Perhaps I could have used f/8 or f/11 to have the dogs and the driver in focus, but I didn't want to take the chance since the main harness is quite long, which requires a deep DOF (around 30' or more from the lead dogs to the driver). However, I plan to experiment a little with DOF the next time.

[KrautFed]

I wonder if their tongues ever get stuck?

http://www.estevenjones.com/the_blog/uploaded_images/tongue-frozen-to-pole.jpg

[Rafromak]

I wonder if their tongues ever get stuck?

http://www.estevenjones.com/the_blog/uploaded_images/tongue-frozen-to-pole.jpg

Kids do try that sometimes, but it could be dangerous for their tongues in the interior of Alaska where it gets quite cold. :lol:

[Zivnuska]

Fun and terrific! Thanks for posting.

[OldNick]

We just do not get that cold (0 C is unusual) but I do remember a kid getting stuck to the icecream factory wall on a day tour...


.....it also looks like a treated pole!????

[Rafromak]

We just do not get that cold (0 C is unusual) but I do remember a kid getting stuck to the icecream factory wall on a day tour...


.....it also looks like a treated pole!????

Probably a metallic post. It gets so cold in the interior of Alaska that more than likely one loses some of the tongue before one can pull it off the post. However, if it's not too cold, the tongue releases enough heat to allow for it to separate from the post.

[jrad4real]

Sweet photo, that slobber looks friggin nasty haha

[bjoynes]

Great pictures. For me the dogs are the subject, and the out of focus driver is great, he is not the story for me. This is definitely a sport, you have to be fit to work those dogs, just to hang on for the ride you have to be fit. Takes a lot of training and skill of the driver.

Love the slobber on the faces, also the the excited look on the dogs faces.

Bryn

[Rafromak]

Great pictures. For me the dogs are the subject, and the out of focus driver is great, he is not the story for me. This is definitely a sport, you have to be fit to work those dogs, just to hang on for the ride you have to be fit. Takes a lot of training and skill of the driver.

Love the slobber on the faces, also the the excited look on the dogs faces.

Bryn

Thanks.

You are correct about the driver having to be fit. These dogs are a handful of energy.