Alpine skiing World cup finals a bit different

[primoz]

Hi guys
Last week was my last week spent on FIS Alpine skiing World cup. At least for season 2009/2010 :) After quite a bit of thinking, I decided to try and do it a bit different. After shooting 40 or even more World cup races in last few months, I was sick of doing another 11 races or trainings in last 6 days the same standard way. So here's result :)

http://www.photo.si/img/sport/spo_skiing_20100309nw_19674.jpg

First placed Hans Grugger of Austria skiing in training of Men downhill race of Audi FIS alpine skiing World Cup in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany

http://www.photo.si/img/sport/spo_skiing_20100309nw_19629.jpg

Olympic champion in downhill Didier Defago of Switzerland skiing in training of Men downhill race of Audi FIS alpine skiing World Cup in Garmisch-Partenkirchen

http://www.photo.si/img/sport/spo_skiing_20100309nw_19805.jpg

First in training Fabienne Suter of Switzerland skiing in training of Women downhill race of Audi FIS alpine skiing World Cup in Garmisch-Partenkirchen

http://www.photo.si/img/sport/spo_skiing_20100309nw_19809.jpg

Austrian coach on course observing skiing of Fabienne Suter of Switzerland in training of Women downhill race of Audi FIS alpine skiing World Cup in Garmisch-Partenkirchen

http://www.photo.si/img/sport/spo_skiing_20100310nw_21321.jpg

Third placed Erik Guay of Canada skiing in last Men downhill race of Audi FIS alpine skiing World Cup, which was held on Kandahar downhill course in Garmisch-Partenkirchen

http://www.photo.si/img/sport/spo_skiing_20100310nw_21218.jpg

Second placed Mario Scheiber of Austria skiing in last Men downhill race of Audi FIS alpine skiing World Cup, which was held on Kandahar downhill course in Garmisch-Partenkirchen

http://www.photo.si/img/sport/spo_skiing_20100310nw_21264.jpg

Didier Cuche of Switzerland skiing in last Men downhill race of Audi FIS alpine skiing World Cup, which was held on Kandahar downhill course in Garmisch-Partenkirchen

http://www.photo.si/img/sport/spo_skiing_20100310nw_21449.jpg

Second placed Lindsey Vonn of USA skiing in last Women downhill race of Audi FIS alpine skiing World Cup, which was held on Kandahar downhill course in Garmisch-Partenkirchen

So what do you guys think about this? Like? Don't like? Feel free to give any sort of comment that come to your mind :)

Greetings,
Primoz

[flyingdogguitar]

Hi,
I'm pretty much a novice here. But I really like the last close-up shot, dynamic action. well done my friend!
Dave
London,England

[dankopp]

I'm a novice too. I'm sorry, but your "different" shots look like snapshots.

[Onyxdragun]

Did you use a Tilt-shift or photoshop them?

I like them, but I do like the last one more

[Biffbradford]

The last one looks good, but you forgot to wipe the finger print smudges off the lens in the first bunch.

LOL ;)

[ChasWG]

I was just up in Steamboat Springs, CO for the NCAA Skiing Championships and I've got to tell you, most of those shots look a lot like what I got only having a 70-200 and working my sound job for CBS Sports while trying to shoot some ski racing. The wide shots just don't do it. Maybe one or two to help set the scene, but most of them where the subject is so small in the frame is like what a lot of people with their P&S would get. Only yours are better than a P&S, sharp, no blur and composed. I just don't care to look at that many wide shots of tiny skiers. You have the glass, use it I say.

[primoz]

Thanks for comments :) All these, except last one of course were done with TS lens. No Photoshop involved. I actually agree you can't really see it all that good in this small "thumbnail". I will try to put some bigger one (with nasty watermarking unfortunately) and will see if you will like it better then :)
Personally I find them quite interesting, but I agree it's more like hate it or love it but nothing in between :) And obviously you are more on hate it side :)

[ChasWG]

I wouldn't say "Hate." Actually I would love to see some larger ones. It's so hard to see the TS with the small images. It might actually be more interesting once you can see them larger. I'm sure on your home screen they are really cool.

[primoz]

Ok here's bigger version of one of such photos.

http://www.photo.si/stuff/spo_skiing_20100309nw_19805.jpg
First in training Fabienne Suter of Switzerland skiing in training of Women downhill race of Audi FIS alpine skiing World Cup in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany. Training for downhill race of Women Audi FIS Alpine skiing World Cup 2009-10, was held on Tuesday in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany, on 9th of March 2010.

I know watermarks are crap, but I really can't put them on without watermarks. This is our money (even if you don't like this photos), so please try to understand watermarks. I know they are not nice, but at the moment, I don't see any other way to protect our money... even if it's just about one photo.

[ChasWG]

OK, I get them now! In fact, I do like them. That razor thin line of focus is cool! What were the settings, if you don't mind?

As for the Watermark, it's totally understandable. I know several folks here at POTN that have deployed bigger and nastier WM's just because someone with sticky fingers thought they could take whatever they want. This site is a treasure trove of great images. But the reality is, if someone wants to steal your image and they are good with PS they can take what they want. Then it's up to you to see it and then debate the issue. That doesn't make it right, in fact it's right out theft! These aren't full res. are they?

[AdamLewis]

We need more of Lindsey Vonn

[mikekelley]

The first couple work great, where there are lots of lines leading your eyes through the photo. The middle few seem a bit static and don't work too well with the tilt shift effect because it's just straight side to side, if you know what I mean. The first ones seem like the skier is flowing through the in-focus area, and it looks great, and they have a place to go. Where they don't work is when the skier just looks like he/she is going to ski straight into a blur. The last one is your usual good work!

[Tessa]

They do look better when bigger, but in all honesty I don't really like the TS shots - the skier just gets lost in the mix. But I totally understand your need to try something different after so many races :)

[primoz]

We need more of Lindsey Vonn
There's a whole lot more of her in our online archive :)
http://www.photo.si/search1.php?searchstring=lindsey_vonn&lenb=0

[primoz]

What were the settings, if you don't mind?
Settings for those with TS? If I remember right something like iso 640-800, f4.0-5.6 and times between 1/1000 and 1/4000sec.
And no even this big one is not full resolution. It's scaled down to 1500pix on longest. Full resolution on mk4 is around 4800pix on longest.

[primoz]

To be honest, I didn't really like first few, and I liked better last ones. But we are different :) Maybe it's so also because weather was ****ty on DH training. I was almost on top of course (there are second or third gate) and 10mins before start sky was blue and there was sun, so photos would be really nice. Few minutes before start big cloud came and everything was all white... not to mention it started snowing by the end of training.

[tomd]

Great shots. I am sure it was fun shooting something different. It'll be interesting to see if you have more sales with this style, versus the traditional shots.

(I love the speed suit Lindsey has on in the last photo. sweeeet)

[AdamLewis]

There's a whole lot more of her in our online archive :)
http://www.photo.si/search1.php?searchstring=lindsey_vonn&lenb=0

I love you

[BenJohnson]

I really like your previous work, but I don't like the T/S shots at all, sorry.

The last one looks great! Stick to the close up action shots, IMO.

[AB8ND]

I like the work, instead of the skier getting lost, I think it rather shows how small the skier is compared to the mountain. I suppose a big problem is the red catch fence, it kind of takes over the shots, but there is not much you can do about that. I really like the tight shot of Lindsey though.


Jack

[donttreadonme]

I really like the last three wide angle shots. That bigger one is awesome as well.

I particularly like this one because it is close enough the attention is focused on the skier but you get the beauty of the surroundings. I love the snowy trees in the background.

http://www.photo.si/img/sport/spo_skiing_20100310nw_21321.jpg