The barrel racers

I don't shoot sports, but we were invited to see some women's (and girls') barrel racing, so I took the camera:

It was a very overcast and dim day, so the original shots came out very flat; I had to get a little creative to bring them out.

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I shot a little rodeo last year. You are definitely catching the action. You are having the same issues that I did. Cluttered backgrounds. If you figure out a better angle, let me know!

p3av8or wrote in post #16703008
I shot a little rodeo last year. You are definitely catching the action. You are having the same issues that I did. Cluttered backgrounds. If you figure out a better angle, let me know!

I should have shot them at f/4. It would blurred the background more.

Crop, crop, crop... Select rider, Invert selection, duplicate layer, gaussian blur... f/1.8!

Try to get the rider coming around the barrel turned toward you. Backgrounds are always an issue at the rider is usually quite a distance from you. And do not be afraid to get in close.

Nice Moose, yea, f/4 probably would have blurred the background a bit more.

LV Moose wrote in post #16703028
I should have shot them at f/4. It would blurred the background more.

Moose, great action cluttered bg. I can't view your exif data which would help make better suggestions.

I would suggest wide f1.4 to f2.8

Ted

I appreciate the comments and suggestions, everyone!

TedEllis wrote in post #16704698
Moose, great action cluttered bg. I can't view your exif data which would help make better suggestions.

I would suggest wide f1.4 to f2.8

Ted

Thanks, Ted. I was using a 70-200 f/4L IS, so f/4 would have been the largest aperture.

I was shooting Aperture Priority. Started off with f/6.3 and eventually went down to 4.5;
It was heavily overcast, and getting darker as the afternoon went on. I started off with ISO 800 and tried to maintain a shutter speed of at least 1/800. As it got darker the ss dropped to 1/400 so I went with ISO 1600 and f/5.6. As it got darker still, I went to ISO 2500 and f/4.5.

If I had it to do over: Manual Mode, Auto ISO, f/4, 1/1000 sec.

LV Moose wrote in post #16704871
I appreciate the comments and suggestions, everyone!

Thanks, Ted. I was using a 70-200 f/4L IS, so f/4 would have been the largest aperture.

I was shooting Aperture Priority. Started off with f/6.3 and eventually went down to 4.5;
It was heavily overcast, and getting darker as the afternoon went on. I started off with ISO 800 and tried to maintain a shutter speed of at least 1/800. As it got darker the ss dropped to 1/400 so I went with ISO 1600 and f/5.6. As it got darker still, I went to ISO 2500 and f/4.5.

If I had it to do over: Manual Mode, Auto ISO, f/4, 1/1000 sec.

Many if not most of the ole sports shooters shoot in aperture priority. Many of the newer ones shoot manual. I am one of those since 2008.

I have no problem with your shutter speeds. If the action is close to the bg f2.8 would not have helped much. If you are going to shoot more sports, f2.8 will help immensely in the long run. Of course there is the $$$$$.

^ I almost never shoot sports. My wife works with the mother of one of the youngest riders, so I went to take shots of her... and got carried away