I just operate differently than some I guess. I'm not out to make a million right now I'm practicing, building a site/portfolio and having fun. If i can make any money i'll be happy. I have a career but this is a big hobby of mine and i want to get better. So advice/critique is good for me.
There are some racing coming up and the owner of the track said to come on out and be careful. I can hand out business cards and people can find their number.
How did ya'll get your names/businesses out there?
quote]
YOU HAVE IT RIGHT THERE. If you are having fun and making money and buliding your site you are a jump ahead of a lot of people beating thier heads tring to make money. My day job is more than photography has offered YET, But the learning and just getting out there is the most important part IMO.
I don't follow what you're saying. sports mode seems to throw the highest shutter it can based on available light. doesn't aperture priority allow you to chose aperture, and in turn on overcast days wouldn't it pick a slow shutter?
if most riders/parents want the "frozen" shots why not let sports mode chose? I'm trying understand what you're saying.
But in sports mode you also have no control over aperture. It might go wide-open, it might not. You're at the mercy of the camera. Seeing as how the aperture setting affects the feel of the image (in terms of depth of field) as much as shutter speed does (in terms of how much, or how little motion is shown), letting the camera pick it all is just not a great idea.
You gotta ask yourself, are you taking snapshots or are you trying to capture compelling images? You gotta ask yourself, do you have a good idea of how you want your image to look? You gotta ask yourself are you trying to get pictures that look like everyone else who is capable of selecting the sports mode and pointing the camera, or are you trying to get something unique?
We've seen some very compelling images in this thread. And we've seen a lot of snapshots. And we've seen some stuff that is, well, junk. Sorry, but true. For example the jump shot you liked. Sorry, it was severely out of focus, low on contrast, not very colorful. Really, it should have hit the trash bin to never see the light of day.
thanks. I don't know how to do any of that I just shoot em and hope for the best.
I don't use photoshop either. Have you tried Picassa3 (free from Google) Its a good catalog and has some simplistic controls (for dumb lazy/asses like me)
If you get it in there, try I'm getting lucky, if too blue cancel it and go to the tuning tab above. Try the light stick for auto tune. If you want more, move the shadows button across.
It's real easy and you won't get as many thread bruises if you use it.
But in sports mode you also have no control over aperture. It might go wide-open, it might not. You're at the mercy of the camera. Seeing as how the aperture setting affects the feel of the image (in terms of depth of field) as much as shutter speed does (in terms of how much, or how little motion is shown), letting the camera pick it all is just not a great idea.
You gotta ask yourself, are you taking snapshots or are you trying to capture compelling images? You gotta ask yourself, do you have a good idea of how you want your image to look? You gotta ask yourself are you trying to get pictures that look like everyone else who is capable of selecting the sports mode and pointing the camera, or are you trying to get something unique?
We've seen some very compelling images in this thread. And we've seen a lot of snapshots. And we've seen some stuff that is, well, junk. Sorry, but true. For example the jump shot you liked. Sorry, it was severely out of focus, low on contrast, not very colorful. Really, it should have hit the trash bin to never see the light of day.
but if you're shooting outdoor "action" how/why would you rely on the camera to pick the shutter speed?
that being said I really like this one from sunday that I shot (mistakenly) in aperture priority under cloudy overcast conditions and the camera still chose 1/250 shutter.
I certainly want compelling images, I just think the moment/subject/perspective/light all of which are non camera related affect that more than the shutter or aperture, within reason, when using something as basic as a D40. I remember back when I used to shoot film in the 70;s with a Pentax 1000 and you prertty much learned that in poor light there was nothing wrong with going higher than the middle spot of the little meter inside the viewfinder.
as far as my jump shot, my eyesight isn't THAT good so I wasn't about to pitch it onsite because I knew I had at least gotten everything in without cutting off a wheel or a head. Obviously its out of focus but when I'm going through 1000+ shots and deleting and keeping, I've tried to keep in mind a few things.
1. If presented with the image, would the rider say keep it or delete it.
2. Could the rider reproduce the shot in his back yard without too much trouble.
Meaning that if the shot is totally lifeless and amounts to "some guy on a bike" with no sensation of speed, agressiveness, or just good presentation, then maybe it needs to be deleted.
If nothing else my out of focus jump shot has serious drama, and for other reasons listed a few pages back, I concluded I quite liked the shot, bad focus and all.
from sunday.
Shutter priority, 1/200 quite pleased even with the front wheel missing.
Why? Because she's a little demon and won the moto.
Why don't you guys just learn to use a camera in manual, the way good photogs do. That way you are in total control of your pics and quit relying on the camera to do the work for you. If you want to become any better, this is what you should do.
Why don't you guys just learn to use a camera in manual, the way good photogs do. That way you are in total control of your pics and quit relying on the camera to do the work for you. If you want to become any better, this is what you should do.
I completely agree. There's no way you can control the outcome of your shots when you let the camera make the decisions for you. Invariably you will end up with a bunch of snapshots at best, and in most cases only a time-wasting, shutter burning, heap of deletes. You might occasionally get lucky with a keeper, but it will only be that - luck. You'll have no idea why it happened or how to reproduce the effect you stumbled upon. Learning what each setting does AND WHY IT DOES IT is a critical step toward creating compelling images. If you're not shooting manual, you're doomed to creating mediocre images IMO. Why would anyone intentionally choose to do that?
but if you're shooting outdoor "action" how/why would you rely on the camera to pick the shutter speed?
Now that's really puzzling. How on earth did you conclude that I was suggesting you let the camera pick the shutter speed? I'm trying to tell you to take more control over the image, not less.
as far as my jump shot, my eyesight isn't THAT good so I wasn't about to pitch it onsite because I knew I had at least gotten everything in without cutting off a wheel or a head. Obviously its out of focus but when I'm going through 1000+ shots and deleting and keeping, I've tried to keep in mind a few things.
One thing you will eventually learn is how to only click the shutter button when you know you have a keeper. You will start getting very deliberate in your shooting, not accidental in your shooting. You will start making very rapid decisions and adjustments, move the camera slightly to the left because you realize you're chopping off a wheel. Etc. Your keeper rate should climb.
If nothing else my out of focus jump shot has serious drama
No, it didn't.
Shutter priority, 1/200 quite pleased even with the front wheel missing. Why? Because she's a little demon and won the moto.
But you can't tell that from the picture! Big deal she won the moto, you still chopped off the tire. In other words, that particular photo does not tell the story of a winner, its just a shot with a chopped off tire. Now, if that shot had some form of context, like a waving checkered flag, that would be different. See the difference? You know she's the winner because you were there. We don't know that, and can't tell that, just from the photo.
Settings from sunday
I used TV and shutter speed between 1/1600 to 1/2000 .
Also ISO 100 or 200 and picture style made a custom one 4,-1,2,0
and a AWB.
1.
2.
3.
www.rmwphoto.ca
Canon XSI
18-55 AF IS
55-250 AF IS
Canon 430 EXII Flash
I used TV and shutter speed between 1/1600 to 1/2000 .
Also ISO 100 or 200 and picture style made a custom one 4,-1,2,0
and a AWB.
My default for MX was Tv at 1/640. That shutter was fast enough to get a crisp bike, but slow enough to get a touch of wheel blur in the tread and spokes. And for panning shots I'd drop to 1/125 on the shutter.
Now that's really puzzling. How on earth did you conclude that I was suggesting you let the camera pick the shutter speed? I'm trying to tell you to take more control over the image, not less.
I was referring to you're suggesting to use Aperture priority, which means you select the F stop but the camera sets the shutter speed.
In other words, that particular photo does not tell the story of a winner, its just a shot with a chopped off tire. Now, if that shot had some form of context, like a waving checkered flag, that would be different. See the difference? You know she's the winner because you were there. We don't know that, and can't tell that, just from the photo.
fair points, but I guess I consider myself shooting for the rider, not the viewer. I'd like to think if she saw that picture, and she will, that she likes it enough to right click, and she will. and it will be on her myspace. not exactly pulitzer prize criteria but it works for me and thats really all that matters to me.
You have to take what the subject gives you, on such a cloudy day I was really trying to stay with the sun which was visible but just barely. The checkered flag at that track isn't a good vantage point on a sunny day to some degree. Again I try to decide between the keepers and the discards, to some extent, which ones would the rider say "no way" if I asked them keep or delete.
One thing you will eventually learn is how to only click the shutter button when you know you have a keeper. You will start getting very deliberate in your shooting, not accidental in your shooting. You will start making very rapid decisions and adjustments, move the camera slightly to the left because you realize you're chopping off a wheel. Etc. Your keeper rate should climb.
good point and definitely moving in that direction. sometimes it just ain't there. you start to learn that different rider classes ie expert vs plus 40C don't give the same opportunities, on the jumps for example.
fair points, but I guess I consider myself shooting for the rider, not the viewer. I'd like to think if she saw that picture, and she will, that she likes it enough to right click, and she will. and it will be on her myspace. not exactly pulitzer prize criteria but it works for me and thats really all that matters to me.
Bear in mind, if you let them right-click they'll grab practically anything that is free. In other words, just because they took something does not imply that its a great shot, especially if its free. We're trying to get you beyond that quality of work and into something better. But you seem to be resisting.
I'm also seeing you're assuming that person will indeed agree with you, will right-click the image, will post it to myspace... I have sensed from you in the past, and continue to sense, that you think very highly of your images, including the very flawed ones. What I and others are trying to point out are those flaws and how to rectify them. But you're going to have to see those flaws for yourself and realize "that photo isn't worthy of selling" before you can get to those compelling images that you have admitted you want to take.
In other words, you need to raise your own bar. Throw away more images.
You have to take what the subject gives you, on such a cloudy day I was really trying to stay with the sun which was visible but just barely. The checkered flag at that track isn't a good vantage point on a sunny day to some degree.
That's all understandable. But just because you couldn't get a checkered flag shot on that particular day does not in turn cause the other shots you did get to be good shots. The shot of the "winner" with the front wheel clipped off is still just that, a rider with the front wheel clipped off. Since the photo itself doesn't convey anything at all about winning, its still just a photo with a wheel clipped off. And just because a checkered flag shot was not possible on that particular day does not turn that clipped-front-wheel shot into anything better. You get the idea?
If you did not know that particular shot was of a race winner, then honestly what would your opinion of the shot be? That it had a compositional error? Or that it was the best possible shot of a race winner on that day?
Raise your bar. You're capable of better, that much is clear. But you're bar is still set too low.
I've come to the conclusion that I'm going to delete more than I keep, a lot more. When I get to a site, I walk it and pick a few shooting sites that I can get to in the event & take into consideration of where the natural light will be when the event occurs.
I've gone thru too much personal aggravation trying to save shots with a sh**tty background so picking the background first, saves me grief and I'm here to enjoy.
Here are 2 examples of a picked background first
I wanted the score pole in
There was a nice hill where the racers were catching air and were raising dust giving good subject separation
I saw a shot of the Daytona 500 with these stands and liked it, this is what the Supercross at Daytona Speedway looks like
I may get some crap for this, but here goes.
In general, yes, I like to shoot in manual, but mostly in a controlled environment, which an MX race is anything but.
I let the situation dictate what mode to use.
I like to shoot in AV at wide open while at the races, especially if the light is always changing.
Way to much going on to notice minor light changes, correct in manual and still get the shot while making sure you dont get run over by some guy trying the 50 ft triple for the first time :nono
If I am using strobes, have constant light, or am trying for a particular look, then manual is the way to go.
Just saying....
If i'm just looking to capture a moment, not create art, then AV for me is the way to go.
I agree.. too much action and sports pros that I know don't use it for motorsports or horse racing or polo.
I mean you have a group coming at you at 60-100 mph, you're on continuous high (my D700 w grip gives me 8fps) and your going to manual focus? Even with fast auto focus these guys run out of my dof.
I've come to the conclusion that I'm going to delete more than I keep, a lot more. When I get to a site, I walk it and pick a few shooting sites that I can get to in the event & take into consideration of where the natural light will be when the event occurs.
I've gone thru too much personal aggravation trying to save shots with a sh**tty background so picking the background first, saves me grief and I'm here to enjoy.
Light i kinda figured... but never really thought so much about choosing the background first. It makes a lot of sense, don't know what i didn't think of that. I've been to some tracks that all the background is crap i guess it just means tighter shots so there isn't much of a background.
Shooting
I have gone from taking 2000 shots in one day till now where i do around 800
and throw out about 75
And that is 8 moto's in the morning and afternoon .
the race i was at sunday had 700 riders ,there was no way i was going to
get all of them lol
The one track i have been at 4 times this year i know what corners i shoot
in the morning and the ones i shoot in the afternoon according the sun postion.
www.rmwphoto.ca
Canon XSI
18-55 AF IS
55-250 AF IS
Canon 430 EXII Flash
I have sensed from you in the past, and continue to sense, that you think very highly of your images, including the very flawed ones. What I and others are trying to point out are those flaws and how to rectify them. But you're going to have to see those flaws for yourself and realize "that photo isn't worthy of selling" before you can get to those compelling images that you have admitted you want to take.
all of the advice, critique, points of view posted here are very appreciated and not taken lightly.
having said that, if ever there were a mid life crisis, my current return to motocross on weekends would seem to me, to qualify as one.
Some of my shots I'm very pleased with, but every last one of them, and this will sound a bit naive or contrived, every shot I take I feel a responsibility to the rider to do the right thing and be very sure before I delete it, and even then, I still have a hard time. That I attribute to my absolute obsession with MX.
In the bigger picture, I think "digital photography" opens up a whole new realm of media which includes "new" questions.
When everyone used to go shoot film and MAYBE bring 3-4 rolls of 36 exposure film, keeping in mind that you had to pay for developing, when you got them back, you didn't throw anything out, it just stayed in the envelope it came in. I truly agonize over deleting pictures, particularly the borderline ones. I do sell, and money is nice, but I don't shoot "for the money". I can't tell you how many good shots I've posted and or printed and given away. I look at it as long term advertisment, and maybe this year or next, I'll get huge sales. Great. But at this point the only thing I see getting me to stop shooting is to get back out on the track myself, which is still hopefully going to happen, and not lack of sales. But at this point in my life I'm quite content to watch and get some dirt roosted on me. I'll ride the dual sport stuff here and there, but I'm really enjoying watching the riders and seeing how the sport has grown.
Once you delete a picture its gone for good. I've got pics from June 08 of the rider I mentioned that lost his leg in July 08. One of those was a definite candidate for deletion. Just a little too dark maybe. Nothing special. a month later I'm giving it to his sister for fundraising.
Why not take advantage of the digital age and preserve it all for posterity of who knows what. Think of all the blurry less that perfect shots from the film age that people hold onto as one prescious fleeting moment in time.
Maybe I get to attached. I had a nice chat with this kid. 15 years old. Nice a kid as you want to meet. Definitely a candidate for deletion, but it went on the tracks website message board along with 6-7 others from Sunday, and I'd bet a million dollars if he see's it he'll love it. Why delete it and risk that not happening.
Know what you mean
I started taking pics last summer at the club my family races at.
I took a ton of pictures and some where not the best ,but worked out
that the girl who took pictures for them got sick.
The one race i made sure i got every little kid racing that day.
They give plaques with pictures on it to all the riders and because i had taken so many
and not deleted them i had 99% of the ones they needed .
There are two us taking pics this year should have it covered.
Didn't make a penny on it either.
I have a mato"Everyone that races should have at least one really good
picture of them doing what they love"
Even if you run last or middle of the pack.
But i do need to make money now lol i am another auto industry
statistic got layed off yesterday.
www.rmwphoto.ca
Canon XSI
18-55 AF IS
55-250 AF IS
Canon 430 EXII Flash
I started taking pics last summer at the club my family races at.
I took a ton of pictures and some where not the best ,but worked out
that the girl who took pictures for them got sick.
The one race i made sure i got every little kid racing that day.
They give plaques with pictures on it to all the riders and because i had taken so many
and not deleted them i had 99% of the ones they needed .
There are two us taking pics this year should have it covered.
Didn't make a penny on it either.
I have a mato"Everyone that races should have at least one really good
picture of them doing what they love"
Even if you run last or middle of the pack.
But i do need to make money now lol i am another auto industry statistic got layed off yesterday.
I'm sorry to hear that brother. I wish you the best in finding another job.
Yup, I wouldn't dare do that. I've made over $2000 in profit in less than a year from my website and about $1000 more from CD sales and I can count on one hand the number of times I've given free pics to different riders. If you give stuff away, you're not going to be respected and people will then expect free pics because you gave their friend free pics. Just don't do it. You are basically showing everyone that your time is worth nothing and neither are your pics. Not trying to be a prick, I'm just sharing my experience. Even when I first started and my pics sucked, people still bought them and they will buy yours.
Hey amadeus, I used to be more interested in the race than the pix, because I shot what I'm a fan of, I mean nobody's paying me to be there.
I would forget things in my bag, not adjust camera to the conditions... damn I was a mess; until I focused on the pix. Now its not important if I shot every lap, I watch some.
It seems to me, you feel more gratified in giving the kids gifts when they try their personal best. Ain't nothin' wrong with that. But we're going to try to improve the quality of your gifts...:D
That said, I'm going to try a style with a washed out sky and a saturated subject at supermoto next week. So there,.... you taught me something.
Understand what saying
The club is like 80% volentier the plaque pics where my part of that .
I have four family members that race in the club.
The club dosn't make alot of money.
There's another club that i take pics at and if they want pics
they are definetly going to pay lol
www.rmwphoto.ca
Canon XSI
18-55 AF IS
55-250 AF IS
Canon 430 EXII Flash
Comments
thanks. I don't know how to do any of that I just shoot em and hope for the best.
You gotta ask yourself, are you taking snapshots or are you trying to capture compelling images? You gotta ask yourself, do you have a good idea of how you want your image to look? You gotta ask yourself are you trying to get pictures that look like everyone else who is capable of selecting the sports mode and pointing the camera, or are you trying to get something unique?
We've seen some very compelling images in this thread. And we've seen a lot of snapshots. And we've seen some stuff that is, well, junk.
A former sports shooter
Follow me at: https://www.flickr.com/photos/bjurasz/
My Etsy store: https://www.etsy.com/shop/mercphoto?ref=hdr_shop_menu
I don't use photoshop either. Have you tried Picassa3 (free from Google) Its a good catalog and has some simplistic controls (for dumb lazy/asses like me)
If you get it in there, try I'm getting lucky, if too blue cancel it and go to the tuning tab above. Try the light stick for auto tune. If you want more, move the shadows button across.
It's real easy and you won't get as many thread bruises if you use it.
Good luck
Rags
but if you're shooting outdoor "action" how/why would you rely on the camera to pick the shutter speed?
that being said I really like this one from sunday that I shot (mistakenly) in aperture priority under cloudy overcast conditions and the camera still chose 1/250 shutter.
I certainly want compelling images, I just think the moment/subject/perspective/light all of which are non camera related affect that more than the shutter or aperture, within reason, when using something as basic as a D40. I remember back when I used to shoot film in the 70;s with a Pentax 1000 and you prertty much learned that in poor light there was nothing wrong with going higher than the middle spot of the little meter inside the viewfinder.
as far as my jump shot, my eyesight isn't THAT good so I wasn't about to pitch it onsite because I knew I had at least gotten everything in without cutting off a wheel or a head. Obviously its out of focus but when I'm going through 1000+ shots and deleting and keeping, I've tried to keep in mind a few things.
1. If presented with the image, would the rider say keep it or delete it.
2. Could the rider reproduce the shot in his back yard without too much trouble.
Meaning that if the shot is totally lifeless and amounts to "some guy on a bike" with no sensation of speed, agressiveness, or just good presentation, then maybe it needs to be deleted.
If nothing else my out of focus jump shot has serious drama, and for other reasons listed a few pages back, I concluded I quite liked the shot, bad focus and all.
from sunday.
Shutter priority, 1/200 quite pleased even with the front wheel missing.
Why? Because she's a little demon and won the moto.
http://www.RussErbePhotography.com :thumb
http://www.sportsshooter.com/erbeman
D700, D300, Nikkor 35-70 F/2.8, Nikkor 50mm F/1.8, Nikkor 70-200 AF-S VR F/2.8, Nikkor AF-S 1.7 teleconverter II,(2) Profoto D1 500 Air,SB-900, SB-600, (2)MB-D10, MacBook Pro
I completely agree. There's no way you can control the outcome of your shots when you let the camera make the decisions for you. Invariably you will end up with a bunch of snapshots at best, and in most cases only a time-wasting, shutter burning, heap of deletes. You might occasionally get lucky with a keeper, but it will only be that - luck. You'll have no idea why it happened or how to reproduce the effect you stumbled upon. Learning what each setting does AND WHY IT DOES IT is a critical step toward creating compelling images. If you're not shooting manual, you're doomed to creating mediocre images IMO. Why would anyone intentionally choose to do that?
www.bellafaccie.com
One thing you will eventually learn is how to only click the shutter button when you know you have a keeper. You will start getting very deliberate in your shooting, not accidental in your shooting. You will start making very rapid decisions and adjustments, move the camera slightly to the left because you realize you're chopping off a wheel. Etc. Your keeper rate should climb.
No, it didn't.
But you can't tell that from the picture! Big deal she won the moto, you still chopped off the tire. In other words, that particular photo does not tell the story of a winner, its just a shot with a chopped off tire. Now, if that shot had some form of context, like a waving checkered flag, that would be different. See the difference? You know she's the winner because you were there. We don't know that, and can't tell that, just from the photo.
A former sports shooter
Follow me at: https://www.flickr.com/photos/bjurasz/
My Etsy store: https://www.etsy.com/shop/mercphoto?ref=hdr_shop_menu
I used TV and shutter speed between 1/1600 to 1/2000 .
Also ISO 100 or 200 and picture style made a custom one 4,-1,2,0
and a AWB.
1.
2.
3.
Canon XSI
18-55 AF IS
55-250 AF IS
Canon 430 EXII Flash
A former sports shooter
Follow me at: https://www.flickr.com/photos/bjurasz/
My Etsy store: https://www.etsy.com/shop/mercphoto?ref=hdr_shop_menu
I was referring to you're suggesting to use Aperture priority, which means you select the F stop but the camera sets the shutter speed.
fair points, but I guess I consider myself shooting for the rider, not the viewer. I'd like to think if she saw that picture, and she will, that she likes it enough to right click, and she will. and it will be on her myspace. not exactly pulitzer prize criteria but it works for me and thats really all that matters to me.
You have to take what the subject gives you, on such a cloudy day I was really trying to stay with the sun which was visible but just barely. The checkered flag at that track isn't a good vantage point on a sunny day to some degree. Again I try to decide between the keepers and the discards, to some extent, which ones would the rider say "no way" if I asked them keep or delete.
good point and definitely moving in that direction. sometimes it just ain't there. you start to learn that different rider classes ie expert vs plus 40C don't give the same opportunities, on the jumps for example.
appreciate the input.
I'm also seeing you're assuming that person will indeed agree with you, will right-click the image, will post it to myspace... I have sensed from you in the past, and continue to sense, that you think very highly of your images, including the very flawed ones. What I and others are trying to point out are those flaws and how to rectify them. But you're going to have to see those flaws for yourself and realize "that photo isn't worthy of selling" before you can get to those compelling images that you have admitted you want to take.
In other words, you need to raise your own bar. Throw away more images.
That's all understandable. But just because you couldn't get a checkered flag shot on that particular day does not in turn cause the other shots you did get to be good shots.
If you did not know that particular shot was of a race winner, then honestly what would your opinion of the shot be? That it had a compositional error? Or that it was the best possible shot of a race winner on that day?
Raise your bar.
A former sports shooter
Follow me at: https://www.flickr.com/photos/bjurasz/
My Etsy store: https://www.etsy.com/shop/mercphoto?ref=hdr_shop_menu
A former sports shooter
Follow me at: https://www.flickr.com/photos/bjurasz/
My Etsy store: https://www.etsy.com/shop/mercphoto?ref=hdr_shop_menu
I've come to the conclusion that I'm going to delete more than I keep, a lot more. When I get to a site, I walk it and pick a few shooting sites that I can get to in the event & take into consideration of where the natural light will be when the event occurs.
I've gone thru too much personal aggravation trying to save shots with a sh**tty background so picking the background first, saves me grief and I'm here to enjoy.
Here are 2 examples of a picked background first
I wanted the score pole in
There was a nice hill where the racers were catching air and were raising dust giving good subject separation
I saw a shot of the Daytona 500 with these stands and liked it, this is what the Supercross at Daytona Speedway looks like
In general, yes, I like to shoot in manual, but mostly in a controlled environment, which an MX race is anything but.
I let the situation dictate what mode to use.
I like to shoot in AV at wide open while at the races, especially if the light is always changing.
Way to much going on to notice minor light changes, correct in manual and still get the shot while making sure you dont get run over by some guy trying the 50 ft triple for the first time :nono
If I am using strobes, have constant light, or am trying for a particular look, then manual is the way to go.
Just saying....
If i'm just looking to capture a moment, not create art, then AV for me is the way to go.
I mean you have a group coming at you at 60-100 mph, you're on continuous high (my D700 w grip gives me 8fps) and your going to manual focus? Even with fast auto focus these guys run out of my dof.
I use manual for landscapes.
That's just me
Light i kinda figured... but never really thought so much about choosing the background first. It makes a lot of sense, don't know what i didn't think of that. I've been to some tracks that all the background is crap
I have gone from taking 2000 shots in one day till now where i do around 800
and throw out about 75
And that is 8 moto's in the morning and afternoon .
the race i was at sunday had 700 riders ,there was no way i was going to
get all of them lol
The one track i have been at 4 times this year i know what corners i shoot
in the morning and the ones i shoot in the afternoon according the sun postion.
Canon XSI
18-55 AF IS
55-250 AF IS
Canon 430 EXII Flash
all of the advice, critique, points of view posted here are very appreciated and not taken lightly.
having said that, if ever there were a mid life crisis, my current return to motocross on weekends would seem to me, to qualify as one.
Some of my shots I'm very pleased with, but every last one of them, and this will sound a bit naive or contrived, every shot I take I feel a responsibility to the rider to do the right thing and be very sure before I delete it, and even then, I still have a hard time. That I attribute to my absolute obsession with MX.
In the bigger picture, I think "digital photography" opens up a whole new realm of media which includes "new" questions.
When everyone used to go shoot film and MAYBE bring 3-4 rolls of 36 exposure film, keeping in mind that you had to pay for developing, when you got them back, you didn't throw anything out, it just stayed in the envelope it came in. I truly agonize over deleting pictures, particularly the borderline ones. I do sell, and money is nice, but I don't shoot "for the money". I can't tell you how many good shots I've posted and or printed and given away. I look at it as long term advertisment, and maybe this year or next, I'll get huge sales. Great. But at this point the only thing I see getting me to stop shooting is to get back out on the track myself, which is still hopefully going to happen, and not lack of sales. But at this point in my life I'm quite content to watch and get some dirt roosted on me. I'll ride the dual sport stuff here and there, but I'm really enjoying watching the riders and seeing how the sport has grown.
Once you delete a picture its gone for good. I've got pics from June 08 of the rider I mentioned that lost his leg in July 08. One of those was a definite candidate for deletion. Just a little too dark maybe. Nothing special. a month later I'm giving it to his sister for fundraising.
Why not take advantage of the digital age and preserve it all for posterity of who knows what. Think of all the blurry less that perfect shots from the film age that people hold onto as one prescious fleeting moment in time.
Maybe I get to attached. I had a nice chat with this kid. 15 years old. Nice a kid as you want to meet. Definitely a candidate for deletion, but it went on the tracks website message board along with 6-7 others from Sunday, and I'd bet a million dollars if he see's it he'll love it. Why delete it and risk that not happening.
I started taking pics last summer at the club my family races at.
I took a ton of pictures and some where not the best ,but worked out
that the girl who took pictures for them got sick.
The one race i made sure i got every little kid racing that day.
They give plaques with pictures on it to all the riders and because i had taken so many
and not deleted them i had 99% of the ones they needed .
There are two us taking pics this year should have it covered.
Didn't make a penny on it either.
I have a mato"Everyone that races should have at least one really good
picture of them doing what they love"
Even if you run last or middle of the pack.
But i do need to make money now lol i am another auto industry
statistic got layed off yesterday.
Canon XSI
18-55 AF IS
55-250 AF IS
Canon 430 EXII Flash
I'm sorry to hear that brother. I wish you the best in finding another job.
http://www.RussErbePhotography.com :thumb
http://www.sportsshooter.com/erbeman
D700, D300, Nikkor 35-70 F/2.8, Nikkor 50mm F/1.8, Nikkor 70-200 AF-S VR F/2.8, Nikkor AF-S 1.7 teleconverter II,(2) Profoto D1 500 Air,SB-900, SB-600, (2)MB-D10, MacBook Pro
Thanks
Never happened to me before but will find something .
At least camera and laptop are paid for.
Canon XSI
18-55 AF IS
55-250 AF IS
Canon 430 EXII Flash
A former sports shooter
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http://www.RussErbePhotography.com :thumb
http://www.sportsshooter.com/erbeman
D700, D300, Nikkor 35-70 F/2.8, Nikkor 50mm F/1.8, Nikkor 70-200 AF-S VR F/2.8, Nikkor AF-S 1.7 teleconverter II,(2) Profoto D1 500 Air,SB-900, SB-600, (2)MB-D10, MacBook Pro
I would forget things in my bag, not adjust camera to the conditions... damn I was a mess; until I focused on the pix. Now its not important if I shot every lap, I watch some.
It seems to me, you feel more gratified in giving the kids gifts when they try their personal best. Ain't nothin' wrong with that. But we're going to try to improve the quality of your gifts...:D
That said, I'm going to try a style with a washed out sky and a saturated subject at supermoto next week. So there,.... you taught me something.
This is the image that further pushed me over..
Nikongear Image
This was done by Joemc from the Nikongear forum, visit his thread he did some nice things with this style
Rags
The club is like 80% volentier the plaque pics where my part of that .
I have four family members that race in the club.
The club dosn't make alot of money.
There's another club that i take pics at and if they want pics
they are definetly going to pay lol
Canon XSI
18-55 AF IS
55-250 AF IS
Canon 430 EXII Flash