whats up everyone, i'm new to the board and glad to see there's a lot of mx guys on here. I didn't see an introductions thread so i'll start here. I got a chance to shoot some fmx riders from spain at Metzgers house the other day. Comment/criticism is always welcome!
1st thing... you have to get off of the program mode.
Sun to your back!
Please look me up when we are at a track somewhere together and I'll be happy to help you out further.
j-bo
Thanks j-bo I really appreciate that! Having bought pictures from you before, which were awesome, any help would be greatly appreciated. I have always looked at your pictures with the hopes that one day I could take pictures half as well. I have shot in Tv and Av both with this new lens and I get so frustrated. It will just take practice I'm sure. I guess you know already know what lens I have but it's a 70-200 mm 2.8f with a Canon Rebel XTi.
Thanks again,
Sherri
Thanks j-bo I really appreciate that! Having bought pictures from you before, which were awesome, any help would be greatly appreciated. I have always looked at your pictures with the hopes that one day I could take pictures half as well. I have shot in Tv and Av both with this new lens and I get so frustrated. It will just take practice I'm sure. I guess you know already know what lens I have but it's a 70-200 mm 2.8f with a Canon Rebel XTi.
Thanks again,
Sherri
That's a Sigma isn't it? And yes, you're correct, practice practice practice.... along with photoshop.
I'm assuming you are on AI Servo mode and using the center focus point?
These are taken straight from the camera. This was at a local race that we were at. Go ahead and tell me what I can do to take a better picture. This was shot with a Canon rebel Xti with a 70-200 mm 2.8 lens in the Tv setting.
Thanks
1.
2.
3.
I'm not sure I'm actually seeing all your posted images, I only see two, which is a bit odd. But the first one I can see the colors are a bit washed out. You need some more contrast, probably some saturation. Easy to do in post production. Compositionally would be better to have the bike more to the right, so that the bike is flying into the image, not out of the image.
I cannot see image number 2 to comment on.
On the third one I see your big, big problem is your decision to photograph that location in the first place. The rider is flying through the air and the background is nothing but a bunch of trees. In other words, the rider is lost in the image. Its too hard to focus in on the rider because of the choice of background. Your best bet is to simply not photograph that location in the first place. Its the background that kills you here.
I am wondering about this.
It seems I have heard this a few times in the sports form (pretty much the only one look at) and wonder if this is a common thing other sports shooters look for.
I try to never shoot with the sun at my back if I can help it.
Sure you get the fastest shutter speed, but the image will be very flat lit with no mood to the light.
Crosslight or backlight with some fill, gives the image a much nicer feel IMO.
I am wondering about this.
It seems I have heard this a few times in the sports form (pretty much the only one look at) and wonder if this is a common thing other sports shooters look for.
I try to never shoot with the sun at my back if I can help it.
Sure you get the fastest shutter speed, but the image will be very flat lit with no mood to the light.
Crosslight or backlight with some fill, gives the image a much nicer feel IMO.
Any other thoughts
Like anything there are rules and guidelines. Sun to your back is a good rule of thumb or guidline. Maybe sun mostly behind you would be better.
When shooting at the bigger events, you dont always get to choose your spot. There are other photographers in the way, poles, haybales, scoring tables, banners, etc, etc.
Local events give you much more flexibilty. A great exercise is to shoot the exact same corner from different angles in a short span of time so your light isnt changing all that much.
It does 2 things. It helps you with perpsective and fresh angles, but it also forces you to make adjustments with your camera. Use a fill flash (pop up is fine) if you are shooting directly into the sun to fill up faces. Try using the rider as a block for the sun to create a cool effect.
Remember you are making the step from snapshots to photographs, dont be afraid to experiment, dont be afraid to burn some film so to speak.
I am wondering about this.
It seems I have heard this a few times in the sports form (pretty much the only one look at) and wonder if this is a common thing other sports shooters look for.
I try to never shoot with the sun at my back if I can help it.
Sure you get the fastest shutter speed, but the image will be very flat lit with no mood to the light.
Crosslight or backlight with some fill, gives the image a much nicer feel IMO.
Any other thoughts
The reason I said it so basically, is because I know Sherri and have seen her shooting dead in the sun a lot.
Yes that was St Thomas. Close to 3 hours in the car in a line up in St Thomas, and still could not park at the airfield.
Ended up at a garage around the corner and set up perch near the end of the runway. Made for a different perspective though.
sunshine? I shot an open practice yesterday with my new D300 and it seems the shots are LOST! Anyone knows anything about compact flash cards help!
I know those shots were on the card because I was reviewing them as the day went on but when I put the card into the card reader they're gone
damn I had some good ones too. :bash
What program did you use to import the files to your computer? Did you shoot them in NEF, or JPG? The program I use to import my photos from the card to the computer is called Total Commander. Once I get the files to the computer, then I import them into the editor, lately that has been Lightroom. I have never had a problem with photos not showing up. One last thing, make sure the only way you delete the photos from the card is by formatting the card in the camera. By deleting the files in the card reader, by some other program, will mess up the file system of the memory card.
GaryB
GaryB “The single most important component of a camera is the twelve inches behind it!” - Ansel Adams
What program did you use to import the files to your computer? Did you shoot them in NEF, or JPG? The program I use to import my photos from the card to the computer is called Total Commander. Once I get the files to the computer, then I import them into the editor, lately that has been Lightroom. I have never had a problem with photos not showing up. One last thing, make sure the only way you delete the photos from the card is by formatting the card in the camera. By deleting the files in the card reader, by some other program, will mess up the file system of the memory card.
GaryB
I think thats exactly what happened. I had about 40 pics on an 8gig card and when I went to shoot MX last Saturday I deleted about 45 of them. So for some reason the camera dumped the first couple into the some of the empty files where pics had been, and then dumped the rest of my pics into the card but not in any folder. Luckily I work with 2 very sharp geeks who leaped at the chance to try and retrieve my pics, which they did. I normally shoot JPeg not raw, but they retrieved them as PNG files. I don't know what they did or how they did it but I got most of the 500 oics with the exception of the first 25 or so which were partial files. They said they could convert them to Jpeg but smugMug took the PNG files.
With no further ado my fist MX pics with the D300 and 18-200 lens on a very muddy wet day with clouds and bright sun changing every 2 minutes.
Could have been better, could have been worse but I'm liking the first outing with the D300, may my D40 rest in peace. :cry
this was an open practice and this kid was flat ripping it on a small bike.
I'd like some feedback on this one. The boot and forks/front fender are crisp, the helmet not so crisp.
I described the pic to someone and he said aperture would be the culprit.
Any feedback appreciated. Fstop = 10 shutter = 400 ISO = 400.
F/10 is way too closed. Because of this you are having to use longer shutter speed which is why everything is not in focus. You need to try and shoot somewhere around F/5.6 or F/4 with a shutter speed around 1/800. This will yield you better results and blur the background more so that there is seperation between the subject and background.
Comments
Hey Sherri.....
1st thing... you have to get off of the program mode.
Sun to your back!
Please look me up when we are at a track somewhere together and I'll be happy to help you out further.
j-bo
and my two favorites...
Thanks j-bo I really appreciate that! Having bought pictures from you before, which were awesome, any help would be greatly appreciated. I have always looked at your pictures with the hopes that one day I could take pictures half as well. I have shot in Tv and Av both with this new lens and I get so frustrated. It will just take practice I'm sure. I guess you know already know what lens I have but it's a 70-200 mm 2.8f with a Canon Rebel XTi.
Thanks again,
Sherri
That's a Sigma isn't it? And yes, you're correct, practice practice practice.... along with photoshop.
I'm assuming you are on AI Servo mode and using the center focus point?
I pm'd you on our local board with some tips.
I'm not sure I'm actually seeing all your posted images, I only see two, which is a bit odd. But the first one I can see the colors are a bit washed out. You need some more contrast, probably some saturation. Easy to do in post production. Compositionally would be better to have the bike more to the right, so that the bike is flying into the image, not out of the image.
I cannot see image number 2 to comment on.
On the third one I see your big, big problem is your decision to photograph that location in the first place. The rider is flying through the air and the background is nothing but a bunch of trees. In other words, the rider is lost in the image. Its too hard to focus in on the rider because of the choice of background. Your best bet is to simply not photograph that location in the first place. Its the background that kills you here.
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
Hey Guys
I am wondering about this.
It seems I have heard this a few times in the sports form (pretty much the only one look at) and wonder if this is a common thing other sports shooters look for.
I try to never shoot with the sun at my back if I can help it.
Sure you get the fastest shutter speed, but the image will be very flat lit with no mood to the light.
Crosslight or backlight with some fill, gives the image a much nicer feel IMO.
Any other thoughts
Like anything there are rules and guidelines. Sun to your back is a good rule of thumb or guidline. Maybe sun mostly behind you would be better.
When shooting at the bigger events, you dont always get to choose your spot. There are other photographers in the way, poles, haybales, scoring tables, banners, etc, etc.
Local events give you much more flexibilty. A great exercise is to shoot the exact same corner from different angles in a short span of time so your light isnt changing all that much.
It does 2 things. It helps you with perpsective and fresh angles, but it also forces you to make adjustments with your camera. Use a fill flash (pop up is fine) if you are shooting directly into the sun to fill up faces. Try using the rider as a block for the sun to create a cool effect.
Remember you are making the step from snapshots to photographs, dont be afraid to experiment, dont be afraid to burn some film so to speak.
www.joeywashburn.com
The reason I said it so basically, is because I know Sherri and have seen her shooting dead in the sun a lot.
jwashburn is dead on in his remarks.
Here's a few from this past Sunday CMRC race.
1.
2.
3.
4.
Canon XSI
18-55 AF IS
55-250 AF IS
Canon 430 EXII Flash
SOON!!!! Must get to Gophur Dunes SOON!
A couple fighter jets flew by the dunes on sunday too.
Canon XSI
18-55 AF IS
55-250 AF IS
Canon 430 EXII Flash
Ended up at a garage around the corner and set up perch near the end of the runway. Made for a different perspective though.
Hey Toshido
I am off to Walton ,the home of motocross to shoot and report on atv's.
Two days of racing.
Canon XSI
18-55 AF IS
55-250 AF IS
Canon 430 EXII Flash
Can't find information about this weekend though....
Have fun though. If I can find time I might be checking out mudfest at Gophur Dunes. Would like to at least.
Fairbanks, Alaska SMUG Leader
My Site | Fairbanks SMUG | Facebook | Twitter
sunshine? what is that? :cry
nice shots and welcome to the club. we've had rain and clouds for weeks.
I shot an open practice yesterday with my new D300 and it seems the shots are LOST! Anyone knows anything about compact flash cards help!
I know those shots were on the card because I was reviewing them as the day went on but when I put the card into the card reader they're gone
damn I had some good ones too. :bash
Michael Leib
Alex Martin
Antonio Balbi
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
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
What program did you use to import the files to your computer? Did you shoot them in NEF, or JPG? The program I use to import my photos from the card to the computer is called Total Commander. Once I get the files to the computer, then I import them into the editor, lately that has been Lightroom. I have never had a problem with photos not showing up. One last thing, make sure the only way you delete the photos from the card is by formatting the card in the camera. By deleting the files in the card reader, by some other program, will mess up the file system of the memory card.
GaryB
“The single most important component of a camera is the twelve inches behind it!” - Ansel Adams
I think thats exactly what happened. I had about 40 pics on an 8gig card and when I went to shoot MX last Saturday I deleted about 45 of them. So for some reason the camera dumped the first couple into the some of the empty files where pics had been, and then dumped the rest of my pics into the card but not in any folder. Luckily I work with 2 very sharp geeks who leaped at the chance to try and retrieve my pics, which they did. I normally shoot JPeg not raw, but they retrieved them as PNG files. I don't know what they did or how they did it but I got most of the 500 oics with the exception of the first 25 or so which were partial files. They said they could convert them to Jpeg but smugMug took the PNG files.
With no further ado my fist MX pics with the D300 and 18-200 lens on a very muddy wet day with clouds and bright sun changing every 2 minutes.
Could have been better, could have been worse but I'm liking the first outing with the D300, may my D40 rest in peace. :cry
this was an open practice and this kid was flat ripping it on a small bike.
in sneakers.
I described the pic to someone and he said aperture would be the culprit.
Any feedback appreciated. Fstop = 10 shutter = 400 ISO = 400.
F/10 is way too closed. Because of this you are having to use longer shutter speed which is why everything is not in focus. You need to try and shoot somewhere around F/5.6 or F/4 with a shutter speed around 1/800. This will yield you better results and blur the background more so that there is seperation between the subject and background.
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