Kitesurfing Waddell 2010 08 29

SeaSurfnBird

Hay everyone! This is my first post! :barb
Please give me some advice. Yes I wish I had a 400mm or a 600mm.
Shot with a Nikon D90 and a DX 55-200mm
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.

20DNoob

Really great first post!

Looks like an awesome way to spend a day, either shooting or riding.

torags

Very nice first post

As you know the afternoon glare can rob the shots of color. You might like to kick up sat or use polarizer on the first few.


Nice work

BTW: I was in Santa Cruz yesterday & took the coast road back to shot Waddell. Damn... it was foggy & rainy.....

Welcome aboard

jonh68

The biggest improvement is to get between the surfers and the sun. I realize that may be physically impossible. However, there may be certain times of the day when that can happen. Number 6 looks like you could have been half and half. If you are forced to shoot backlit, you need to do some exposure compensation for the surfers so they are better exposed instead of the background.

SeaSurfnBird

torags wrote: »

Very nice first post

As you know the afternoon glare can rob the shots of color. You might like to kick up sat or use polarizer on the first few.


Nice work

BTW: I was in Santa Cruz yesterday & took the coast road back to shot Waddell. Damn... it was foggy & rainy.....

Welcome aboard

Thanks! I did have a Promaster 67mm UV (MC) and a PM 67mm CIR-PL (MC). I did try to boost up saturation to +6 or +10. I'll try to boost it more if you think that is a good idea.
Worst Fog in 40 years Strachen told me that day.
http://www.promaster.com/products/products.asp?product=CPLMC
http://www.promaster.com/products/products.asp?product=UVMC

SeaSurfnBird

jonh68 wrote: »

The biggest improvement is to get between the surfers and the sun. I realize that may be physically impossible. However, there may be certain times of the day when that can happen. Number 6 looks like you could have been half and half. If you are forced to shoot backlit, you need to do some exposure compensation for the surfers so they are better exposed instead of the background.

Thanks, that is very helpful. I got there about 1:00 PM and not to many kitesurfers out. They said this time of year the wind picks up later in the afternoon and that is when most of them were out, but was no good for the backlit problem. I will try to expose for the surfer rather than the ocean next time to see how that works out. Thanks!

SeaSurfnBird

20DNoob wrote: »

Really great first post!

Looks like an awesome way to spend a day, either shooting or riding.

Thanks! I live 5 mins. away from Waddell so it will be fun to shoot here or go surf if the wind dies.

Jacobovs

I feel you pain. Every time I shoot there I am humbled by the light. I agree with jonh68, I use the exposure compensation ( usually .3-.7 of an fstop). I try to stay all the way to the north end of the beach in order to get better lighting scenarios. Play a little with the contrast and sat on #4 it should dramatically help. BTW shoot in RAW if you can, you will be able to tweak a lot more. #8 looks nice too. almost there, the water droplets bother me in this one. Nice effort though. When I go I bring both the 400 and 600 come up to me and you can borrow the one I'm not using.

SeaSurfnBird

Jacobovs wrote: »

I feel you pain. Every time I shoot there I am humbled by the light. I agree with jonh68, I use the exposure compensation ( usually .3-.7 of an fstop). I try to stay all the way to the north end of the beach in order to get better lighting scenarios. Play a little with the contrast and sat on #4 it should dramatically help. BTW shoot in RAW if you can, you will be able to tweak a lot more. #8 looks nice too. almost there, the water droplets bother me in this one. Nice effort though. When I go I bring both the 400 and 600 come up to me and you can borrow the one I'm not using.

Wow! Thanks! I'll play with EV next time a bit more. I'm pretty sure I shot in RAW but uploaded a lower grade version. I missplaced the developed files or I would post another edit with different contrast and sat. Oh hell, I'll redo the original when I'm not so sleepy.:snore
I'll look for you on the beach, can't miss me I'm 6'5"
P.S. your kitesurfing photos look really nice!!!