Bike Race - Battenkill Roubaix

SteveSam

I took photos at a local bike race this past weekend (Battenkill Roubaix). It is modeled after the more famous spring classic in France. The race was on paved and dirt roads in a rural area near where I live. I went to a spot to capture the scenery as well as the racers. I found that it was quite difficult to capture both in the same shot. The first few shots were taken at the top of a steep dirt climb so I was able to get shots of relatively slow moving bikes with good facial expressions on the riders. You can see an attack developing during the climb in the second shot.










I switched to the bottom of a high speed descent – much more difficult. I tried to get some shots of the Men’s pro as they went by. Not much luck. Either I was getting the shots from too far away or I was unable to capture them (cut off parts of the bike or rider) as they went by. It was fun and I look forward to giving it a try again.

HarveyMushman

SteveSam wrote:

The winnah!

I like the color of the riders against the bland landscape. Nice work.

MichaelKirk

Nice colors
Colors are really nice, cannot put my finger exactly on it, but it feels like there is something missing - no emotion,too much DOF....just something.

Try shooting with a very shallow DOF as in these two examples - it draws the attention directly to a point in the photograph instead of having the viewer look all around trying to find a focal point:






you can also try tilting the camera a bit to change the angle:

This 1st photo (though it has some PP work done) is on a pretty flat section of road - slight camera tilt to add a bit extra to it


Michael

VMac

I like your first three shots above. As Kirk mentions, though, a shallow DOF makes all the difference with these kind of shots.

Kirk -- great shots, but the saturation in that last shot hurts my eyes.

MichaelKirk

You like that eh
Just trying to do something a bit different - I know it is over processed, but it presents pretty well. I have actually sold a few prints of that photo.

I am quickly learning that with sports photography, what sells may not be images that we personally like. I have also been pressing hard at getting myself into some printed materials and have quickly learned some things to pay special attention to when shooting sports.



Michael

VMac wrote:

I like your first three shots above. As Kirk mentions, though, a shallow DOF makes all the difference with these kind of shots.

Kirk -- great shots, but the saturation in that last shot hurts my eyes.

SteveSam

Thanks for the feedback. I think tha you are right, should also have taken some shots with less DOF. I was trying to capture the unique scenery of running a raod race on rural dirt roads. I was also hoping to capture the snow on the Green Mountains of VT in the background (did not work at all). Most of my shots coming up will be kids soccer. I will try to get to another bike race early in the summer. It is a criterium in town so I should get many opportunities to get shots.

Steve

VMac

MichaelKirk wrote:

I am quickly learning that with sports photography, what sells may not be images that we personally like.

You got that right! That's the reason I would rather chew glass than be a wedding or youth sports photographer! Those that are, have my utmost respect and admiration.

gus

VMac wrote:

You got that right! That's the reason I would rather chew glass than be a wedding or youth sports photographer!

Amen to that ! If i had to do it...i would stop photography.

MichaelKirk

You can still use a shallow DOF and keep the scenery into the picture. This road race was in Lancaster Conty Pennsylvania - farm country. Many of the shots I took in this race I tried to pick backgrounds that would show a bit of farm country - still when you look at the picture - your focal point is on the rider(s), but you still get a sence of the countryside. I have a set of several images from this location that I sat and preframed the shots well in advance trying to show as much of the scenery that I could and eliminating unwanted roadside and farm clutter. Once I ws satisfied with the framing, I waited until the riders showed up and shot away. Background are EXTREMELY important and I realy try and pick my shooting spots based soley on what the background will look like. Unfortunately we are often delt the locations that are available and sometime backgrounds are just going to be crappy

Take a look at some of my 2007 cycling galleries to get some other examples:
http://www.mlkimages.smugmug.com/2007%20Sports




Michael

SteveSam wrote:

Thanks for the feedback. I think tha you are right, should also have taken some shots with less DOF. I was trying to capture the unique scenery of running a raod race on rural dirt roads. I was also hoping to capture the snow on the Green Mountains of VT in the background (did not work at all). Most of my shots coming up will be kids soccer. I will try to get to another bike race early in the summer. It is a criterium in town so I should get many opportunities to get shots.

Steve