First Attempt at Rodeo Shooting.
I just got into photography this year, and it was mainly to gather pictures for my artwork. Now, I'm really getting into it, and realize I'd much rather be doing this then programming! lol. But thats just a dream, enjoy the shots!
Amarillo 2007
Amarillo 2007
Amarillo 2007
Amarillo 2007
Amarillo 2007
Amarillo 2007
Like I said, this was my first attempt. Shoot with a Canon 30D and 70-200 IS USM 2.8 lens. The dirt did have a very strong red tone. Ligthing was bad, so i did my best in photoshop to correct them. And any suggestions on using photoshop to enhance photos like these, that would be much appreciated as well? Is lightroom worth investing in? Using some app that I downloaded from canon for adobe to handle RAW images, not bad, but not Lightroom.
full gallery
http://wrangler33.smugmug.com/
Thanks
Amarillo 2007
Amarillo 2007
Amarillo 2007
Amarillo 2007
Amarillo 2007
Amarillo 2007
Like I said, this was my first attempt. Shoot with a Canon 30D and 70-200 IS USM 2.8 lens. The dirt did have a very strong red tone. Ligthing was bad, so i did my best in photoshop to correct them. And any suggestions on using photoshop to enhance photos like these, that would be much appreciated as well? Is lightroom worth investing in? Using some app that I downloaded from canon for adobe to handle RAW images, not bad, but not Lightroom.
full gallery
http://wrangler33.smugmug.com/
Thanks
Come check out my Artwork too. Graphite Renderings.
http://www.LongRanch.com
http://www.LongRanch.com
0
Comments
Several suggestions for improvement next time out:
1. Frame tighter - there's a lot of uninteresting dead space in these.
2. FACES. Faces make sports shots interesting and there are 2 issues at work here - 1, the faces are too small because of the loose framing and 2, they're underexposed in the first few shots. You want to expose for faces - that's what makes things interesting.
3. Proper exposure - goes along with exposing for the faces. shots 5 & 6 look pretty good but the others all look underexposed.
Good start!
Thank you for the comments. Exactly the stuff I am looking for.
Most were underexposed. It was a very tough lighting. Better then some arenas, but trying to shoot at the speed and keep my ISO low to avoid noise, was tough. My shutter was about as slow as I could go. You can see itin many of the hoofs of the animals get blurred.
The actual photographer there, gave great suggestions and what i could shoot at, and they were on, but the shutter was to slow, only because he was using strobes, which allows for slower shutter speeds.
I see what you mean by a lot of dead space. They move so fast, just trying to keep up was a chore! lol. Plus I took hundreds of shots and kept zooming in and out. I really should pick one location and get the shot there. But I'm also learning what good rodeo shot is, so i needed to take a lot.
I think If I set up for a specific shot and used a flash, that may help slightly with the exposure. I was really clicking off shots, I should slow down and try to get a certain shot.
But back to the dead space and getting the face. Like the first shot, its underexposed, but do you think the picture says a lot more? What about cropping in on the person more, do I leave parts of the animal cropped out? Would it be better to zoom in further on the first picture to capture more of the moment and his expression? Hope I'm making sense.
Guess I'm trying to learn somehting that has taken others years to perfect. But hopefully I am heading down the right road.
http://www.LongRanch.com
For the first shot - the rider on the left adds nothing to the story - so it doesn't matter how much of him you crop out. Take the top left corner of the frame and crop all the way down. Given the underexposure you might not have the detail to crop so much. But ideally, the "story" is the cowboy and the calf - even the cowboy's horse is irrelevant.
What ISO were you shooting at by the way? With noise reduction software, ISO 1600 should produce good results.
I don't shoot a lot of rodeo so not the best shots, but here's what I'm talking about (re: cropping close and showing faces)
I think all things considered you did pretty good for your first try. I must warn you though, It's addictive
I make my living shooting rodeos, so I might have a bit of info for you.
The first thing that you need to do is to decide what your market is going to be for the type of rodeo pictures that you're wanting to take.
Meaning; if your doing it for fun, then just shoot what makes you happy
If your shooting for photojournalism, a paper, get a shot of peak action with good form, but then shoot the crashes. They are very cool, but just don't sell. (but for a paper, who cares...)
If your intention is to sell pictures, then that's a completely different game. Now you have to know exactly what the cowboys want. Will they want to buy a picture to hang on their wall that shows them in bad form? I very seriously doubt it, and a lot of experience backs this up.
For example: the pics johng posted. He may have sold a million of those, but I wouldn't have been able to sell a single one of em'. Each one of those pics shows the cowboy in bad form. He's just not going to buy it...
So, now your thinking...what is good form? Exactly!!! That's what you have to learn about along with what is considered "peak" action.
Bull riders and contractors want to see a bull that is stretched out. Meaning, his front legs on the ground, his nose almost touching the ground, and his hind legs pointing almost straight up. Now, not all bulls do this, and/or certainly not every out. But, that's what is considered "peak" action. And the cowboys are very picky about their feet. Their toes should be pointing out, which of course means their spurs are pointing in, like they should be. Picky, picky, picky...
Each event will require you to know these kind of things, and then to capture them with good photographic process.
Learn these things first, the rest will come in due time.
Again, I think your off to a good start
Excellent point about knowing the sport and knowing what sells!
My coverage was for the newspaper so they just want action shots - around here (northeast Ohio) no one (including me) knows good form from bad.
Definitely good comments.
I was shooting around a 400 and sometimes an 800 ISO.
Any noise reduction software you can recommend?
I get wooried shooting that high, if you look at the shots form the New Jersey rodeo, which had very poor lighting, the dark colored bulls and horses came out with so much noise.
Totally right about learning about correct form. Why I kept from posting a lot of shots, just lacked what everyone has been saying; form and action and interest.
Its definitely addictive, I'm so determined to get the perfect shot!
Going to spend more time at rodeos this year watching whats going more intently.
http://www.LongRanch.com
You'll definitely get more noise at higher ISO. But the key to keeping it under control is having a proper exposure IN CAMERA. Note, "proper" doesn't necessarily mean "what the camera wants to use".
I use noiseware Pro and find it's a very good product. The key is to not over do it (which removes too much detail).
So, proper exposure produces minimal noise and 'just enough' noise reduction to reduce that noise. ISO 1600 properly exposed will produce perfectly usable 8x10 prints.
I will take a look at the software.
Most of the exposure problems are my fault. I always have the camera on manual. I just can't set it on any of its modes, I feel like I'm cheating!
Still have alot to learn about settings. Getting close, starting to understand.
I always have trouble setting the white point. I do let the camera do this, is there camera usually close, or should I defintiely be setting this? I'll have to post an untouched shot tonight when I get home. Then you'll have a better idea of my problems.
Waiting to go home and shoot things at 1600 ISO to test! lol.
I've definitely got the photo bug!
Besides the noise reduction software, do youo think Adobe Lightroom would be a good investment? on any such application.
http://www.LongRanch.com
I use NoiseNinja, but that's not either here-nor-there.
The rest of your questions I hope were answered in your PM.
or does it not get into/on your equipment?
i was invited to a rodeo once and did not dare take my camera
I ruined a 30D & 1DMk11 due to dust.(sent the MkII in to Canon to go through, but it's still not right. Don't even use it now)
It's not the most equipment friendly sport to shoot
I totally missed that, I was looking thru the pic's and just like the defintion of the horse! lol.
Knock on wood, hqve not had a problem yet. If the dust was getting bad, i'd prbably put my camera away. Way to expensive to ruin.
:yikes Got me thinking a little more about where I shoot!
Any tips on setting Temp and/or White Balance in low light? Was trying last night, and not getting good results with the Custom WB on the Canon 30D.
I guess wiht Temp, right now I just kinda of take a few test shoots and look at the image to see if it is close to what it actuyally looks like. Is there a more professional way of doing this?
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:jawdrop
This also means you'll need to be credentialed to do so, and make sure you wear western attire (a requirement). This means, cowboy boots, long sleeve shirt & a cowboy hat. Oh, the hats a fun one, with a pocket wizard sticking up on top of your camera!
I've been chased around and nearly hooked off the fence many, many times. Here's a little tip: While your running for your life & trying to get up the fence before the bull gets to you, take a split second to make sure your camera (that expensive thing around your neck - that thing that really got you into this mess in the first place) doesn't BANG into the metal fence railing. ---
A rodeo photogs motto: Save the camera, THEN hopefully your a$$.
Tip #2: Shoot with BOTH eyes open. You'll get so wrapped up in getting the shots that you aren't really paying that close attention as to why the bull is getting bigger and bigger in your viewfinder, even though your zooming out.
Take this tip with you always: NEVER EVER let your guard down in an arena!!!!!!! There is always something happening. They may let a bull out without rider due to wrong placement in the chute, etc... I know of several instances where people were really hurt due to this very thing. That's not just bulls, that's ANYTHING and ANYTIME!
But, the good thing here: You get some exercise while you work
As to the WB. There's probably 300 different opinions on this. Personally, I use an ExpoDisk. It works great! You can also shoot RAW and adjust as needed during conversion.
OOps, may have gotten a little off base to your questions here...
Definitely being in the arena is better. But like RWells said, you have to watch yourself and know what your doing, along credentials and permission to be on the floor. I'm still trying to figure out how to get credential, then I'll find the courage!
I got lucky and the photographer working tht night should me the best places to sit for each event. Alhtough, its hard to switch sides, so sitting low and towards the center with the roping events to your left and the rough stock to your right. Its not perfect for each event or even ride, depending what gate the roughstock come out of. But its about as good as you'll get.
As RWells noted, its note just the bulls, I've had steers(for team roping) at a friends farm jump out of a 5 foot chute, and also bend a steel gate. They are not cute and cudely animals.
If I was not in the middle this urban mess, i'd be wearin my hat all the time!
And the boots and wranglers, although I prefer Cinch jeans. I guess thats a whole different forum!
Looking into ExpoDisc.
And a little serendipity, while looking for local sellers, I found a brand new photog store, 20 minutes from my house, sweet!
I also purchased Noise Ninja last night, works great. Just need to get out and test it after an event at 1600 ISO.
Been reading about setting WB and noticed the I've been set to AWB all the time. Think it maybe what causing so many pictures to have a brownish hue.
http://www.LongRanch.com
If you get an ExpoDisk: MAKE SURE that when you take the shot with the disk over your lens, that the camera WB is set to AWB, then select the picture you just took and set your camera for Custom WB.
If you don't do it this way, your not gonna' like the results
Remember to download your camera "profiles" from the NoiseNinja website. There pretty darn close for the 30D. You can tweak to your liking/need.
i was noticing on the exposite they have different sizes.
Do I need one for each lens, or do I get the largest to fit my 70-200?
I'm guessing they attach to the end like a filter, so probably going to need a small and large one?
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No need for that --- Get the 77mm, or the size for your largest lens. It doesn't scew on, it just snaps in like a lens cap. But, for smaller lenses, just simply hold it over the lens and take the shot.
NOTE: Do NOT get the "portrait" ExpoDisk. Get the regular one.
:ivar HI - I've been shooting youth, HS and some cycling sports for only yr and 1/2, so not an expert. I've been usng LightRoom most of that time and like the organizing and editing features which suffice for most all of my shots. I use NeatImage for noise reduction. Another well known one is Noise Ninja.
Ice hockey is much like rodeo, except with white 'ground'! It's fast action, and with lousy lighting. I've shot one hockey game this season. Using D70S with Sigma 70-200 2.8, ISO 1600, shuitter spd at 1/500, continuous AF and 'burst mode"and RAW. After unloading cards I used 'auto' exposure setting in LR and exposurecame out pretty good on most of the 250 or so images. Some I adjusted manually.
don't worry about getting the perfect shot, esp. by clicking the shutter less. Just keep shootin, alot. As you get more hints, ideas and suggestions of great rodeo shots in your head, the good ones will come. I have a sugestion that you try to get somewhere where you can shoot from ground up and also get up high and shoot down, for some variety.
Keep shootin' and will look forward to more of your shots.
I got an expodisc, working good so far. Need to get out and do some more shooting. Its sunny today, so i may go test it outside.
Definitely looking at Lightroom, maybe in a month or two, need to get a little cash together.
Thanks shoppix. I'm starting to fool more with the 1600 ISO and using noise ninja as well. I think getting the expodisc and setting up better is going to help a lot with the noise. I actualy took about 600 shots at amarillo, its so fast an not being able to be on the floor, it seems harder to predict a shot. Over the next few rodeos, I'm going to shot some continus and some trying to perdict. I am working on getting to the floor some day, may take a few years. Requires special permissions, even to be behind the fence, at least at amarillo. Plus, most of amarillo was a concrete wall. I will definitely be getting a lot more pictures this year, hopefully improving with each set! Have to check out some of your hockey shots.
http://www.LongRanch.com
I have found proper exposure can negate some of the noise at shooting at high ISO. It will not eliminate it of course, but when used with noise reduction software it can give some very good results. I also like how high ISO will let in more background light when the flash is used so it doesn't look like the event took place in a cave.