MAD Cycling Club Hillclimb

[Byrhtnoth]

Just a few shots from our clubs annual Hillclimb competition.

I know these shots are a bit ooff, but im learning and having trouble taking shots of moving targets.
These were taken on normal as i tried TV at 1/200 but the F5.6 was flashing which i presumed it wanted more aperture which the kit lens doesnt go. :shrug:

My favourite one is No1 just look at him suffer :lol:

No1
http://www.talkphotography.co.uk/gallery/data/500/0561.jpg

No2
http://www.talkphotography.co.uk/gallery/data/500/0152.jpg

No3
http://www.talkphotography.co.uk/gallery/data/500/0281.jpg

No4
http://www.talkphotography.co.uk/gallery/data/500/0501.jpg

No5
http://www.talkphotography.co.uk/gallery/data/500/0113.jpg

[Ally]

Not to bad :thumbs: I would make sure that your camera is on AI Servio focus or the equivlent for moving subjects and make sure that you track for a sec before you take the shot so the camera had time to focus on your target. If your going for slow speed pans I would also go side on?? follow them as they go, takes plenty of practice and paitence which I can be short of from time to time :nono: HTH :)

[Byrhtnoth]

Thanks Ally
The camera was set on AI Servo with all focus points on, although i had left it on landscape mode :$ (nice colours though!)

Now you mention it, I didnt track with these shots just snapped away when they approched into frame. The first shot I nearly missed him so I had to pan the camera, and I think that was the best shot of them all.

Next time will try side on, pan the camera and try to use faster shutter speed.
Thanks for the advice :thumbs:

[MG TF 135]

Not bad. Like the looks on the faces and the cyclist with the coffee, #4, has got the right idea!!

You might want to try using only one focus point on the camera. I used only one focus point when shooting the Tour Prologue earlier in the year. I am no expert by a long way, but after a couple of shots using all focus points i changed to one and it helped.

Link to my Tour de France thread - http://www.talkphotography.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=27498&highlight=tour+france

[Stevo]

The first picture looks ironically like Lance Armstrong O.O Strange ...

[dellipher]

I like the 2nd one....you can really see how painful it is! :lol:

[Byrhtnoth]

Thanks for the replies everyone.
I know the pain these cyclists are going through as I done it last season, but this year I took some photos for the clubs website.


You might want to try using only one focus point on the camera. I used only one focus point when shooting the Tour Prologue earlier in the year. I am no expert by a long way, but after a couple of shots using all focus points i changed to one and it helped.

Thanks MG TF 135 will try just the one focus point next time.
You got some cracking shots there, where I stood the crowd was 4 deep all along.

[RobertP]

You had a bright sky behind the riders to contend with on these so you have done well getting the exposure right! Just need to work on the movement now :)

Captured the effort involved even if not technically perfect. Nicely done.

[oldboy2000]

Great pictures, brought back such memories, of my suffering in that sport years and years ago...."50"s....

Lets have more pics.

[Iain MacIntosh]

Try cropping in a bit closer and they need to be a bit sharper.
Get in closer with a smaller lens, try something like a 17 in close....HC is good for that lens as they are generally not going too fast and most riders are cool with you shooting close in.
You don't need more aperture, practice a smooth pan and 1/200 or 1/250 is fine. Practice....

Iain

[Byrhtnoth]

Try cropping in a bit closer and they need to be a bit sharper.
Get in closer with a smaller lens, try something like a 17 in close....HC is good for that lens as they are generally not going too fast and most riders are cool with you shooting close in.
You don't need more aperture, practice a smooth pan and 1/200 or 1/250 is fine. Practice....

Iain

Thanks for the advice Ian, yes more practice needed.
What do you mean by HC? please.

Definatly need faster shutter speed and practice on panning.
This one below Ive cropped and sharpened but still poor focus on his face, but the bike seems to be spot on :thinking:.

Our oldest competive club member at 76 years old :clap:
http://www.talkphotography.co.uk/gallery/data/500/SidBass.jpg

[Iain MacIntosh]

Hi, HC=hillclimb

Definatly need faster shutter speed and practice on panning.

My point is your don't need high shutters for cycling thats what panning is all about.

See my post here...
http://www.talkphotography.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=37144

cheers
iain

[Byrhtnoth]

HC=hillclimb

Aaaahhhh :bonk:


I see what you mean now :thumbs:, some of your shots have been as low as 1/60.
Thanks Ian.

[Fixedwheelnut]

Maldon CC eh? here is a pic of one of your lads at the VCC meeting at Herne Hill track
VCC track day (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7460600@N08/2067420436/)
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2276/2067420436_54283569c0_o.jpg

Only taken with a compact my SLR is still a Canon A-E1 but I have just got a Canon A570 is that has some manual override capabilities so I can experiment a bit more.

[sportysnaps]

Good effort - taking photos of cyclists can be harder then it looks. I would say that you can get good cycle photos anything from 17mm to 300mm depending on the effect you want and the distance you are from the cyclist.

I would definitely say to set the camera up with centre point focusing and the lens to follow focus. You can use ~1/100th of a sec if you want a motion effect but your panning needs to be good – I find a monopod will add stability, but you need to practice with it – lots.
This first shot is with a 20d with a 300mm @1/100th sec, and the rider was the other side of a dual carriageway (the riders were going in both directions)


http://www.sportysnaps.com/content/cycling/007ACME_10_190505/IMG5337.jpg

On the same event these two riders were hammering along as a “two up”(on the near side of the road) this time the shot is “in the face” and shutter speed around 1/1000th


http://www.sportysnaps.com/content/cycling/007ACME_10_190505/IMG5167.jpg

One thing to think of is a clean background - in this case by staying high and using a clean road as the background
http://www.sportysnaps.com/content/cycling/010HWAUN_50_120605/IMG7693.jpg



If the road and horizon is messy get low - really low - cyclists tend to look down - in this one i was on my back using the sky as the background - just remember to adjust the exposure to suit - or mabe use fill-in flash (*** - 2??)
http://www.sportysnaps.com/content/cycling/010HWAUN_50_120605/IMG8069.jpg