Cross-Country Relay Running

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dancook

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Start / Finish and Two Marshalls, 5 x 2km cross-country Relay

1549281513050.png

Any suggestions on how to approach this?

Assuming there are no shortcuts for me to use, my initial thought is to walk the route backwards. Since it's a relay and I will have the time it takes them to run 5 laps.

This way I can shoot the start, multiple places with a good variety of runners and then hopefully some as they finish!

is the logic sound?

I realise I may not get chance to photograph the baton being passed....
 
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DemiLion said:
Pick a spot with decent light and a good background, plant your arse on a stool and shoot.
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Won't that be a bit boring, all the photos from one position?

Should have mentioned, I'm shooting for a school, they don't need every student - but a nice variety for marketing purposes.
 
How long do you think you'e got? If it's a serious race I reckon not much more than half an hour. You'll miss a lot of stuff if you move far.
 
JonathanRyan said:
How long do you think you'e got? If it's a serious race I reckon not much more than half an hour. You'll miss a lot of stuff if you move far.
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edit. maths wrong - yes just over half an hour it seems.

Maybe 6-7 minutes per 2km, so 30-35 min at a guess.

Perhaps that would be pushing it to get round myself with my gear and take photos hmm
 
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dancook said:
Thanks I will revise my plan and not stray far
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Looking at the course there appears to be an opportunity to get two types of shot from almost the same position: the runners will be flanked by trees for the first 500 metres but then appear to come into an open space. You could be positioned at the 1 km mark after the turnaround point with a long lens and get a number of "compressed landscape" shots of the runners in the distance. As soon as the first runners reach the first turnback point, you could slightly change position and get a number of close-up shots when they pass the 1 km - 1.2 km mark.

Bring a short fast zoom and a long fast zoom if available.

I shot a school race a few months ago and took almost all shots from only a few positions not too far apart; I didn't know the course on beforehand so I had to improvise on the spot.

The "compressed landscape" shot:

20181110_113012_138 by Maarten D'Haese, on Flickr

The "close-up" shot - I was trying to get St Albans cathedral in the background:

20181110_113429_174 by Maarten D'Haese, on Flickr

Full album is here: https://www.flickr.com/photos/151407326@N05/albums/72157703432507205/with/45763783232/

Another thing to plan for is where will the light be coming from? Shooting into the sun can give very interesting results but also causes more focus errors if you use continuous autofocus.

If you have the opportunity I would try to reconnaisance the course on beforehand and try to determine what positions will deliver the best shots. Then on the day itself try to visit the positions you have identified but try not to do too much walking because while you're changing position you are unlikely to get great shots and/or you may miss some of the runners you're there to photograph.
 
maarten.dhaese said:
If you have the opportunity I would try to reconnaisance the course on beforehand and try to determine what positions will deliver the best shots. Then on the day itself try to visit the positions you have identified but try not to do too much walking because while you're changing position you are unlikely to get great shots and/or you may miss some of the runners you're there to photograph.
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It's today, got the info yesterday and it's too far for recon.

Thanks, it gives me food for thought, when I get there I will be able to make a plan. Just good to have some ideas to work with.
 
So there were supposed to be 9 teams of 5, but the girls didn't show so there were 6 teams of 5.
The priority was camaraderie shots, which can only be gotten from the start/finish line - and because it was so so cold, and for each runner there was 1 person waiting to run and three 'supporters' there wasn't a lot of camaraderie.

At the beginning though I ran off and took a short cut through the hedgerow and took some photos in the misty field besides.. managed to get a few audience participation shots but so much time felt wasted at the start/finish just to get them. But I decided variety was better, so as long as I got some runners I should spend more time on the shots that were wanted but mostly not happening.
 
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