If action is your photographic passion, you have to try motocross.  Dirt flying, bars banging, engines screaming!  It’s hard to keep your cool and concentrate on photography when there is so much action ——- really F A S T action ——– all around you.  Fortunately, my professional background includes loads of motorcycle racing.  That experience was enough to convince the editors of a major magazine that I would be an asset at the AMA Toyota Motocross Championship Presented by FMF on June 7 and 8 at the Freestone County Raceway in Wortham, Texas.  I had a blast.  Currently there are a few of my pictures from that event scrolling across the home page of this site.

This motocross action was the highest level of motocross in the world, including the FIM World Championship in Europe.  Names like James Stewart, Ryan Villopoto, Mike and Jeff Alessi, Tim Ferry, Davi Millsaps, Andrew Short, Austin Stroupe, Ryan Dungey.  They are all at the top of their profession and very well paid for what they do.  I am so fortunate to have been allowed such up close and personal access.  It did make taking these pictures much easier … but.  Motocross is a sport that allows its audience to get very close to the action.  It is a weekend event.  For the price of a ticket, usually about $40, you will enjoy an entire weekend of unrivaled action, within reach of a short zoom lens.  It is hard to express how much fun you can have at a motocross race.

But, it is hot and dusty.  During the Sunday afternoon races, the temperature was well over 100 degrees.  You have to be prepared and you have to stay hydrated.  Many of the riders were affected by the heat.  Of the 40 riders who started the last moto, only 24 finished the race.  Each heat , or moto, is thirty minutes plus two laps.  Motocross is often said to require the most endurance of any sport in the world.  I believe it.  It can also be exhaustive for a photographer. 

I won’t go into camping and heat preparations.  I’m sure you know how to prepare for a day in the sun.  What I will suggest is ways to get the best action shots of a motocross race.  If you are a fan of motocross then you probably know what you are looking for.  Jumping seems to be the action of choice.  There are numerous jumps around a mile to two mile motocross track.  Unlike Supercross, however, motocross is more about navigating natural terrain obstacles than hamming it up over the man-made doubles and triples of a stadium-restricted supercross track.  I’m not so sure that jumps convey action.  The resulting image is simply a stop-action of a bike in the air.  I much prefer the action indicators of dirt clods flying as a rider brakes hard into a turn, drags the bars through a turn, or accelerates out of the turn.  Bike and body position are everything.  Take a look at the image of Andrew Short (29), Tim Ferry (15) and Ivan Tedesco (9) throwing “roost” as they exit a turn a go full-throttle into a straight away.  Their body positions and the spray of dirt scream ACTION!!!

Body position is the indicator in the picture of Davi Millsaps (118) and James Stewart (7) racing through a wide sweeper.  They are in an aggressive position, leading with their heads out over the handlebars.  Also, the front wheel is off the ground, indicating acceleration.  They were riding very fast.  The shot may have been better had I slowed the shutter speed for a panning action.  Maybe next time. 

I like panning but it is more difficult to do than one might think.  If there is no sharp focal point, the image will be nothing more than a blurred picture.  A successful pan will have a point of very sharp focus.  That is why it is so important to take a firm position and rotate your camera at exactly the same speed of the rider.  The panned image of Andrew Short (29) is an example of what I mean.  The bike and rider are easily identifiable and the front number plate is quite sharp.  It is obvious that this is Andrew Short on a Honda.

As with all photography, the axiom “if your pictures are not good, get closer” is always appropriate.  Try to fill your viewfinder with exactly what you want in your picture.  I’ve found that an 80~200 zoom lens works in most situations.  The tight shot of Andrew Short, however, was shot with my 300mm f4.  I was able to stand right next to the track in a turn to make that picture.  He was hard on the brakes and going very slow at that point.  Getting this close is where press credentials are a godsend.  But, you can come very close to that if you find just the right place around the track or have the resolution to crop intensely.

The shot of Austin Stroupe (51) from the back and jumping into the tree was taken with my 80~200 zoom lens.  I had it wide open and was pretty close to the rider.  Again, that advantage of having press credentials and unhampered access.  Body position is interesting here as well.  You can see that motocross riders move around a lot on their motorcycles.  Knowing where to be on the bike and when to get there is some of what separates the best riders from good riders — that and the incredible condition their bodies are in.

Another point to make is about photographing an event vs photographing a rider.  An editor, and mentor, once told me, “One bike is riding, two bikes is racing, three bikes is a race.”  He was more of an auto racing enthusiast but the advice has always stuck with me.  The more riders included in a photograph the more action you will convey.  Photographing a friend is fine but, if you want to picture excitement, include more than one rider.  Also, you are much more likely to sell an image with multiple riders.

That brings us to what is probably the most photographed happening on a motocross track.  The Start!!!  I can’t think of anything more exciting than the start of a motocross race.  There are many “almost” great pictures of the start of a motocross race.  You have to plan your shot and there is no way to be sure of what will happen.  It is so fast, so loud, so intense that it is very difficult to choose just what to capture and when to click that shutter release.  I suggest either a high point or a very low point.  You can compress the action with a long telephoto or get most of the cluster of riders with something shorter.  The start that focuses on Ryan Sipes (57) is from all the way down at the second turn with a 300mm.  I caught that very well.  Thank God for autofocus. 

The shot of Number One with the red plate is from atop a jump looking down on the first turn.  It is with my 18~135 zoom.  I prefer the dirt-flying action of the Ryan Sipes photo but the slight panning blur of this one is interesting.  The number one red plate, by the way, belongs to last year’s champion, Ryan Villopoto.

I think I have rambled enough.  I can hardly wait until the next chance to photograph an AMA Motocross National.  Until then, I will continue to sharpen my skill by attending a few local amateur events.  I’d suggest you check out some motocross racing in your area.  You may be surprised at how close you can get.  And, how welcome photographers are at these events.

Sharing information is educational.  There is a plethora of photography information online but there is nothing like a face-to-face discussion.  I have hundreds of links to special techniques and photography information in general.  I’ve learned a lot from those links and continuously refer to them, especially when my attempts at creating art are leaving me frustrated.  I won’t abandon those links.  What I am suggesting is sharing those links with other photographers and receiving new references and approaches in return.  We never stop learning.  Joining a photography club enhances the experience.

I feel my photography has improved since joining a photography club.  Viewing and discussing the photography of others has me seeing in different ways and offers inspiration for new approaches to old subjects.  Post processing is a large part of the meeting agenda.  With member help, I am digging deeper and deeper into the complexities of Photo Shop.  It also helps to have fellow photographers offer constructive criticism.  Criticism is a sometime stinging but necessary evil for the continued development of an artist. 

My latest photography exhibit was at a local library.  There was a lot of enthusiasm.  The interest in fine art prints was encouraging.  I was asked by the librarian to include a photography discussion as a wrapup to the exhibition.  It was a very informal format, primarily answering questions about photography in general with a lot of questions about which camera to buy.     But the most often asked question was “How can we start a photography club?”   Of course, it was assumed that I would be the organizer.  I have never done that.  I queried the organizers of the two clubs to which I belong.  Their suggestion was “Don’t!  It is way too much work.”  It is a lot of work.  I think, however, that it will be worth the effort.  A labor of love it will be.

Both of the clubs that I have joined are organized around Yahoo Groups.  Since membership is wide-spread, it is an effective communication vehicle; a way to share information and plan meetings and social gatherings.  That’s where I chose to start.  I have the Yahoo Group in place.  Now, spreading the word is top priority.  You can access our Llano Photography Club by clicking this link.  I have asked the librarian to help.   She can post information in the library.  She also has contacts at the local newspapers.  I am putting this information here because the attendees at the photography exhibition took my business card.  Maybe they will browse this website and share their enthusiasm with others; inspiring them to join our club.  Meeting in the library conference room will begin as soon as our online membership reaches a reasonable level of interest; say ten members. 

I thoroughly enjoyed the photography discussion at the library and look forward to meeting a socializing with other photographers in our area.  While we are waiting for that to happen, I hope you will share your desires for club activities — photography walks, safaris, art shows.  We will be learning together frin each other.

I spent the weekend honing my action photography skills. The Llano Crawfish Festival is a local event. One of the highlights is a three-day team roping competition. I’ve long wanted access to a rodeo or any event featuring horses in action. I learned of the roping competition from my barber on Thursday and immediately went into planning mode. After searching the internet and studying the schedule in our weekly local, I awoke Friday morning and was in the Cowboy Camping Area before daylight. The first thing I learned was that cowboys are NOT the early risers I had assumed.They ARE big partiers.

In my professional past, I have had easy access to the events that I covered and to the competitors.My Press Pass or race credentials got me inside the action. This was different. I was just another citizen. I needed a way to get into that arena. The least I could settle for was a position by the fence.

Since there was no one present, I took a camera and several lenses with me as I circled the arena just to see what I would need and where I should be. With a bright sun starting its ascent to a high point in the southern hemisphere, I knew to expect very contrasty lighting. The roping wasn’t scheduled to start until ten o’clock. I chose a place with the sun behind me, putting most of the heavy shadows on the opposite side of the subject. My trusty 80~200mm zoom lens would get me close enough while keeping me at a safe distance. The spot was inside the arena.

I strolled through the cowboy camping area, killing time and looking for interesting pictures in the morning light. There were some beautiful horses but backgrounds were terribly distracting. Cowboys have lost a lot of their mystique. They’ve gotten “citified.”The area was like an RV park with motor homes and expensive self-contained horse trailers parked bumper to bumper.

When I returned to my parked truck the activity had picked up. Vendors were setting up their areas and officials were preparing for the ropers to register. I still had no idea how I would gain access to a primo spot in the arena but found someone who looked important and asked the question. “Where can I get to take pictures?” I was directed to an important person and told that I was welcome to take pictures and “where did I want to get.”She first said that I would not be allowed inside the arena. I told her about the light problem and requested a place at the far end of the arena, a long way from where the steers were released and the cowboys started their timed runs. She agreed. I was allowed in the arena and practically had the run of the place. They made me feel important and quite welcome.

The moral of this story is “Just Ask.” If you are serious about photography and want access you can probably get it. Most promoters or event officials are pleased to have your interest and might even ask to buy some of your pictures. The worst that can happen is they say “NO.” Even if they say no, they will likely offer alternative locations. So, gather your gear, choose an event, plan an approach and practice … practice you photography skills and your negotiating skills. You may surprise yourself.

I’ve selected several images from the Llano Crawfish Open to scroll the HomePage. I will allow them to scroll until the next blog post — or until I get tired of seeing them.

I spent this past Friday with my friend and colleague who just happens to be the designer of my website. It was a cold, dank day. Despite the weather we persisted in our planned photo safari. The wind restricted access to our primary subject, wildflowers, so we searched out and photographed structures, animals and flowing water. The flowing water was Bob’s idea. He has a new Nikon D80 and wanted to experiment with slow shutter speeds. Overall, the day was a success and I thoroughly enjoyed our visit.

Experimenting with slow shutter speeds and avoiding the motion created by the wind had me thinking of my background — motor sports photography. It is all about stopping or controlling motion. Also, Bob had asked me about photographing an indoor action event. I thought I would post a few tips on photographing action.

You need two things to get good action photos: some basic action-shooting skills, and some knowledge of the activity you’re photographing. The skills include panning, peak action, follow-focusing, prefocusing and developing a sense of timing. The knowledge helps you anticipate those perfect peak moments that make for great action photos. It does take some practice to perfect the techniques, so once you read about how to do it, go out and practice, and practice some more. Soon you’ll become proficient, and you’ll have some great action photos to show for it.

Start with a fast shutter speed – a fast shutter speed and NONE of the shutter lag usually associated with digital photography. In action photography, there is no place for shutter lag. Neither “prosumer” nor “point-and-shoot” cameras offer the shutter response required for fast action.

When I switched to digital photography my first camera was a Panasonic DMC-LC40. It is a wonderful little 4 MP point-and-shoot with 33~100 (35mm equivalent) Leica lens. I took some excellent action shots of my grandson on his dirt bike but there was a lot of luck involved. It never took a picture of what I was seeing when I pushed the shutter release.

When I returned to professional photography, I bought an 8 MP Panasonic DMC-FZ30, a powerful prosumer digital camera with 12X optical zoom, Leica DC Vario-Elmarit 35~420mm f2.8-f3.7 lens with Macro Focus and Optical Image Stabilizer. It sucked for action photography. The first motorcycle race that I covered was a near disaster. It was good old American flat track. The bikes reach speeds in excess of 80mph. The shutter lag would not allow me to follow focus. The electronic view finder would go black, I’d lose the action, and the camera would record a sharp image of blank dirt track. Prefocus was hit and miss at those speeds. I reverted to what I knew from my past – full manual.

A DSLR is really the only choice. There is no evident shutter lag and the DSLR offers an auto focusing system that is much more sophisticated. It allows tracking a moving target. The “follow focus” capability is discussed in the post about my Nikon D80 . The larger size of the DSLR processor also allows shooting at higher ISO speeds without creating the grainy effect of “digital noise.”

Second is a lens that can get you close to the action without endangering your life. My most treasured photographic possession during my photojournalism days was a zoom-Nikkor 80~200 f4.5. This was before auto focus. Its only auto function was indexing. I still have that lens but mostly as a keepsake.

Today’s lenses offer much more. My AF-S Nikkor 18~135 3.5-5.6G, a “kit lens” that came packaged with my Nikon D80, is equivalent to the old 80~200 in length. The D80 “crop factor” of 1.5 pushes the 135mm to an effective 202mm. It is a bit slow, however.

The AF-S Nikkor 300mm f4 is my latest addition. It cost more than my D80 and the “kit lens” combined. Doubling as a wildlife lens justified the expense. I added a 1.4 teleconverter that gives the lens an effective reach of 630mm at f5.6. At 300mm, this lens is fast and is great for compressing a group of racers in a corner. Compressing emphasizes the bar-to-bar action of a group of racers.

A better choice may be the AF-S Nikkor 80~200 f2.8. A bit more expensive than the 300 f4 but it is much faster and experience has shown that it has enough reach for most situations. It also is the choice of most photographers shooting indoor sports/action. This is what I would recommend for my friend who is shooting poorly lighted indoor action.I’m writing this in Nikonese because that it what I know. Canon, as well as others offers the same choices.

I started writing this from scratch but googled the internet for help. Rather than reinvent the wheel, I will link to one of the most comprehensive articles I have ever seen on the subject. www.steephill.tv/photography/action-photography-tips.html

An all-inclusive article on action photography is overwhelming. Therefore, I am deferring to the referenced article. It is dated August 2003. Equipment and terminology may have changed but the techniques are as relevant as ever.

As this is posted, a few of my action shots are displayed on the Home page. Some are good examples of the techniques referenced in the article. The images will be displayed for only a short period. They may be recalled if requested. I have left this post open for comments. A subject this significant deserves some discussion. Here’s hoping you will join in.

Spring is bursting out all over. It is a very special time of year for photographers. How can you screw up something as beautiful as a flower? Hmmmm…. maybe you can.

I took this photo of an Amaryllis and was not happy. It was surrounded by distractions. I was so smitten by the beautiful presentation with all those raindrops that I missed a few faded flowers. My wife is very good at seeing those details “before” they show up in a photograph. I’m learning, but am much better at manipulating the distractions with a Photo Shop tool. A lot of the purple delphinium was added by cloning it over the distractions. My wife was unable to detect the photoshopping. That’s good enough for me.

This rose is just naturally beautiful. The raindrop was there. The rose itself was nearly perfect and my Nikon 300mm f4 AFS produced a bokeh that made everything “pop.”

What would spring be without the birds and the bees … and a butterfly? Adding a moving target may make Spring photography a bit more difficult. But, it is hard to think of a more perfect time of year to find photographic subject matter. I probably should add that WIND becomes a factor. It has been ferocious here in Texas. A tripod is recommended for getting closeups of flowers but is of little use in windy conditions. The answer is patience. It may be less frustrating if you will just make yourself leave the camera indoors and work in your garden until the wind settles. Playing in your flowers may be helpful later when you go to compose that masterpiece. Also, you might find early (really early) morning the best time to beat the wind. That would also be the time of the best lighting. Evening light is great too but the wind is likely to be more wicked in the evening.

That’s my offering for the day. I’m waiting for the wind to settle and for my wife to help compose my masterpiece.

l8r

I have just added links to some invaluable information, information that has taken several years of internet browsing to accumulate.  It runs the gamut from general to very specific in nature.  If you are shopping for a camera or trying to decide between a point-and-shoot and that $5000 dSLR, nearly all are covered in the DigitalPhotographyReveiw link.  The art of High Dynamic Range photography is expertly addressed in Trey Ratcliff’s “Stuck in Customs” website.  Click on the HDR Tutorial link and be amazed at the imaginative work of Trey Ratcliff. 

For general information on photography or some casual reviews of equipment, my first stop is always Ken Rockwell’s site. Luminous Landscape is another site for some great articles on a variety of subjects.  The Luminous Landscape link is also home to some extraordinarily beautiful landscape photography.  And, of course, you can access my work directly by clicking on My Flickr Photos or My Imagekind Homepage.

There are many others but rather than overload you with details, I will save a few for another time.  From one avid photographer to another I hope you will find these links as valuable as I have and will pass them on to others. 

Fast Focusing, No Shutter Lag.

The new camera arrived Friday. I’ve been studying the documentation. It’s a bit intimidating. I’m overwhelmed.

I started to get a little more comfortable this afternoon. I was watching the evening light come and go. And, ducks were active. Most of my work with a camera is action; even the nature and wildlife stuff I do. I decided to put the D80 to the test. The ducks make an excellent test subject.

My problem with the Panasonic DMC-FZ30 was in focusing on fast action and with “digital noise” when the ISO (equivalent of film speed) was cranked up to 400 or above. The FZ30 is an excellent camera. I will continue to use it for many projects. It just is not quite a professional tool. The larger sensor and more sophisticated processor of the digital SLR cameras eliminates much of the digital noise issue. And, the interchangeable lenses with built-in focusing motors makes focusing and staying focused on a moving target much faster and more accurate.

I set the ISO to 400, mounted my 18-135mm “kit lens” and trudged down to the lake. I watched a gull drifting lazily overhead. I pointed and my D80 instantaneously locked on. I followed the bird and the focus adjusted as it flew away. It tracked perfectly but this was a slow-moving object. Just then, here came a flock of ducks, flying right over me. I pointed, pushed the shutter release to the half-way point, and the D80 locked on. It continued to follow as the ducks banked hard and set their wings to land. The light went wonderful and I completed releasing the shutter. Wow! Just like Henri Cartier-Bresson, I realized my “decisive moment.” I KNEW it was good — even with a high ISO setting and fairly short lens. I love this camera. I felt flushed from excitement. I just stood there in awe of my new tool. This is what I’ve been missing. With the FZ30, I would see the action coming, focus on the spot that I expected to be “the decisive moment” and hope for the best. I had to wait for the action to come into focus. If I tried focusing on the subject too soon, it could easily become blurred while I waited for the right moment, especially if it was coming directly at me.

Next test … here comes a single duck, right at me. Again, I pointed and pressed the shutter release to focus on the fast-flying duck. The D80 locked on and kept that bird so sharp that I could see its eyes. The light was beautiful and the duck banked and set his wings. Bingo! — another Cartier-Bresson moment.

Click on the images to see a larger, more detailed version.

Even though these are not the best photos that I expect to see from this outfit, the camera performed marvelously. This test is a success.

I can hardly wait to spend some more money … faster, longer, sharper. It’s all about the lens. But, that may not happen soon. I showed Jane the $179 Tamrac Backpack that I need to haul my growing inventory. She nixed it. I wonder what she will say when I ask about a $1600 lens? This may take some negotiating. She already has a new trailer. Hmmmm…

l8r