This weekend I shot a DH and DS mountain bike race in Central Calif. Took your basic sack-load of photos (1400+). Most of the these type of photos are of an individual rider ( They are racing against the clock, very rarely do you get two riders in the same frame).

I decided to play around with the background. I basically de-saturated the background while masking the ride out from the background. Here are some samples:

Before:
http://bikeguy.smugmug.com/photos/298259491_oVWC2-L.jpg

After:
http://bikeguy.smugmug.com/photos/299463742_pYE96-L.jpg

Before
http://bikeguy.smugmug.com/photos/298194820_ZAqjj-L.jpg

After
http://bikeguy.smugmug.com/photos/299463594_XkjJD-L.jpg

There are a couple more at:
http://bikeguy.smugmug.com/gallery/4987262_sYavS#298900249_ei9Kx

Your Thoughts on this treatment ?

Regards
Rick

Nice shots,

I especially like the angle of the first.

Roger

Yep I agree with Roger that first one is a real crank turner. Love the angle and spot on focus and there is just enough blur in the front wheel to give the impression of speed. Very nice work!

The first one I think is the best one, you did a real good job of masking out the background.

Was this race out at Sandhill?

I really love the color and B&W background, nice job!

I really like that first one, your editing of the it is just superb. I hope that you will post some more of your shots because I think we all have something to learn from you.

The first one I think is the best one, you did a real good job of masking out the background.

Was this race out at Sandhill?

Scott: This was the NMBS down at Los Olivis / Santa Barbara last weekend. I think I'd fried my brain during the race(s) it was so hot. They even shortened the XC races by a couple of laps because of the heat.

Regards
Rick

The second one it kind of looks like the rider is photoshopped in, like just copy and pasted in.

I like what you have done , really makes the rider jump right out at you !!

excellent work

The second one it kind of looks like the rider is photoshopped in, like just copy and pasted in.

While the rider was not cut / pasted into the photo, The rider was masked in Photoshop to avoid the de-saturation that I did on the background. Then I upped the contrast to accent the rider. The before and after photos show that they are the same photo, just different adjustments in PS.

I just am learning about masks and getting blown away on how powerful they are.

Regards
Rick