Cyclo Cross

[Marmie]

I'm very new to photography, an amateur actually. I need some help on how to freeze the actions. At this point its mostly hit or miss... need a lot of guidance.
Here are a few of what I took last weekend.

[Marmie]

sorry, here are the photos again.

[Jimmy B]

I really like how you framed the 4th shot. It looks to me that you freezing the action pretty good. The way I look at it you have stopped the spokes in the non carring shots.
Disclaimer I am not a professional. Keep at it!
Jimmy B

[SunnySideUp]

Marmine,
I think you are doing well especially if this is your first attemp. You can't do much better on one. Some people may say you are a little too close because you can't see the bottom of the barrier. But it is a nice shot all the same.
The second shot the DOF is a little short. Were you shooting apeture or shutterspeed priority?
The third shot is good.
The fourth shot seems a bit out of focus but this may be your DOF again or it may be your panning.
The fifth is good because the feet show a bit of motion. I would have perfer it taken a few milliseconds earlier.

Keep them coming
Shane

[Marmie]

Jimmy & Shane,

thanks a lot for your kind comments.

I'm not using Aperture or Shutterspeed Priority because I haven't really understood them fully.. I'm just using the Sports Mode on my camera that's why sometimes I get nice ones and most of the time it's just bad because it focuses on whatever is the closest to the camera. And I adjust the ISO whenever I get in and out of the wooded area.

If I use the Manual Mode what setting would I use? I'm going to shoot more of these kind of event, cyclo cross and road cycling. By the way, I'm using a Nikon D70.

Marmie

[Old Timer]

Very nice job here Marmie. I love #1 and #2 both have a lot of intensity. I would suggest you get out of the pre programed modes a soon as you can. Take control of your camera and let it help you express what you want in an image not what some programer in Japan thinks is the best aperture/shutterspeed. Keep up the good work and post more for us to enjoy.

[Marmie]

Thank's OT, I can tell you, I can't wait to get out of this mode. It's frustrating to see a potential good pictures get ruined.

Marmie

[Marmie]

Hey, thank's for featuring my photo.. a very big surprise to me and very encouraging too..

Marmie