Mountain bike photos (slightly differnt background)

[Rick_R]

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:


After:


Before


After


There are a couple more at:
http://bikeguy.smugmug.com/gallery/4...98900249_ei9Kx

Your Thoughts on this treatment ?

Regards
Rick

[readingr]

Nice shots,

I especially like the angle of the first.

Roger

[Old Timer]

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!

[jorgemonkey]

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?

[Lori11]

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

[retroactiv]

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.

[Rick_R]

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

[victorhuang20]

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

[splats]

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

excellent work

[Rick_R]

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