Tour Of Utah Prologue

[Chris350]

Meet Jesse Anthony. Anthony rides for Kelly Benefits Strategies/Optumhealth professional cycling team. He went all onto in th prologue and even deeper on stage one of this years Tour Of Utah.
This is from the Prologue where Anthony finished 30 seconds behind the top finisher.

[Photo-John]

In a skinsuit, even! I can certainly see the suffering. Looks like he's gasping for air. I do wish I could see a little bit of the bike. But maybe that would have distracted from the focus on his face.

The prologue was up at the Olympic Center in Park City, right? I didn't get out to shoot it at all this time around. I went for my own ride on Saturday and on Sunday I did pretty much nothing at all. The timing of the Tour of Utah is such that I just can't get motivated to go out and shoot. Maybe next year...

[Chris350]

John the project I'm working on was about the faces more than the bike.

[Photo-John]

John the project I'm working on was about the faces more than the bike.

Project, huh? Were you shooting for someone or is this a personal project?

[SmartWombat]

sounds interesting project
with that fill flash it's looking a little high key comparing the face to the suit and backgroung was that the intention?

[Chris350]

I got to admit the intention was to light his face against the strong if not nearly impossible back light as seen across his shoulders, and right arm. The sun is directly above and behind the rider. A classic example of how the best location for subject on the course many times does not offer up the best lighting. It's mid afternoon on a cloudless day at 7500 feet.

[mattb]

I'll be facing some similar lighting challenges next week for the USAPCC here in Colorado. I'm bringing my flash but hoping I don't have to rely on it that much. The race starts at 10:00am so much of it will be in mid-day, especially the big climbs on Cottonwood and Independence passes. Should be a fun day of shooting and watching anyway!

[Photo-John]

A classic example of how the best location for subject on the course many times does not offer up the best lighting. It's mid afternoon on a cloudless day at 7500 feet.

Yeah, I understand that. With fast moving action sometimes you just have to act fast, wing it, and sort it out as best you can in post. I think the lighting on this is just fine.

[Chris350]

Yeah, I understand that. With fast moving action sometimes you just have to act fast, wing it, and sort it out as best you can in post. I think the lighting on this is just fine.

It's probably flash @ -1 ev if I recall. In a perfect world I would have known to drop it further to get rid of the shadow on the right shoulder.

[Chris350]

I'll be facing some similar lighting challenges next week for the USAPCC here in Colorado. I'm bringing my flash but hoping I don't have to rely on it that much. The race starts at 10:00am so much of it will be in mid-day, especially the big climbs on Cottonwood and Independence passes. Should be a fun day of shooting and watching anyway!

As a possible help, I carry two bodies, one loaded with a 16-85 and the other with an 80-200. The flash lives on the wide and is almost always used in race conditions, because of the completely unpredictable lighting and shadows. The flash migrates to the longer lens occasionally when I know a close up needs to be lit around helmet shadow and the like. Fill is indispensable in these events. You'll see all the top pros use it a lot. I'll be in Aspen for the three day women's race and it looks like the finish of the mens stage that day.

[mattb]

As a possible help, I carry two bodies, one loaded with a 16-85 and the other with an 80-200. The flash lives on the wide and is almost always used in race conditions, because of the completely unpredictable lighting and shadows. The flash migrates to the longer lens occasionally when I know a close up needs to be lit around helmet shadow and the like. Fill is indispensable in these events. You'll see all the top pros use it a lot. I'll be in Aspen for the three day women's race and it looks like the finish of the mens stage that day.

Is that on a crop body? I'm on a 1.5 crop and I have a 28-75 on one and I'm thinking of a 15mm prime on the other. I also have a 55-300 that I'll bring along if I find the others are too wide, but it's slower so it won't be good if it gets stormy.

[Photo-John]

I'll be facing some similar lighting challenges next week for the USAPCC here in Colorado. I'm bringing my flash but hoping I don't have to rely on it that much. The race starts at 10:00am so much of it will be in mid-day, especially the big climbs on Cottonwood and Independence passes. Should be a fun day of shooting and watching anyway!

Men's races are always in the worst light. As is always the case with flash, meter your camera exposure for the background and set your flash for your subject. Depending on your background and the look you want, you may want the background to be over or underexposed by a stop or more. If you can, always do a test shot with your flash and then fine-tune the flash output to get it as close as you can to perfect. With a road race you might want to shoot a lead out car or moto as a test. Just make sure you're not messing with the camera when the race leaders arrive. I know - I've done that plenty of times and missed the shot

[Chris350]

Is that on a crop body? I'm on a 1.5 crop and I have a 28-75 on one and I'm thinking of a 15mm prime on the other. I also have a 55-300 that I'll bring along if I find the others are too wide, but it's slower so it won't be good if it gets stormy.

I carry one D200 DX body with a 16-85 DX lens and depending on budget a D700 (FX) or D300s (DX) rental with the 80-200. The only other lens I carry on these gigs is a 300mm f/4. The two lenses I carry mounted cover all the ranges I need. Your choices sound about right for roadside work.