Trail Freeriding - 15 photos

stc2008lt · Nov 30, 2008

I had a chance to go see my older brother yesterday for the first time in a long itme, who happened to be at Klondike Park trail riding. He's part of a website called Gateway Freeride which is a group of guys that goes and mountain bikes and dirt jumps. I was able to shoot some photos of him yesterday doin' his thing so to speak. Camera settings were at 1/1000 shutter speed with 1600ISO. It was hard to get light in, and my flash went off only when it wanted - its a Panasonic DMW-FL28 external hotshoe flash. I don't get what I might have done wrong for it to never go off. I also had an issue with trying to rapid shoot photos - even on unlimited setting which did only 1 photo per second.. didn't help my cause.

1) Driving to the main lot to get to the start of the trail

2) Eric launching off a 3-4 feet rock face down hill

3) Riding on some of the trail toward the top of the ridge

4) One of the fast snaking sections

5) My best shot, him sliding around a corner

6) Another fast section

7) Was able to get him coming toward me more head on

8) a rock that was part of the trail he rode on

9) same spot as 8 but the flash decided to go off for once.

10) another rock face

11) same as above

12) Sat in a cove type formation and waited for him to come around the corner

13) had him do it again hoping to get a flash to go off.. no go.

14) just a bit after.

15) wooden bridge toward the end of the trail

C&C anyone?

keybq · Nov 30, 2008

i like the comp of the photos but the colors kill them. I dont really no or how to change it because the lighting from the cloudy days is the killer.

But i really like the photos

stc2008lt · Nov 30, 2008

keybq said:
i like the comp of the photos but the colors kill them. I dont really no or how to change it because the lighting from the cloudy days is the killer.

But i really like the photos

Thank you! I hated how the cloudyness just killed the colors. And even adjusting in photoshop doesn't work because of the grain that were in the photos. I hope come spring and summer I can really get some nice photos when the trees and flowers are in bloom, not to mention that the sun will actually come out :lol:

HoboSyke · Dec 1, 2008

I like 12 the best. Good comp and nice lighting. Although some fill flash would have been nice, what were you using to trigger the flash that was so unsuccessful?

stc2008lt · Dec 1, 2008

HoboSyke said:
I like 12 the best. Good comp and nice lighting. Although some fill flash would have been nice, what were you using to trigger the flash that was so unsuccessful?

I'm not sure. I had it on auto, the flash dial, and the camera was on shutter priority. I kept trying to get it to go off, but there had to be something I forgot to do. On my flash there are 2 dials: one for auto, auto macro, manual, and slave and one for the distance. I thought I adjusted properly, but no go. Any ideas what may have happened? I'm possibly thinking of using another flash I have around the house which I'll look on later - all I know is its a Minolta.

gsgary · Dec 1, 2008

The shutter speed is way too fast no sense of movement in the shots

stc2008lt · Dec 1, 2008

gsgary said:
The shutter speed is way too fast no sense of movement in the shots

They do look a bit still don't they? Should I have gone with 1/500?

LeSueur24 · Dec 1, 2008

Your flash is not going to sync at much higher that 1/200 if you didn't know that. If you get another chance change your settings around, it seemed pretty bright in the woods since the trees have lost their leaves so you could probably drop the ISO down to around 400. I shoot in some similar woods conditions using external flash, it's just something that you have to get used to. For composition, try not to center the rider in the shot and I wouldn't bother shooting straight-aways in the downhill runs as they don't have a real "action" look to them, go for the corners and drops.

stc2008lt · Dec 1, 2008

LeSueur24 said:
Your flash is not going to sync at much higher that 1/200 if you didn't know that. If you get another chance change your settings around, it seemed pretty bright in the woods since the trees have lost their leaves so you could probably drop the ISO down to around 400. I shoot in some similar woods conditions using external flash, it's just something that you have to get used to. For composition, try not to center the rider in the shot and I wouldn't bother shooting straight-aways in the downhill runs as they don't have a real "action" look to them, go for the corners and drops.

Those are some really good tips! So I'd be able to knock the shutter speed down to 1/200 and have a 400ISO, then I might be good? I'll check in with him to see if he wants to meet up again this weekend.

LeSueur24 · Dec 1, 2008

stc2008lt said:
Those are some really good tips! So I'd be able to knock the shutter speed down to 1/200 and have a 400ISO, then I might be good? I'll check in with him to see if he wants to meet up again this weekend.

Well those settings are just an example, check out my flickr and look at the EXIF info on some of my riding shots. But yeah just experiment with a lot of different settings, that's going to be the most difficult part.

stc2008lt · Dec 2, 2008

LeSueur24 said:
Well those settings are just an example, check out my flickr and look at the EXIF info on some of my riding shots. But yeah just experiment with a lot of different settings, that's going to be the most difficult part.

Wow those are some excellent shots of the riding. I love how they're all lit up nicely with the strobes. I'm thinkin about maybe getting some strobes in the future.

ps also added you as a contact on Flickr if you didn't mind