Aboyne Highland Games 2016

[weepete]

Thought I'd share some shots from last years Aboyne Highland Games

Hammer throw by wee_pete, on Flickr

Weight throw by wee_pete, on Flickr

Caber Toss by wee_pete, on Flickr

Drum Major's Challennge by wee_pete, on Flickr

Tug O' War by wee_pete, on Flickr

Weight Over the Bar by wee_pete, on Flickr

 

[tirediron]

Wonderful monochrome conversions!

 

[BillM]

Great shots, I would love to shoot something like that !!!!!

 

[Derrel]

Pretty cool events. Nice work.

 

[weepete]

Thanks guys, I thought they were pretty cool events to see. There were lots of events happening on the field and running at the same time, Scottish and Irish country dancing, long jump, high jump and some running events including some fell running which started and finished on the field but the route took them up a local hill, a couple of the runners had got married the day before as well. So the field was very busy which made it challenging to shoot. The pros had got passes which allowed them on to the field where they could get a better position, and there were some serious lenses there too including one chap who looked like he had an 800mm f5.6 which was massive. There were a couple of TV crews too. I was just shooting from the bleachers so my backgrounds were far from ideal.

Still gave me a chance to test my vintage Canon 135mm f2.5.

 

[Derrel]

That's the difference between "pro shots" and the others...with the 800/5.6 he probably got a lot of super-tight close-=ups with blown-out backgrounds, and 3:2 aspect shots, all presented without any context, and with no "feel" for the event conveyed,

I personally likie to see "context" in at least some of thye photos from this type of event! The chain link fence; the TOP of the bar AND the athlete in he two shots; what good is it to see a hulking kilt-clad man hefting a caber--but not beeing able to SEE the top of the caber? A perfect ecxample of a shot that demands a shorter lens than a 300, or 400, or 500, or 800mm! Same with the man who has cleared the bar with the heavy kettle-bell type weight...close-up shot would suck. period.

Looks like the vintage 135mm f/2.5 optic earned its ration of bread and cheese and ale for the a day!

So,so tired of seeing these types of athletics events done in the so-called "pro shots" style....half a body, backdrop un-recongnizable, and zero context of the field or course or pitch the event was conducted upon.