Kite Surfing 5 for C&C

[RobNZ]

Finally got a chance to photograph kite surfers, typically when the wind picked up enough for them to perform the cloud killed the late afternoon light....grrrr.

Ahh well there is always a next time.

C&C appreciated.

1.

2.

3. I found it a bit of a challenge to show the actual height these guys can get too without having a whole lot of nothing in the scene.

4. Height here also isnt clearly shown, the lack of "ground" reference is lacking I think, sky in this and the above is lacking anything interesting, I did add a slight colour graduation from the top to make it a little better perhaps?

5.

I have only posted 5 out of about 22, the 5 dont necessarily represent what I consider the best, they have been selected for feedback.

Full set can be found here Matt & Kevin Kite Surfing - a set on Flickr

Thanks for looking, any feedback appreciated.

 

[Polyphony]

You always amaze me with your pictures. Awesome job. I looked through the full album and image 5409 is definitely my favorite. (That's the one where he is almost parallel with the ground.) It's a shame the sky wouldn't cooperate with you. Using the 300mm again?

 

[Robin Usagani]

what a cool sport!

 

[RobNZ]

You always amaze me with your pictures. Awesome job. I looked through the full album and image 5409 is definitely my favorite. (That's the one where he is almost parallel with the ground.) It's a shame the sky wouldn't cooperate with you. Using the 300mm again?

Cheers Polyphony, that was one of the shots I knew was going to be a keeper when I captured it. 300mm yet again

6......image 5409

what a cool sport!

Yeah I wouldnt mind having a go myself, they get some good height and airtime.

 

[Robin Usagani]

I dont understand how they can come back to the shore. Where is the direction of the wind? I dont get it.

 

[Bitter Jeweler]

Rob, I am going to pass along what many have told me in regards to photographing kiters. Kiting (single line, and dual line stunt) and kite building is another of my hobbies. I thought I would get some great images of people flying kites. Critique is nearly always the same. Without that which is attached to the end of the string, images are typically lacking. My best extreme stringholding images are the ones in which whats at the end of the line is also in the frame with the stringholder. Look at your first image, and compare it's impact to the others.

While I also see the idea of capturing the extreme action with kite surfing, and your images are well done, there is still that little something lacking, in my eyes. I urge you to try to capture that action, and include the kite as much as possible. It's harder for me in my sport, because our kites are often 100 to 500 feet in the sky.

I love that first image!

 

[RobNZ]

I dont understand how they can come back to the shore. Where is the direction of the wind? I dont get it.

Direction of the wind in this case was almost parallel to shore, think of a sailing boat and how it can tack back and forth to get where the skipper wants to be, same sort of thing applies here.

Rob, I am going to pass along what many have told me in regards to photographing kiters. Kiting (single line, and dual line stunt) and kite building is another of my hobbies. I thought I would get some great images of people flying kites. Critique is nearly always the same. Without that which is attached to the end of the string, images are typically lacking. My best extreme stringholding images are the ones in which whats at the end of the line is also in the frame with the stringholder. Look at your first image, and compare it's impact to the others.

While I also see the idea of capturing the extreme action with kite surfing, and your images are well done, there is still that little something lacking, in my eyes. I urge you to try to capture that action, and include the kite as much as possible. It's harder for me in my sport, because our kites are often 100 to 500 feet in the sky.

I love that first image!

Cheers Bitter and I totally agree with your advice, ideally I would have an underwater housing and shoot wide and be able to get amongst it.

But until then....I could use the kit 18-55mm whilst they are still on land and maybe the 50mm prime to capture when at sea to get it all in frame, combined with the 300mm for the tighter shots.

Thanks for your feedback and I will definately work towards that next time I get a chance to shoot them again. :thumbup: