A Half-Decade of Progress

Four years isn't precisely half a decade, but it makes for a better title than 'One fifth of a score', so I make no apologies, especially given my previous title-related transgressions.

As the yearly trek to Mid-O now seems like a given rather than something that needs to be thought about, I though I would reflect on how the event has progressed for me photographically over the last several years.

Although I'd taken pictures since we started going in 2000, I didn't really start taking it 'seriously' until I went with my first DSLR in 2009.  As the years have progressed, I've tried to look at what kinds of photos I want from the event, and focus on trying to get them rather than just taking a bunch of pictures.  It's been pretty interesting to look back and see how the shots have changed over the years.  Below are a few excerpts from each year, along with what I felt I learned and tried to improve in the following year(s).

2009

The first year I shot at Mid-O was right after I'd decided that photography, and specifically motorsports photography, really interested me.  For that race I rented a very nice 100-400mm zoom lens and in my attempts to get some decent shots I wound up taking something like 1500 photos in one day.  

In general, I was happy with the way the shots turned out at the time, but my overall goal for that weekend was more about quantity than quality, and it shows in the photos, with shots of many riders, but not too much variety.  

The two shots above were probably the best out of the 1500-ish taken.  Not exactly a great keeper rate, but that's what practice is for...

2010

By 2010, I had decided that photography was something I still really wanted to do, and had invested in a nice 300mm lens that I talked about earlier with the intention of getting some even better bike shots.

This year I decided to walk around a little more before just shooting away, which is where I noticed how great turn 1 is for getting some shots of riders really cranked over, including these of Geoff May and Eric Bostrom.

I walked around a few other spots, trying to get some interesting angles, but overall didn't walk away with too much else in terms of racing action, except a few battles back in the pack during Superbike.

2011

2011 was the year of racing, in that I tried to focus on the (excellent) battle for the lead in the Superbike race, from a great vantage point at the bottom of turn 9.  I grabbed shots of the leaders from basically every lap, watching Josh Hayes and Blake Young trade the top spot at least a dozen times over the race.

I was definitely pleased with this location, and the technical output of the shots, but they lacked a certain impact that I was going for.  Looking back at my shots this one of Chris Filmore on the KTM coming through Turn 1 stood out as conveying the kind of message I was looking for.

Unfortunately I didn't try many shots like this, so this was really the only one that 'worked'.

2012

This year, thinking back through my own previous experiences and having spent a fair amount of time looking at other motorsports shots, I decided that I really wanted to focus on getting shots with a very specific look, and something at least approaching an intentional composition.  My previous approach has been to ensure that I have a high enough shutter speed to get consistently sharp photos which has definitely improved my keeper rate, but puts limits on how effective many motorsports images can be in terms of conveying a sense of speed.

Despite a wealth of life experience that would indicate that fortune does not favor the bold, I decided that I would make panning with low shutter speeds my primary mode of operation and to hell with the keeper rate.  

As an added bonus, I looked for some more interesting ways to interpret areas of the track that I'd shot before, specifically by introducing some tilt to the camera to improve the compositional interest and being more patient with rider position before pressing the shutter.

Overall, I feel like it worked out well, and I've listed a few of the images I'm happy with, as well as some things I still feel I could do better.

The photo below of Josh Herrin coming through Turn 1 is very similar to other shots I'd taken in previous years, but the slow shutter speed and slight angle add a clean feel and visual interest that I feel was lacking previously.  The fact that I was lucky enough to nail the focus during the pan is merely icing.

This shot of Supersport race winner Dustin Dominguez was taken at the bottom of Turn 9 and was the result of more panning practice.  I took maybe 10 of these shots and was lucky enough to have one that was sharp with the composition I wanted.  I love the way you can see his eyes through the visor - one more reason not to worry about potential rain quite so much.

This photo of Josh Hayes coming into Turn 8 was one of my favorites from the weekend, because it's exactly what I see in my head when I think about T8.  Having ridden this track myself, the elevation change from 7-8 is at first intimidating and then great fun.  I felt like the tilt of the track sloping dramatically upward in both the foreground and background helped to convey what it's like to go into this corner as a rider.

While I'm very pleased with how a great many of these turned out, I'm hoping to continue to find new ways to produce images with more impact.  One of the reasons that I was drawn to photography initially was that there are always new and interesting ways to interpret the same things, and always improvements to be made to technique and creative vision.

Looking forward to next year (and beyond), I want to get out and explore other parts of the track and look for new and interesting vantage points.  I also feel like I've been focusing too much on the racing, when there are so many other interesting things going on around the track, both in the pits and the spectator areas.

Knowing what I was able to 'find' just taking a second look around areas I was already comfortable with, I'm sure that Mid-O has some more great shots lurking around every corner.

The 300

At some point I will stop making blatant movie references and actually try to come up with a title on my own, but until then, let the cheesy rip-offs continue!

Awhile back I talked about having rented a Canon 100-400mm lens and how, although I really enjoyed it, I just couldn't justify the cost and decided to make due with what I had - the very nice 100-300mm. Still, always present in the back of my head were the stunning shots I had taken at both Mid-Ohio and the local park last year. This in mind, I began to 'casually' investigate potential options for a high quality longish telephoto.

There are really 3 options for Canon lenses in this range (that cost less than $4000): the 100-400 that I had previously rented, the 400mm f5.6, and the 300mm f4 IS. After quite a bit of consideration, I finally decided that the 300mm was the ticket. At f4, it was decently fast for motor sports and birds, and the IS is a life-saver, especially with my complete lack of hand-steadiness. This way I also had the option of using a 1.4x tele-converter to have a very nice 420mm f5.6 IS - seemed like a pretty good compromise.


Image Courtesy of B&H Photo

So after much searching, I found a practically new copy for a great price on the Canon Photography Forum classifieds. This is a great place to buy and sell gear, with $5,000~10,000 lenses being bought at sold all the time. The lens arrived in perfect condition as-advertised, and I was very excited to get out and try it.


Tufted Titmouse close crop from my first time out with the 300mm.

To say I was pleased with the image quality would be a gross understatement. The focus speed and accuracy is excellent on my 40D, and I've used the servo function to track everything from hummingbirds to racebikes.


Ruby Throated Hummingbird


Eric Bostrum coming through T1 at Mid-Ohio

I do miss the versatility of the zoom at times, but I've been a prime lover for some time now, so I'm used to zooming with my feet. The range is a bit short for birds, but I've found with lots of patience it's actually not bad for backyard birding. It's perfect for the track, not only in focal length, but the weight is low enough that my arms never got tired @ Mid-O, which I'm sure certainly wouldn't be the case with a 12 lb 400mm f2.8.

Overall I'm extremely pleased, and look forward to continuing to use this lens for as much as possible. MotoGP at Indy is just around the corner!

I Make My Own Light

Although adapting an obscure Batman movie quote to a post title for the second time in a row may seem questionable, I offer no apologies.

Recently I have become increasingly interested in flash photography, mostly as a result of following the excellent Strobist blog created by off-camera flash guru David Hobby.

Looking back through my photos, and a great many that others have taken, I have begun to realize that lighting is unquestionably the most important factor in the difference between a stunning (or even good) shot and a mediocre one. The Strobist philosophy is all about learning how to use light, both flash or flash and natural together to create the exact lighting conditions to fulfill an artistic vision.

As a self-admitted control freak, you can imagine why this would appeal to me greatly.

The only real hurdle for me to learning the Strobist off-camera flash techniques was not having a flash. Or any way to get it off-camera. Fortunately, my dear 'ol Pa stepped in and graciously donated his Canon 580EX to my cause, and I was able to pick up some cheap radio flash triggers from eBay.

After a quick trip to MPEX in Columbus, OH (a fantastic camera shop - also recommended by David Hobby), I was finally set with a very nice light stand and shoot-through umbrella to compliment the 580. The setup looks a little like something you'd see at the DMV, but used correctly, it's an excellent diffuser, especially for things like portrait headshots:



In addition to upgrading lighting for portraits from what could have previously been referred to as 'mugshot chic' , I've also been playing around with using the flash in a more controlled way to get a specific lighting effect that creates a mood. Placement of shadow is just as important as highlights, and the play of light and shadow has an enormous impact on the feel of an image.

Here's a comparison of a Dragonball Z figurine brought back to me from Japan in two different lighting environments:

Figurine shot in lightbox w/ basically omnidirectional light:


Figurine shot with off-camera flash through a snoot (long tube) to control the highlight area:


Both shots are basically the same composition, taken with the same lens and camera at similar settings, but the look and 'feel' are completely different. To me, the second shot represents just some of the possibilities to be found in off-camera flash work.

I'll close with one final strobist shot:



The reason that I am particularly proud of this shot, other than it looking pretty cool and not burning the house down while taking it, was that I was able to get the look I was after in the glass by itself within about 5 minutes of playing around with the flash/reflector setup. After that it was just a matter of adding a little isopropyl alcohol for the finishing touch.

To me, learning the techniques and being able to apply them (relatively) independently to achieve a specific vision in my head is really cool, and one of the reasons that I think photography has become such a strong interest for me.

Just Some Nut

In motorcycling circles there's an old saying in regards to problem solving: "The most commonly defective part on a motorcycle is the nut that connects the seat to the handlebars". Car guys have a similar adage dealing with seats and steering wheels.

Regardless of the frame of reference, I continue to find truth in the meaning behind these words.

Earlier this year I rented a 100-400mm F4-5.6L Canon lens. The 'L' stands for 'Leave your wallet and go'. Actually it stands for 'Luxury', but regardless, this is not an inexpensive piece of glass. Renting it was painless enough, but the results were so good that it's got me seriously considering one of my own.

As that kind of financial commitment is currently not possible, I've been experimenting with my 100-300 to find ways to get the most out of it. After playing around a little I've been really pleased with the results.

Here's a quick comparison with similar types of shots:

Eastern Kingbird in the Park with 100-400L


White-Breasted Nuthatch in the Backyard with 100-300


See an appreciable difference in quality?

I don't, and I agonize over minute details of all the photos I take until Randi is ready to drag the keyboard out of my hands and beat me with it. The reason the 100-300 shot turned out so well is that 'the nut between the camera and the shutter' was working a lot better when I took that shot.

As I continue to learn about photography, both technically and creatively, I've become much more aware of the limitations of both myself and my equipment. Part of this is adjusting the way I shoot to make the most my equipment instead of expecting it to do things it was never designed to do.

In this case, the 100-300 isn't particularly sharp until around f11 and has no IS, so it needs a lot of light to keep the shutter speed up. Under these conditions it has the potential to really shine.

Is it more limited than the 100-400L? Sure, but it's also a third of the weight and an eighth of the cost. As long as the boundary conditions in which it operates optimally are understood, it makes for a very nice telephoto zoom.

I have no doubt that I will invest in better glass in the future, but for now I'm working with what I already have and really enjoying learning to make the most of it.

Prime Time

The alternate title for this was 'Fast Primes at Ridgemont High', but I'm not sure if even I'm that big a dork.

Recently, Randi and I went back down to Morgantown for a visit, and as is quickly becoming a tradition, I packed up the Crumpler and lugged my 40D and several lenses down to document the festivities.

Despite my recent heavy use of zooms in Maine, Hawaii, and for the motorcycle races at Mid-Ohio, my first true love was a prime - A Canon 50mm f1.8 II to be exact. Unfortunately I sold it along with my XTi to my good friend Bob, who is now putting it to excellent use. To replace it I bought a 50mm f1.4, which is a slightly faster, better built, but overall similar lens.

My initial impressions of the 1.4 were a little disappointing, and even after having Canon service fix the autofocus issues I was having, I often left it in my bag in favor of a more versitle zoom (in most cases my truly excellent 28-135).

But then, you can never really replace a fast prime with a zoom lens. Sure, some of the versitilty is lost, but the increase in sheer light consumption, low weight, and forcefull push to find the creative vantage point for a shot really add something to the experience. The fact that both composition and focusing technique really need to be perfect has a certain appeal to me as well.

Here are a few shots taken while down in Mo-town with the 50mm. They certainly can't be mistaken for anything else in my bag.

My love


Peppers for Dinner - I love the extremely shallow depth of field in this one.


One of the cats - again, the depth of field from a really fast lens just can't be had any other way

SmugMugged

I have officially been mugged.

Fortunately instead of being beaten senseless and lacking a wallet, I have been merely taken in by an excellent photo hosting service.

Actually, the term "photo hosting service" is doing Smug Mug quite a large disservice. It's essentially a fully customizable way to showcase a portfolio or even run a business. It is certainly an excellent place to host photos, but the amount features they offer for both basic and truly advanced customization are extremely impressive. The standard layouts are very nice, and offer an instant, pleasing way to showcase photos, with the added ability to print high quality prints in just about any size imaginable.

The real power behind SmugMug though is the nuts and bolts customization offered through HTML/Java/CSS re-coding of nearly the entire site. There are some incredibly talented coders and web developers (i.e. not me), who have taken the base framework and completely re-worked it to make some amazing custom sites.

Fortunately, for those of us who never bothered to learn how to actually code for web development, they have an extensive resource/knowledge base in the Digital Grin Forums. Here, many of the aforementioned talented individuals are more than willing to provide whatever advice is asked for on coding for style.

After pouring through the tutorials, forums, and FAQ's, I have finally come up with a format that I think is passable, which can be found here:

Will Robbins Photography

I am still refining the formatting and layout, and hope to eventually go beyond the basic black theme, but for the time being I'm not ashamed showing it to others.

If you are so inclined, feel free to leave me a comment on the layout/format and let me know what you think.

Also, since this is a photo blog, here's a cute picture of our cat, Nalla:

Mid-Ohio 2009

Dad and I have been coming to Mid-Ohio for nearly a decade now (next year is the big one-oh), and I still look forward to it every year.

This year I decided that I wanted to try my hand at getting some decent pictures. I took my 100-300 to the MotoGP races at Indy last year and got some ok shots, but Mid-Ohio is a much friendlier from an amateur photographer's point of view, so I wanted to make the most of it.

The Canon Photography Forums highly recommended Lens Rentals, so I thought I would give them a try and rent a lens that would be pretty much out of my reach at this point.

I wound up going with the Canon 100-400 f4.5-5.6L IS. This is Canon's long-range high-quality zoom lens that gives excellent versatility, reasonably light weight, and a nice image stabilization system. The retail is ~$1500, but I was able to rent one for 7 days (inclusive) for about $100.

The Lens Rentals process was as smooth as I could have asked for, with excellent communication, and a handy pre-paid shipping label, so all I had to do was use it, tape it back up, and drop off at FedEx. I'll definitely use them again.

The 100-400L itself is an absolute dream. The build quality is outstanding, and although it's not super fast @ f4.5~5.6, the copy I got really shone with some decent light. At around 3 pounds, it was much heavier than I was used to, but I wound up hand-holding it for pretty much all of Mid-Ohio.


Photo courtsy of B&H Photo

I wanted to get at least a little practice before Mid-Ohio, so I went to the local park to try my hand at some bird shots. It was much more difficult that I had imagined, requiring lots of patience, and quite a few shots to get anything decent. The light was great that evening, and I wound up walking away with these:

Female Red-Winged Black Bird:



Eastern King Bird:



Needless to say, I was blown away by this first outing, and very excited for the race weekend.

Without drawing it out too much further, the race weekend was great. The weather cooperated, and there was some great action on track. I took ~1000 photos, and wound up with about 400 that didn't get deleted. Out of those, I had about 100 that I was pretty happy with.

Here are a few of the real keepers:

Aaron Yates coming into the Esses


Larry Pegram on the Ducati 1098R


Yamaha R6 in Turn 9 during Daytona Superbike Qualifying


Corona Extra Honda CBR1000RR


Ducati 1098R coming into the Esses with Suzuki in hot pursuit.


I shot most of these hand-held (although I did use my monopod for awhile) at f7.1~8 and 1/640~1/1000 and the lens performed really well. I'm hoping to make some prints out of a few of these.

Overall, a great experience that I hope to be able to repeat with a 100-400L of my own some day.