Oulton Park - Yellow Peril

One of my entries to a camera club competition to be handed in next week.

Comments appreciated - I'd rather you tell me any problems with it before the judge does

Samsung GX10, Sigma 100-300 f4.

What's the brief for the competition? Who is judging it on what criteria?
Whithout knowing that it is hard to give advice.

Looking at the histogram both highlights and shadows are clipped. The details in the motor block are almost all gone. If you have boosted contrast on this shot then think again if that really is the best way of processing.

On the plus side, you picked a good moment with the front wheel up. A bit more blur (i.e. longer shutter speed while panning) would have given the shot an even more dynamic air but I think it shows quite a bit of dynamics as it is.

Hope that helps,
Prieni

Prieni

Thanks for your comments.

Its an open regular 'merit' competition, so no brief, everybody enters up to 3 images, and the judge just chooses which images he thinks are 'best'.

I am aware that the specular highlights and deep shadows on the tyres are clipped - the lighting was quite strong from the rear - I didn't boost the contrast, but as they are small areas of clipping and not in the main subject area hopefully they are not that distracting.

I tried a longer shutter speed, but as the bikes were doing almost 200mph (320 kph) down the straight this was the slowest shutter speed I could use and still get a sharp picture - I have 100's of blurred ones

Its great to see images like this.

The crop is too tight, you need some more space in front of the bike, its fundamental to shots like. Only in front of the bike though.

I think its a cracking shot, I love to see pictures like this.

Just proves the Pentax/Samsung cameras AF is not as slow as people like to say. As for having hundreds of oof shots I think most fast moving shooters get the same thing no matter what brand they use.

My immediate impression was - too contrasty and over-sharpened, particularly the background which shouldn't be sharpened at all. For print the sharpening might be OK, but on screen it is quite noisy and hard on the eyes.

He clearly isn't doing 200mph here, or anywhere nearby, so I'm not sure what the argument is there. If I was being paid to get lots of crisp shots of the riders, I would have a fast shutter, but for a competition or portfolio I would definitely go for more motion blur (and bin most of them )

I like it tho', if I was the rider I would be pleased.

Thanks for all your input, just the sort of comments I was looking for,

I think I will look at adjusting the crop, contrast and sharpening before handing it in - as I said before I'd rather somebody else find problems rather than the judge!!

As a bike nut who misses all the short circuit action! great action shot have you got any more?

Thanks for all your helpful comments on my competition entry. I took many of them on board and the final image I entered is below (was entered as a projected image at 1400x1050, this is a reduced version).

There were 63 images in my section, I was the only author using Pentax equipment, and I got ....... 1st Place

I'll definitely get you all to comment on my future images, thanks again.

Congrats on your 1st place Tim, bet you were chuffed.
This is a much better image, great capture.
Bet the rider would be chuffed with this as well.

ali

Tim, this crop is soooo much better. Nice one.

Congrats and a well deserved 1st place.

Yes well done, another one in the eye from those who say Pentax don't do sport.