Home · Register · Join Upload & Sell

Moderated by: Fred Miranda
Username  

Sports Corner Rules
Sports Corner Resource
  

FM Forums | Sports Corner | Join Upload & Sell

  

Archive 2014 · Rodeo Pictures - Where to focus

  
 
h317
Offline
• •
Upload & Sell: Off
p.1 #1 · p.1 #1 · Rodeo Pictures - Where to focus


First time shooting rodeo pictures. Some from the stands and some on the ground behind the steel fence. It was fun. Hope my lenses are ok 8<

My general questions are ...

1. Should I focus on the rider's eyes or the bull's/horse's eyes?
2. Obviously, faces would be underexposed severely (especially under the noon light condition I shot). Do pictures that don't show rider's eyes(e.g. blocked by brim of a cowboy hat) are still "good"? Maybe peak action/composition trumps that "requirement"?
3. I think I need a wide angle and/or a fish eye to have a mix of different perspectives next time, right? Does anybody have a picture or two to share?

Here are a few shots I am sharing ...

1.


2.


3.


4.


5.


6.


7.


Thanks for looking.



Jul 15, 2014 at 11:27 AM
rddelliott
Offline
• • •
Upload & Sell: Off
p.1 #2 · p.1 #2 · Rodeo Pictures - Where to focus


Great shots for the first time. I focus on the persons chest as most of the time I am between f/4 and f/5.6 and that seems to keep the horse and rider in focus. In direct sun you are always going to have the problem of hats and shadows across the face. I shoot RAW and slightly lighten the face in post processing. You can try other lenses but I stick with either a 70-200 or 70-300 for most of the rodeo as I am at the fence and not in the arena.


Jul 15, 2014 at 02:53 PM
rddelliott
Offline
• • •
Upload & Sell: Off
p.1 #3 · p.1 #3 · Rodeo Pictures - Where to focus


Also, don't be afraid to get in close.







Jul 15, 2014 at 02:58 PM
craig_k
Offline
• •
Upload & Sell: Off
p.1 #4 · p.1 #4 · Rodeo Pictures - Where to focus


rddelliott gave you good input...there isn't any gear list for you I can see to go on so .....always use spot focus to lessen stray focus issues and use the chest area of the participant with enough aperture vs ambient light to insure depth of field for inclusion of animal if that's your preferred intention. ...personally I'd forego wide angle as the point of interest is the competitor, ive never heard anyone of them request noisy additional background stuff.........the tighter you can pull in on them to isolate them the better....input for next time:
image1#...breakaway roper, they like that overhanging loop like you caught there... as well as when their rope pops off with flag flying when the timer stops their clock on a catch. they'll stop the horse hard, get the calf out front with rope and flag flying with horse on a full stop, requires a head on position at arena end, if that's not do-able then get the image you have along with the stop\slide and hankerchief-flag leaving the saddle horn
image2#...pan shot of the barrel racer, good execution on your part, head on's coming off the barrel is an expected another but something different they like is when the animal is slowing down to make the turn itself, they'll throw big waves of dirt sliding around the barrel, catch that....the position of being midway wrapped around the barrel during the turn, isn't of a lot of interest to them as a whole but you can pull in tight to get facial intensity of the contestant and the eyes of the animal focused on not coming over the top of the barrell .
image3#the pickup men working are my favorites.....there isn't more athleticism than that job in any other sport....they are running wide open, balancing the contestant, the animal, getting it snubbed up to release flankstraps and get it out of the arena safely......the pickup man requires a working companion that is stronger than you know and allows the man to do his job as safe as possible all while moving 25mph
images of rough stock, get the full extension of the animal or catch it showing a lot of drop, head tucked down while back is fullly arched and feet off the ground
bullriders...same as pick up men, focused\include on the protectors of the contestants....tie down ropers....catch them during dismount before their foot hits the ground.....have fun.....info for the OP

Edited on Jul 15, 2014 at 11:51 PM · View previous versions



Jul 15, 2014 at 07:44 PM
rddelliott
Offline
• • •
Upload & Sell: Off
p.1 #5 · p.1 #5 · Rodeo Pictures - Where to focus


Craig:

I use a 1D4 and either a 70-200 2.8 or a 70-300L and center point focus, aperture priority, auto ISO and AI Servo. I am inside the fence so there isn't too much I can do with the background except crop as close as possible. I use the 1D4 to add a wave file after each sequence as I am shooting close to 90 high school kids at each rodeo.



Jul 15, 2014 at 11:19 PM
craig_k
Offline
• •
Upload & Sell: Off
p.1 #6 · p.1 #6 · Rodeo Pictures - Where to focus


rddelliott,i agree with tight crops as possible.....I was forgoing any wide angle for the op's question as to use one or not or a fisheye and the why being because of all the extra background that's indicative of one compared to a tight zoom shot or the inclusion of a good portion of the crowd in the stands if a wide angle from across the way is used where as with the 70-200, 70-300 one can eliminate that "noise".......personal preference have I guess.....thanks for what you do, covering the sanctioned events


Jul 16, 2014 at 12:10 AM
h317
Offline
• •
Upload & Sell: Off
p.1 #7 · p.1 #7 · Rodeo Pictures - Where to focus


Thank you, craig_k and rddelliott, for your comments and tips. I used a combination of 300/2.8 on D4s and a 70-200/2.8 on a D3s. So I must say I may be the weakest link out there 8<

Looking forward to give it another try again 8>.



Jul 16, 2014 at 09:16 PM





FM Forums | Sports Corner | Join Upload & Sell

    
 

You are not logged in. Login or Register

Username       Or Reset password



This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.