It's been a long while since my last gymnastics post. Thought I'd post a few from last weekend in San Jose. Shot mostly with D4s, a few with D800 and D3s, and a mixture of 400, 200/2, 70-200, 200/2, 24-70 and 85/1.4. NPS was onsite to provide equipment loans so I took the new 85/1.4 AF-S for a spin. It is every bit as sharp as the 200/2, and focus is a lot faster than the older version. It also allowed me to get closer and underneath the podium. Bad news is now I want one and will set me back a few gs...
Apologies in advance for the number of images here, making up for lack of posting in the last few months I guess. All the members of the 2012 Olympic Teams are here, plus a few others.
#14 Nastia Liukin - Such an honor to have shot her over the years, and here to document likely her very last competitive bar routine http://pics.john-cheng.com/2012-ot/15.jpg
#17 Kenny Loggins provided entertainment for the AT&T Block Party after the meet! Sure brought back high school memories... http://pics.john-cheng.com/2012-ot/18.jpg
Really nice shots, John- love the Leyva and Nastia images.
McKayla and Kyla are from my daughter's former gym- it was quite amazing to watch them compete (and win) spots on the team. No surprise there, though-- they've consistently shown amazing talent from a very young age and have been on the fast track the whole way up. Kyla in particular is amazingly strong for her size. But if you saw her dad, well...
#18 Alicia has always been one of my favorites shoot. I should be impartial but I really was hoping she'd make the team with her experience and her vaulting skills...
#21 Women's team portrait outside the hotel in a parking lot. Originally NBC agreed to let me take the team portrait inside their make shift studio in the hotel with plenty of good light and these cool light panels as the background. Only to find out later they reversed the decision as they didn't want to unveil the "look" and wanted to keep it under wraps until they air the segments. So I had to scramble and found this grassy island in the parking lot. Shot with a onboard SB-910 manual 1/32 power and yellow gel.
John....a star studded set of images here. I love seeing these shots because you and others who shoot this sports make it look so easy and you capture the athletes in their own starring performances as well.
I don't mind the amount of shots that you just posted. Great looking stuff as usual. I was watching this event on tv last week and felt it for Nastia after that nasty fall from the uneven bars. Gotta give her kudos for getting back up and finishing the routine.
Wow! After a two week FM hiatus for me, it's great to come back and see this. Love em all John but 9 and 14 are extra special. Only 5 more sleeps until the real deal. Looking forward to seeing the gymnasts from my second favorite country grab a bucketload of silvers, behind Canada's golds!
John - I love all of these - really great shots, I am sure you have heard that thousands of times, but only since it is well deserved. Certainly gives folks a standard to aspire to.
You mention the EXIF data is intact. I am somewhat new to FM so can someone tell me how to access the EXIF data? Thanks,
JimT57 wrote:
John - I love all of these - really great shots, I am sure you have heard that thousands of times, but only since it is well deserved. Certainly gives folks a standard to aspire to.
You mention the EXIF data is intact. I am somewhat new to FM so can someone tell me how to access the EXIF data? Thanks,
Jim, thanks! There is a plug-in for Firefox called EXIF viewer I think, or you can open the images in Photoshop and look at the file properties that way too.
Thanks John - I shoot Nikon, so seeing how you take these great shots is a huge learing experience. Apprcaite you being willing to share the info. Can't wait to see some of your shots from London!
