Last night concluded the 2009/2010 Twilight Road Series sponsored by the (link) Reno Wheelmen. I have been shooting the cycling club events here in Reno for several seasons now.
One of the biggest challenges is how do I keep growing as a photographer when I shot the same venue? Perspective.
Last night I went out with my flash gear but the light was so nice I shoot until Twilight using available light. So armed with nice light I played a lot with perspective. I moved around the course to shoot. Some Images I took from a high vantage point, some low. Sometimes I held the camera horizontal, others vertical, and others on a 45°. These turned out to be my very favorite images.
Jordon McElroy Riding for Paco's Nikon D3 | 70-200 f/2.8 | 1/1000 sec f/5.6 ISO 200
Reno Wheelmen | Nkon D3 | 70-200 f2.8 | 1/800 sec f/5.6 ISO 200
I like both of these images. The top image of Jordon was shoot from standing on a sign to get higher up. The second shot low with the camera tilted for perspective.
It has been a fun year.
To see other images from this event please click here: http://www.thomascompton.com/galleries/Road_Cycling/20100831/
Thanks for following along,
Tommy
In Memory of Dave Phillips
Well this is distinctly different than the Blog I used to write in my Mac based software I Web. I thought about not adding this to my site but was encouraged by my friend, and fellow shooter Dan Newton to start up again. Thanks Dan.
I want to share something that happened a couple of weeks back. I had been working on my web site which was driven by making it easier for my audience to view and purchase my event photos. When I got to my “About Page” on my site, I took some time to think about what it means to me to be a photographer.
One of the things I mention is that a photographer captures a moment in time. When you click the shutter, time stops. You can then go back in time and experience that “moment” time and time again. I love that. It is also an awesome responsibility.
I traveled to Sierra at Tahoe with my Best Friend Tom and his daughter Kelly. Tom was racing that day. I set up for the shoot about 10 gates down from the start. During the second run a racer went by followed by another racer and then my friend Tom. I am so intent on getting the shot I usually don’t have time to stop and watch the skiers after they go by me.
Time stopped, the race went on a “Course Hold” which means no one left the start after Tom. Over a half hour passed before I heard anything. One of the Race Dept. Staff skied up to me and asked if I had heard what had happened? I had not. He informed me that a racer had experienced a heart attack at the finish. My first thought was it was Tom. He was the last racer to go past me. I asked if he knew who it was. He mentioned someone named Dave Phillips. At first I felt relief that is wasn’t Tom but then a great sadness swept over me. As I thumbed through my images I found Dave’s image. He had a Giant smile on his face as he skied past me. The kind of joy only a skier that loves what they are experiencing exhibits.
Several of my ski friends tried for over a half hour to resussitate Dave. The Ski Patrol came to help and called in a helicopter to evacuate Dave. Dave passed away that day. It left a profound sadness with all of us, yet Dave was obviously doing what he loved.
It touched me that I had taken the last image of Dave, 30 seconds or so before he passed away. Remember that “moment in time?” I captured that moment of Dave. It made me realize that you never know when you pick up the camera what might happen afterwards. I am grateful that I was able to share that “moment” with Dave’s family. I thank God he has given me the talent and passion for photography.
More Later,
Tommy
