London 2012 Olympic Mens Cycle Race

[oldgreygary]

I like this image that I got from the Mens Olympic 2012 cycle race as it captures a couple of things. In fact I guess they are two opposites. Firstly, the colour and hustle and bustle of the cycle race. Secondly, the environment which it was taking place which was a rural, tranquil area. I think the image expresses both of these. In this area called Boxhill the riders did 9 laps. As each lap occurred I started to form a mental picture of what I would like to capture. That's one thing but you then have to translate that into an image in a brief time frame. I have great respect for sports photographers who can do this. Anyway, be happy to receive any comments/thoughts on the image.

Cheers for now

Gary

[Donald]

Well done Gary. Those of us who are aware of your earlier threads, in which you being at the road race were discussed, will know thta you have put a lot of planning into this. I was thinking about you as I was watching the race and did, I think note the corner on which you said you planned to locate yourself.

I think the idea of the riders going through the countryside works very, very well. And I think you have captured the energy and excitement of it very well. A good piece of planning well executed.

[oldgreygary]

Thanks for your comments Donald. I am glad that the energy and excitement comes through with the image. When they went round in a big bunch I knew that I had to try and capture that. Out of all the images I took this is one of my favourites. I combined the input from the forum, visits to the location then trying various settings on the camera. I also knew the limitations of the Canon G2. I used all of these to prepare for the day.

So, on the day it was about getting a good composition. As I said in my first post being at the event you get a sense of what might work and I began to form images in my head that might work. I was very fortunate to get a reasonable place at the event. However, it wasn't perfect. That, I think is another lesson learned. Even if you are not perfectly positioned if you take some time to look around there are good shots that you can get.


Cheers for now

Gary

[rpcrowe]

Very nice shot - I like distinct curves in images... I know that you put a lot of plannng into this shot. As we used to say in the Navy, "Prior Planning Prevents Pretty Poor Performance!" Actually, we used another word (a body function beginning with the letter P) for "poor"... However, the meaning is always true.

Sometimes we make plans and cannot follow them through for one reason or another while other times, like in your case, the plans work quite well. Other times a Martian spaceship will drop into view as we are strolling home from the grocers (or more likely from the pub) and we don't have a camera with us...

From what I gathered on the video news, the road cycle race and the marathon race are the only events which the general public can view without a ticket. I guess that you were one of the million or so folks alongthe route however, you picked a great spot!

[oldgreygary]

Thanks for your comments Richard. I appreciate the input and feedback that I have received from everyone which helped me in planning and taking the images.

Cheers for now

Gary

[arith]

I can only go downhill on a cycle I should have been in the Olympics when I was younger, I was arrested by police for riding my bike on a dual carriageway in Nottingham when I was about 13, then they had to take me home across three counties and over thirty miles.

I'm interested in how steep that hill is and how after riding thousands of kilometres you can just ride up a steep hill nine times?

[oldgreygary]

I'm interested in how steep that hill is and how after riding thousands of kilometres you can just ride up a steep hill nine times?

Steve, difficult to answer your questions as they are not directly commenting on the image. But, here goes anyway. This part of the course was on National Trust land. For the benefit of non-uk users this is a charitable conservation group who own land and properties of interest for the nation. I would suggest looking at their website first for further details about Boxhill. Alternately, do some 'googling' as there is lots of info about Boxhill at the moment.If you include zig-zag in the search as that is the name of the section of road.

Second point, I will summarise as how do they do it? I presume the reference to 'thousands of kilometeres' is the Tour de France which was finished the week before? I guess your question which could be taken two ways in any sport. Firstly, in awe of the athletic abilities of the athletes to train, compete and recover at such a high level of performance. Or it could be an inference that their performances are 'assisted' in some way. Or to be more blunt taking stimulants. Either way I haven't got the answer. I guess the question anyway is more relevant to a sports forum?

My focus was to capture the event and as such I guess is what I can best respond to with regards to the image.

Cheers for now

Gary

[arith]

The image is as good or better than I could do Gary; but if you was a bit higher or closer you might have missed out some of that grass.

This might not have been possible though, and the reference to endurance was really because I think a couple of riders might have needed a longer rest.

It is one thing to blame the Germans but I thought it a bit much to expect somebody to ride so far so fast just before a major event and maybe somebody else should have taken their places.

I will now go and google away.

[arith]

It looks steeper than 1:15 as apparently is the steepest bit; so you did well with that and it conveys the effort required in the race.

No good holding the race around here because some of the hills are 1:3 and I was thinking that yours was as steep as 1:10 from the photo.

So all round good job.

[oldgreygary]

Steve, Thanks for your comments. I did a small amount of research about cycle racing and they do seem to be able to handle what seem to be impossible workloads. The day following this race the Team GB rider Mark Cavendish went to Europe and won a race!

Check out this link:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/oly...old-medal.html


Cheers for now

Gary

[Snow Leopard]

You were there Amazing i love the olympics very good action shot

[oldgreygary]

I have opened a trial version of Smugmug and put some more images on their from my day. This is the link http://garypocklington.smugmug.com/. New to it so any comments on presentation or other useful tips about using SmugMug would be interesting to hear. Thanks.

Cheers for now

Gary

[Donald]

I have opened a trial version of Smugmug and put some more images on their from my day. This is the link http://garypocklington.smugmug.com/. New to it so any comments on presentation or other useful tips about using SmugMug would be interesting to hear. Thanks.

Well done, Gary. It looks good.

Once you start getting under the bonnet (hood) of SmugMug you can start to refine things. For example, you have the tab for buying prints showing. Unless you do want to use it to sell prints, then you can disable that. I have it disabled on mine.

Also, I think it's worth spending some time looking at what sort of front (home) page you can develop. Just as an example (not suggesting it's the best or even good), have a look at mine by clicking on the link in my signature line below. It is what people first see when they arrive at your site. So you want to make it that will make people stop and look.

ps - I like the last image in the gallery - Bradley Wiggins out in front. Folks might want to know that he won gold yesterday (1 August) in the cycling time trial event - the only person ever to win the Tour de France and an Olympic gold in the same year. He is now being hailed as a hero over here and well on his way to sainthood, if our media have anything to do with it. On TV he actually comes across a nice, ordinary guy.

[oldgreygary]

Thanks for your reply Donald. All software always seems to have a steep learning curve. I will investigate your site and have a look around in general to see whats about.

Cheers for now

Gary

[speedneeder]

I have a slide show on the home page for smugmug site. You can get an idea what that looks like too.

I really like the image you posted. What an awesome thing to make Olympic photos

[oldgreygary]

Thanks Brian for your comments. Both yours and Donald's sites have given me ideas about how I should build the gallery.
Would have loved to have been in the Olympic stadium to gets some images but not to be!

Cheers for now

Gary