2017 Project 52 - 1st Quarter by Mal Schulstad

[Goldcoastgolfer]

Hello everyone,

It's been a long time since I've posted anything here. Life has change significantly over the last few years, mostly for the good, but I've faced some challenges along the way. Along the way I went through (and possibly still am going through) a period of depression - with one of the side affects being that I put my camera down and lost my passion for photography.

My wife Kerry thought it would be a good idea to pick up my camera again - she thought it would help me look for the beauty in the world again, so I've taken up her challenge. I decided this year to combine the photography with my mountain bike riding - a hobby that helps keep my depression at bay. It also takes me down the route of sports action and landscape photography in a completely different environment to what I've historically taken photos of.

I've been pretty much posting a photo everyday - mainly on Instagram but it's obviously difficult to obtain any constructive feedback so I thought I'd come back here and join the Project 52 challenge. This will actually be more like a Project 365 challenge for me actually.

Thanks for viewing.

Week 1 Photo 1

Stopping for Repairs... For the Tenth Time

That's my trusty speed showing the backdrop of where I do most of my riding. Like my camera she's an old bike - but she holds her own, although does require a lot of regular T&C - like a marriage really.

[Goldcoastgolfer]

Week 1 - Photo 2
First Jump of the Day by Mal Schulstad, on Flickr

One of the first shots I took of someone actually riding.

[Shadowman]

Mal,

Nice start to your comeback, I like the parked bike shot; nice lines.

[skitterbug]

Hi Mal ~ I can't imagine hauling a camera on a bike but you apparently have a good system to do so! <grin> I'm no expert since I am also working on a P52 project to familiarize myself with how to use a camera in more than "point and shoot" settings. It has been interesting! Definitely does keep the mind active trying to think up what to do next.

Your selections look good to me! I especially like the first one you posted with your bike resting against the tree and the path that you came on in the background! I can envision you sitting nearby resting and contemplating where you want to head off to next!

The second one would probably appeal to me more if it were in color but then again, with the dust flying and not a lot of foliage, maybe the B&W is best. Your friend definitely looks like he's enjoying the ride!

I'm glad to see someone else take on the challenge. There aren't many of us doing it so welcome to the club! <LOL>

[Goldcoastgolfer]

Hi Mal ~ I can't imagine hauling a camera on a bike but you apparently have a good system to do so! <grin> I'm no expert since I am also working on a P52 project to familiarize myself with how to use a camera in more than "point and shoot" settings. It has been interesting! Definitely does keep the mind active trying to think up what to do next.

Your selections look good to me! I especially like the first one you posted with your bike resting against the tree and the path that you came on in the background! I can envision you sitting nearby resting and contemplating where you want to head off to next!

The second one would probably appeal to me more if it were in color but then again, with the dust flying and not a lot of foliage, maybe the B&W is best. Your friend definitely looks like he's enjoying the ride!

I'm glad to see someone else take on the challenge. There aren't many of us doing it so welcome to the club! <LOL>

I tend to switch to black and white when the light is a bit funky

I've tried to take on the Project 52 challenges in the past but things have always gotten in the way. However I ride my bike three or four times a week so I have plenty of opportunities to take photos now. When I'm riding with a group, I'll take upwards of 40 photos at a time - although less than half usually come out.

Lugging a camera around on 20 to 45km rides has certainly improved my fitness! Luckily I have a backpack that I can put a padded sleave in just large enough to fit my camera. I've contemplated taking a flash and tripod out as well but it's amazing how much harder it is riding around with an extra 1.5kg on your back!

I'll go into the different scenarios that I take the photos in - but I usually do it as part of a group... who are in a rush so I rarely have time to set up and think about what I'm going to do for very long! One of the challenges of this type of photography.

[Goldcoastgolfer]

Week 1 Photo 3
Outta Here by Mal Schulstad, on Flickr

One of the photos that I really didn't know what to do with after I took it. I'm actually standing on a really steep descent but it's very hard to give that feeling of depth and steepness - something I'm still working on.

I'm also not used to shooting wide angles, especially wide open with fast shutter speeds so lighting and sharpness is a challenge that I've been struggling with - you'll see that in some of the next photos.

[Goldcoastgolfer]

Week 1 Photo 4
First Jump of the Day by Mal Schulstad, on Flickr

This photo was from my second ride of the first week in January taken earlier in the morning. It was one of the first attempts of someone jumping in low light conditions (there is actually a series of these) while trying to keep the sun in the shot to keep the lighting a bit interesting. Between the angle of the shot, getting the shutter speed right, the focus, and low light - well, let's just say it's taken a while to start getting a feel for doing this type of shot (I'm not there yet).

[Goldcoastgolfer]

Week 1 Photo 5
Hold Your Breath by Mal Schulstad, on Flickr

Same time and place as Week 1 Photo 4 but finished in black and white - in this case I preferred the B&W finish.

[Wavelength]

That is a well followed study.... really enjoyed them all....

[Goldcoastgolfer]

Week 1 Photo 6
When There Isn't Anyone To Take a Photo of the Photographer by Mal Schulstad, on Flickr

After I had ridden just over 15 km with one group I went out to try and track down another group of riders I often go out with. The temperature sky rocketed and after a few exchanges of messages to figure out where they were, I decided to give up and turn back. However I did want one more photo - and this was the best of a rather uninspiring bunch - think sun way overhead for boring lighting conditions, sweat dripping off my brow, and exhaustion setting in.

I ended up doing 29 km in fairly high temperatures (35C and above 90% humidity) - and at the time I was beginning to think that riding with a camera was never going to get any easier.

[Goldcoastgolfer]

Week 1 Photo 7

A Rest stop for Wimps by Mal Schulstad, on Flickr

This photo is so named because of the track we rode up. It's actually a downhill track (ie you're supposed to go down it, not up because it's so steep) - and it's called Wimps because it's not for wimps. Everyone struggles riding up this track normally, let alone in the middle of the Australian summer.

I hadn't thought much about it when I took this shot, but it seems to capture at the very least the imagination of those that ride mountain bike riders. Focus point on this one could have been done better as young Kyle on the left if out of focus - actually I had the lens open pretty wide at f3.5. However it's quite hard to think about subtle nuances when you're heart is about thump it's way out of your chest and you're doing your best to keep the sweat from drowning your camera.

[Goldcoastgolfer]

Week 2 Photo 1
Entering Vertigo Scene 1 by Mal Schulstad, on Flickr

You can see from the position of the sun that it's still quite high - mid afternoon at the time, which made it difficult to find any interesting light. The coloured version of this and corresponding series of photos is actually quite washed out.

In hindsight, I perhaps should crop out the sun as it's quite the hot spot, possibly in the wrong position - although following it down it does lead to the rider. I still like it though - but almost threw it in the rubbish until I accidentally tried it as a B&W.

[Goldcoastgolfer]

Week 2 Photo 2
An Interesting Comparison by Mal Schulstad, on Flickr

This photo is a contrast between riders and the different types of bikes they're riding - which is probably not that much of an interest unless you're into mountain bike riding. From a photographic perspective, this is one of those ones where I had very little time to find an interesting spot, park my bike in an out of the way spot so it's not in the shot, get my camera out, make sure I have some half decent settings, and fire off shots as the riders hurtle around the corner.

I do have a tendency to go on the artistic side from a PP perspective - my prerogative and luxury which you'll find as you view more of my photos. It is a very deliberate thing which I do either to highlight aspects, to be different, or just because I'm bored!

When taking photos of fast moving objects in a landscape scene with ultra limited time to prepare it's a juggling act between DOF, speed, noise and light. I suspect it will be many months before I come close to mastering this combination.

[Goldcoastgolfer]

Week 2 Photo 3
Pete's Jump by Mal Schulstad, on Flickr

This was a test shot before the riding group came hurtling down to take on a jump. The most obvious flaw with this photo is the hot spot on the left however I do find the rays from it lead in nicely to the rest of the photo.

[Dave Humphries]

Hi Mal,

Good to see you back here again! Welcome home.

On the topic of useful critique not received on Instagram, I hope the following observation will be helpful ...

Your colour shots exhibit a lot of lateral CA (Chromatic Aberration) from the 18-300mm lens.
I note you are processing in LR 6.8, which should be able to fix most, if not all of it, simply by 'checking' the appropriate box. While you're there, also check the Lens Profile Corrections too (that will fix any vignetting and geometric distortions).

I'm not skilled enough in LR yet to advise exactly how to turn these options on so that they remain on for future images opened, perhaps a LR user can help us both? (since I'm about to start using LR myself)

The above advice was written assuming you are shooting RAW, but if you're shooting jpg, it can still be done.

Obviously CA is not visible in the B&W images, but I bet it is softening them.

Cheers, Dave

PS
I have added a link to this thread from the 2017 Index
.

[Goldcoastgolfer]

Hi Mal,

Good to see you back here again! Welcome home.

On the topic of useful critique not received on Instagram, I hope the following observation will be helpful ...

Your colour shots exhibit a lot of lateral CA (Chromatic Aberration) from the 18-300mm lens.
I note you are processing in LR 6.8, which should be able to fix most, if not all of it, simply by 'checking' the appropriate box. While you're there, also check the Lens Profile Corrections too (that will fix any vignetting and geometric distortions).

I'm not skilled enough in LR yet to advise exactly how to turn these options on so that they remain on for future images opened, perhaps a LR user can help us both? (since I'm about to start using LR myself)

The above advice was written assuming you are shooting RAW, but if you're shooting jpg, it can still be done.

Obviously CA is not visible in the B&W images, but I bet it is softening them.

Cheers, Dave

PS
I have added a link to this thread from the 2017 Index
.

Hi Dave,

Good to be back - and thanks for noticing the CR. I did actually notice this a lot and I believe the above photos are amongst the last using the Tamron 18-300mm. I think the photos that I exhibit moving forward are using my trusty Sigma 17-70 which doesn't have the issue anywhere near as much (unless I've over processed which happens from time to time).

I believe to fix the CA you go to the lens profile section and play around in there - but I admittedly skip over that in my workflow for the most part.

About to head out for a ride and then I'll continue posting some more until I've caught up.

[Urbanflyer]

Thanks for posting! Mountain biking is not in my personal repertoire but I have some friends who enjoy it so you will give me a window into their lives! Enjoyed your photos immensely!

[Craigie]

A nice series Mal.

[skitterbug]

Your photo work is really well done - in my view. I also appreciate the information you provide with them! I know absolutely nothing about mountain biking and have never been in Australia. So seeing the landscape is doubly interesting!

[Goldcoastgolfer]

Thanks for posting! Mountain biking is not in my personal repertoire but I have some friends who enjoy it so you will give me a window into their lives! Enjoyed your photos immensely!

A nice series Mal.

Your photo work is really well done - in my view. I also appreciate the information you provide with them! I know absolutely nothing about mountain biking and have never been in Australia. So seeing the landscape is doubly interesting!

Thanks everyone. The majority of what I know about photography I learnt from here when I frequented the forums a few years ago. I've developed my own style since then - but I do get lazy with my shots and PP these days!