+1

Agreed. Although, in my case, I suspect I look as bad on my bike as I do when running.

At Alcatraz, the guy taking the medal shots was asking people to jump so he could photograph them midair. Not gonna happen, I told him.

Being a pro photographer and triathlete, I could not agree more! Ridiculous, as they seem to think it's a big deal getting up the climb and having tongues hanging out. I want photos showing me at my best, nit my worst! Maybe that's why my main market is the advertising, commercial world where the best face put on a product is what is selling.

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Gary Geiger
http://www.geigerphoto.com Professional photographer

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Agree in part... I have had many terrible shots from the camera gnomes.... But I have also been lucky enough to get some crackers...
Paid through the nose for em tho....

I did a trail run a month or 2 ago, and the race photog was taking pictures at the finish line. Most of my friends had finished and we're at the finish line waiting for our last friend to finish--she's wayyyyy slower than her usual pace so we figure something's wrong. She comes limping across the finish line and goes to sit down and take some weight off her ankle which she has clearly injured because she's bawling her eyes out. The race photog approached us no less than 4 times saying he wanted to take our picture, while we were sitting and helping our friend. He was almost pushy about it...

I don't get it.

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+1
After several years of racing, I've yet to find a good side photo in aero position. That's the only bike photo I'd consider buying.

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Rev3 Cedar Point and Florida had some good bike photos from the side. Those are the only ones I'd consider purchasing.

jaretj

I suspect it has something to do with speed. Perhaps on a hill or near a turn, people slow down and are easier to capture. That also makes it easier for them to ensure that they get one of your 2000 race numbers plastered on your body, bike, and helmet in the shot.

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Take a short break from ST and read my blog:
http://tri-banter.blogspot.com/

If you want a custom photo, best to get a friend or your significant other, go to a beautiful location, and do a specific photo session. Heck even pin on a number. Yes, it is 'staged' but you'll have lots of shots to choose from.

This!!! Had an awesome side shot, full aero at speed from IM Florida 2013.

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Pink? Maybe. Maybe not. You decide.

You may be right but that probably has to do with the skill of of the photographer. The best shot I've had taken was at IM Arizona on a slight downhill. I'm sure I was at 28+mph in that shot.

OK, but what do custom photos have to do with race photos? The point is that these guys could find better locations to take shots that people would want to buy.

Agree, although we have a local guy who does the mountain bike races and he has one hell of a set-up. He hikes his very over-weight body deep in the woods and picks awesome spots. He then has multiple flashes set up to remove shadows. He's a great guy, but when he's hiking he always looks like he's about to pass out.

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Yep...everyone looks fat from the front on the bike, and since the bike is actually the awesome part of the picture anyways, the front angle eliminates the bike.

From the side, tracking with the rider such that the background/wheels are slightly blurred is a pretty cool effect, but it would be impossible to get everyone this way.



compared to the usual:

Per your OP, just offering a suggestion addressing your desire for a photo 'looking fast'. Rarely, will hired race photogs satisfy everyone.

Rev3 Williamsburg photographer was at the perfect place for the bike. Flat and fast with a beautiful background. Probably the one and only good pic of me on my bike

Treegirl - I just saw your post - I agree 100%

REV3 Williamsburg has AWESOME bike shots and I had seen 2013's so I knew where he would be and made sure I was aero when I passed him. Now I finally have a good bike shot which I will be buying.

Patti

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Patti in NJ

Race placid! they have a sick spot out by the casades on a nice flat before going down into Keene.

Please don't sue me Rev3 photographers, I'm showcasing your product :)

This is the kind of side shot that should be taken at every race

And this:

Most are bad, but not always

In this instance, the rider is bad

As you probably know already, as do all the photogs, it's technically harder to get a good shot for a fast-moving rider/object than a slow one.

Trying to properly frame a rider coming down a slight hill at 30+mph, requires better hardware (faster camera, better lenses) and better technique than when you're cresting a hill at 6mph. At 6mph speeds, you could get sharp photos even with a point-and-shoot.

I can take 30 high resolution shots in a second with my GoPro and that was a $300 camera.

True, but they'll look nothing like that of a SLR camera with the nice 'bokeh' (blurred background) effect that people typically expect for professional photos with one main subject. And the pro photog shots you see in magazines - you'd be horrified to see how expensive (and large) some of those lenses are.

Heck, even at the college football games here, I was on the field for one of the big ones, and a few of the photographers on-field used a lens so large that the diamter of the lens was literally the size of a basketball, if not larger. (The entire lens apparatus was over 2 feet long!)

You know, I've never bought photos so I don't know the quality, so you are probably right.

Those ones from Rev3 look great. I was probably going 22 to 26 mph in them and they caught my wheel decals so well that you can just about read the SCT sticker on the front wheel.

jaretj