Preparing to photograph my first duathlon

[joshodonnell]

Hi folks, this weekend I will be photographing a duathlon, it will be my first

time photographing an event like this. It's being held at a local park along

the beach and consists of a 5k run, 10 mile bike, and another 5k run.

 

I'm being paid a flat rate from a company that will then market the photos to

the race participants. I want to make sure I maximize their sales potential so

I can hopefully work for them again. I'm expecting that I'll use my 80-200mm

f2.8 AF-S lens primarily (on a D300 and likely mounted to a monopod) and I'll

have have a 28-75mm f2.8 on a backup body.

 

Any specific tips or suggestions? I know that a clear view of the athletes bib

number is very important and that isolating the athlete from others will make

for mroe pleasing images.

 

Thanks in advance for any suggestions!

[mark newcombe www.mcnphoto]

Tranistion shots are always good just make sure to stay out of the way you can get lost looking through zooms some times.

 

Are you doing this event by yourself or with other photogs if there are a few of you split up your shot lists so everything is covered and not just dupes of one type of shot, a pre race meeting helps here.

 

I'd make a shot list sort of like this vary it to suit:

 

1/ Warm up nerve shots 2/ start is a must go wide here look to get up high aswell see if there is a van or roof to stand on looking down could make a nice pana 3/ tranistion shots 4/ finish shoots then fill with inidividual stuff look for a tight corner especially on the bike, coming out of the corner will usually get them up off the seat especially up hill corners coming into a tight downhill gets some nice expressions especially if they are coming in hot (too fast). Make sure you follow the race and that you make it back to the finish before the competitors time can slip away sometimes.

 

Try some real tight stuff like they do on the tour head, chest and sweat. Take a look at the course before hand pick your vantage spots follow your list and you should nail it go for quality over quantity.

 

Look at some cycle sites and see how the guys angle the camera for effect try and duplicate it chimp lots and dump rubbish before they go to the edit desk better to submit X good shots over lots of average stuff.

 

Have fun water, sunblock, heaps of mem cards, batteries and all that stuff, a mono will help if its a really long day the 28 is a great lens for the general stuff aswell.

 

If there are teams involvled try to get them all in one shot these will sell especially if they are trying to mount a shot on a break away group maybe the race is too short for that but bigger main groups always produce more action the break aways get them pre race aswell.

 

Have fun and post some results.

 

cheers

 

Mark

[joshodonnell]

Mark, wow thanks so much for the very informative response. I really appreciate it! I'm still trying to get ahold of a copy of the map for the race. Mercifully it's at a park that I'm very familiar with so if I don't get it until race day it's not that big of a deal. I will be working with another photographer and we are going to plan out our various shooting locations the day before the race. thanks once again, I'll post a few images Sunday evening!

[shoppix]

All good rules from Mark. I shot a road race which used a pick up truck to lead the race around the course. I sat in the back, along with a local paper photog, for a couple of laps shooting the start and the leaders.

The bicycle part - be careful where you stand &/or sit! they cut corners pretty tight, and go wide on the exit of a turn. Use varying apertures for varied DOF. Sit down, lie down using both lenses. Might even try something wider - sort of fish eye - for a few shots. Slow the shutter and pan( or don't) for some motion blur shots.

Nice viewpoint is getting runners or cyclists coming up a long hill with the zoom - compress all that distance and get some cool shots. Also coming up over a hill - with some heads showing, some upper torsos, full body then a few on your side of the hill.

Watch the background - for cars/vehicles, road signs,a nd other general ugliness!!!

You should be tired by end of the day!! Have an ice chest/cooler in your car w/lunch, water etc. and may a 'cocktail' of choice for end of the day!

Enjoy

Steve

[joshodonnell]

Thanks Steve,

 

I will definitely be getting down low for shots... This race is taking place on a barrier island along the Gulf of Mexico, which means the entire course is FLAT. There are no hills to speak of.

[mark newcombe www.mcnphoto]

How'd it go Josh?

[joshodonnell]

Marc, just posted a few images from this morning in a new thread... Thanks for asking though, it was a lot of fun but I still have A LOT to learn!