After this day of shootings I have arrived to a couple of conclusions. First that my 85 is non enough anymore and the second one that MX rocks, already know this, but now is rocking so much that I know that if I will continue to shoot with this guys I will endup on buying a moto in the future.

So at the end this are some clicks from that day. Enjoy & Have fun!!!

So in the morning I start my trip to Pila, this time by train because is quite easy to reach the place from my house in this way and this gives me the opportunity tho think about the challenges of this trip… I always try to focalize before of a work like this on the challenges that I can find… and this it inspires and get me motivated.

So is coming in my mind that this event can be an interesting event, width a good number of riders from all over the world, and in the same time with a good number of taf riders. In the same time I start to remember the trail, that I have already ride my bike on it, and I try to focalize on wich are a couple of spots hat can help me with the composition, next thing in my head I try to immagine the riders on that trail… this time I have to immagine not me but some super taf rider… I remember also that Pila when is dry has a god quantity of dust on the trail.

So… what I have for playing ?

- a couple of nice jumps

- three sections of nice turns

- the famous super hard and WC rocky section

- dust

- some wood section

- and taf riders

This are more or less the base  from where I have to start. Next step, better to think on lighting… but damn, I am not informed about the schedule of the event (don’t do like me, be prepared), so I do not know which are the light conditions in which I will have to shoot… but more or less I will be lucky because I saw the meteo, and weather has to be good… maybe to good… full sun.

After all this thinking I arrive on the spot, and surprise surprise… there are 400 riders that are racing (super nice event organized at Pila). I decide to get informed on the schedule, breakfast with a couple of friends and time to study on the field. I discover that the race will happen in full sun in the afternoon, and this is not the lighting that I was imagining. So first day I take some test shots but nothing is going well in the first day, the only good thing is that I was understanding where and what I do not have to shoot… and the first thing I will not shoot the day after out of the forest in the full sun… First day I take a look on the qualifications trying to see where the riders are fast agresive and nice to be photographed.

Day one… conclusion… not good results, and the day after will be for sure hard.

Day two… waking up really late… that doesn’t have to happen to a photographer. Time for running on the trail, starting to walk on it and as I was having in mind the day before I start on taking photos on the first turns section, I find a goot light and a nice composition and start to eat dust trying to get as closer as possible with my 50mm to the wheels that are passing quite fast near to my face and continuously throw dust on my face and my camera, but some time if you want some shots you have to eat that dust.

After this, another series of pictures going up to the spot where I want to shoot the race, not so happy about because the light is changing. I arrive to the spot and here I have to find a good composition for my pictures, I found it at the beginning of the taf WS rock section and now what I have in mind is that from there will pass 400 riders one of every 30 seconds more or less, first will pass the slower ones till the last ones that are the taf ones… and that I do not have to lose. So race is starting, the light is filtering very well through the leaves and I can shoot some nice pics… but direction is changing and I have to use the flash, 1/16 power is enough and I position him laterally triggering with my PocketWizard. Pay attention always to the sun, and how is moving.

So here is starting the image hunt… trying to find the best moment for every rider, trying to catch him on the perfect light. In this way time is flying… and this are the results:

First day get my bike and go up with the racers… first look… the trace deserves all the respect, super technique and very difficile for the riders to make good time, but at the end on this conditions the riders are making the difference. Firs round on the trail… hmmmm… not a good sensation, I was going out from the turns and I could not stay near to our racers.

After three rounds I get a little bit more confidence on the trace but the weather doesn’t collaborate and it starts raining… was not the day for me.

We turn back to our camp and here come the fun… the old Jack is starting make his effect and it is party time… grill, ghetto blaster, jack, whip on the river, people on the top o the trees…. super fun.

I have to admit that the day after I was not so inspired for photography, my head was not so collaborative and I was not able to manage the light in a good way and at the end I see that I try to force me to get this photos with every costs also in full light with no shadows. And this makes me stop at a certain point and ask my self “What the hell I am doing ?” photographing races is not for me, I hate staying in a single spot waiting for 100 riders to pass, this is not my type of photography. I let this to te supe professional ones. What I like to shoot are riders that have style…. And so be it !!!

Ride+

Posted from None, Piedmont, Italy.

]]> http://www.bh3x.com/2010/05/31/scopello-dh-race/feed/ 1 http://www.bh3x.com/2010/05/09/serra-mtb/ http://www.bh3x.com/2010/05/09/serra-mtb/#comments Sun, 09 May 2010 21:03:52 +0000 bh3x http://www.bh3x.com/?p=91 This time also if is not on my top list of the ways that I prefere rinding bikes time for me to photograph Serra MTB  event, an XC race that is organized with the collaboration of the guys that are repairing some times my damages on my bike (Team Zola). So a good opportunity on trying something different than my habits and at the end was a great day that I have enjoyed very much. And below some results