Cyclocross - Mud, Sweat and Gears, Upcoming Event Oct 10 / 11, 2009

Anybody looking to shoot some photos for this season's themes of "Motion" or "Wheels" should make a trip down to Argyll Park in Edmonton , Alberta for the cyclocross races October 10 and October 11 2009. Races begin Saturday and Sunday at 9am.

Here are some of my shots from the UCI Jim Horner Grand Prix races on the Sunday in 2008. These were shot on my Canon XTI using my 18-55 IS lens. I was practicing my panning, trying varying effects of motion blur and generally shooting for a "Motion" theme challenge for the online camera club/learning group at the website therealdotin.com

I chose shutter speeds between 1/30 and 1/60 and panned(tracked the cyclist in my viewfinder) with the cyclist to get background blurring.

Panning is easier when the object is in a parallel path to you camera and moving at a predicable speed and path. The cyclists approaching directly toward you are harder to track and may be more suited to a different motion effect where the background is crisp and the cyclist has motion blur. Both techniques require a lot of patience and luck but can create pleasing images.

Remember to consider your background. If it is too bright or has too much clutter it may distract from your subject. You will see that many of my early shots from last year's event had poorly chosen backgrounds. I was happier with the results from the later pictures in the Mill Creek trails and the natural backdrop.

These shots are a mix of tripod mounted and hand held. Some of the motion shots were tripod mounted with the vertical axis locked for stability but horizontal axis free to allow the camera to swing and follow the cyclists' motion. I could also have used a monopod or collapsed my tripod legs together like a monopod for greater flexibility. Some reference sites that I checked suggested only hand holding the camera to avoid twisting yourself around the tripod as you pan.

These shots are not competition quality but I present them here to show you what you can expect from this upcoming cyclocross event. This year's course does not go down into the Mill Creek trails but stays mainly in the field and south valley. There appear to be stairs or more obstacles on the course this year requiring cyclists to dismount and carry their bikes in areas near the end of the course. I remember that the riders made 3 to 5 laps to complete the race so there are lots of photographic opportunities. As for mud - let's see what the weather brings.




Maps, course routes and race times are available at the website http://cyclocrossedmonton.com It would be worth checking their website for course map and practice times to get a feeling for the course, locations and lighting and chose your shooting locations before the races start. There is fairly free access to most locations but please watch that you don't interfere with the racers or become a safety concern.

Races begin Saturday and Sunday at 9am.