It Was Freezing ! ! !

[Helene Anderson]

Yesterday (Sunday) at a Cyclo Cross event. Two races but my fingers were starting to freeze \ lock it was that cold so had to do just what I could do.

[fahim mohammed]

Helene, you must be a brave lady. Brrrr!!

I saw a few more images and links here, but they are gone now!! Frozen?

Best.

[Helene Anderson]

Someone (not me) had a bit of an accident in trying to quote something, eyes down for another go.

Second photo of the first race which for Cadets, Juniors, Seniors. More phots of the first race here.


Next race was for Minows, Women and Veterans.

I don't know if it was warmer for the riders, I doubt it.

More photos of the second race here.

No, not brave Fahim, just mad (a bit?). I have put a lot of work into the sport photography and it is starting to pay off. There is an awful lot of networking that goes on behind the scenes and trying to find out about events that are hardly advertised, one just has to be in the know.

[Asher Kelman]

Hélène,

So here is the picture I was most interested in!

There's an indication of determination and effort. So here's a question that will be answered, at least, initially according to how you purposed this shoot. Is it only documentary? If not, is there artistic room, in your ethics, of editing out anything? After all, you might wish to exclude that might distract from the riders.

Let's put aside the great documentary and even mood value of the other bicycles, ropes and fences. Would you ever consider tidying the picture up if that made the picture, (in your eyes) more impactful?

Asher

[Helene Anderson]

Hmmmmmm, I don't see anything of an artist in me. Not sure if that is a good thing or bad. I think it is a case that sport photography has chosen me rather than me having chosen to do sport. You've got me thinking though.

I had though about the wheels at the side but in cyclo cross they are an integral part, there are wheels dotted about all over the place, they are part of the event. I would never edit anything out of an image, removing anything from an image - I crop but that is all.

I am doing Cyclo Cross at the moment to keep my profile going, to get known and it is working even though Road Racing is what I prefer, it is much much faster, more dramatic and generally in warmer weather, though saying that running around to get photos is hard work in the heat here (probably hard work anywhere).

Here are some photos I took at a race last year, a road race, totally different, 60eme Prix des Mares. Or the Route d'Or wasn't a bad race. The Route d'Or was only my second race and so I was experimenting a bit with the editing hence one or two pictures having a bit too much black or contrast.

I have had a look just now at other cycling photos to see what others are doing. An interesting load of photos from a well known photographer, Graham Watson. Also had a look at Cyclo Cross photos. With the thought that I only turned to this (after a longish on and off absence from photgraphy) I don't things are too bad, onwards and upwards!

My first attempts were the 14 July last year, the good, the bad, and the ugly here . . . juillet 2011.

One thing with cycling, perhaps other sports, there has to be lots going on, the spectators are part of the photo, the support cars, motorbikes often, to try and get the atmosphere of the event. There is already for me a story that comes out of each event, the Prix des Mares was chaos when it came to the prizes - how no one fell off that lorry ? ? ! !. The Route d'Or wasn't too bad . . . . but the heat! Even though the Prix des Mares was a hotter day.


Gosh, hope that explains my logic a bit for you Asher.

[Asher Kelman]

Yes, Hélène, without the mélange, they'd be no atmosphere. I'm impressed howclose the ride without accidents!

Asher