Some of you may be wondering if I'm getting much riding in these days... and the answer would be NO. Commuting still puts 100-125 miles on the gps every week, but a it's been more than a month since my last serious ride on the weekend. I'll blame a full calendar of local races for that, and there's a lot going on behind the scenes at Velodramatic too.
Most importantly, the business of cycling photography has taken off as of late. Assignments for Specialized Bicycles, realcyclist.com, a Phil Wood feature for embrocation magazine and demand for custom prints convinced me it was time to make Velodramatic Photography a real business... and now it is. Stay tuned for more developments as the year rolls on, but for now Velodramatic Photography is up and "shooting". Two sizes of custom prints are available (13x19/$100 + shipping and 17x22/$150 + shipping) from virtually anything in the galleries on this site.
This weekend's American Velodrome Challenge was a scorcher. San Jose hit 95F and Jimmy Watkins lit the afterburners on a 10.84 sec 200m setting a new track record. Laura McCaughey dominated the women's side taking the sprints, miss-and-out and points race podiums. There's a family atmosphere at Hellyer and no image better captured that than the final shot of Ben Jacques-Maynes riding around the infield with his son... rocking those training wheels.
beautiful! made my day. thank you.
Hey Velo,
Got my 10% code for the Rapha survey. Was happy to click on Velodramatic as one of the sites I visit often.
Rode out your way last weekend. It was 98 degrees when we started and 113 when we finished at Edgewood and Canada.
willy in pacifica
thanks Willy.
The AVC took a break for the afternoon. I’m sure it was 100F+ on the track when I was shooting at 11am. I just finished the survey too. I like the fact the last question required an answer.
I said I’d like to see Rapha produce off-the-bike variants of the LW Soft Shell Jacket and perhaps the Winter Jersey without the drop tail. Not that I wouldn’t wear them as is, but they’d look more tailored on the street with a conventional cut.
I asked for a better pair of touring shorts.
On Saturday my 12 year old and I started at Edgewood on the Bilenky tandem. We rode around the Portola Loop then to Palo Alto for lunch. I gave her my watch which has a temp guage on it so she could keep me up to date. When we got back from PA it showed 113 on my watch but I did not believe it but sure enough it showed 110 on my van thermometer.
Luck for me the GRR starts next Monday evening rather than this past weekend. We start in Davis and ride north west to the Feather River Canyon then up and over the Sierras and up to the Oregon border than back the same route. It can get nasty hot out there and there is a lot of climbing. We have 3.5 days to ride 1,200k.
Willy in Pacifica
Congratulations Michael on getting some great assignment gigs and making the leap to a photography business. Well deserved indeed. Your shots and your creativity continue to be my main inspiration in trying to get better myself. You certainly do raise the bar.
Well done!
Wade
thanks Wade. I’m enjoying the challenge of shooting continuously and that’s definitely having a positive effect on my work. As you know there’s still an element of luck in being in the right place at the right time with races, but it sure helps to have an inkling of what riders are experiencing to find those moments.
Told ya eventually you’ll get paid for this
you did! So far so good.
Congrats. Well-deserved. I like the way you capture different aspects of the sport…the intensity, the sacrifice but also the humanity and joy.
Michael, congrats on the site and the great shots. My apologies if this has been answered before, but what’s your camera setup, favorite lenses and settings? Would love to pick your brain in hopes that I could improve my own photo success ratio.
Cheers!
Sean
Hi Sean,
No worries on the repeat question. I’m shooting all the action stuff with a Canon 1D mkII N, more stationary subject matter with a Canon 5D mkII. I normally shoot in Manual mode, high-speed drive and AI Servo as wide open (aperture) as lighting will allow without an atmospheric shutter speed. Cycling should be photographed at shutter speeds between 1/160 and 1/640 if at all possible to maintain a suggestion of movement. Absolutely freezing riders can work but often it makes them look like they’re track standing with lifeless results. Lenses I use 20-35mm f2.8 wide angle, 50mm f1.4, 100mm f2.8 macro, 300mm f4 and most recently my new 200mm f2. I love my 85mm f1.2 vI for pre and post race portraits but the AF is really SLOW.
Awesome stuff Michael, thanks. I’m shooting with a 30D with a EF-S 17-85MM f4-5.6. But I really want more depth of field control, so I assume I need a faster lens (or a smarter setting). I’d like to get another lens. Do you have any suggestions? (OTHER that than completely kickass 200mm f2 — a little out of my price range.)
Once again, awesome stuff! Congrats! And thanks!
Sean,
Best bang for the buck IMO is the current 100mm f2.8 (great portrait lens and adds macro capability) The AF motor is not bad, $565 on Amazon. Second choice would be the 50mm f1.4, $385
My congratulations, too, on the career addition. You’ve got a terrific style that’s all your own – I have never seen such interesting use of selective photos of cyclists. And you know how to focus, not only a race, but on what happens behind the scenes.
Thanks Dave, must have been all those weddings I photographed. I’m always looking for the back story if it’s there.
hey velodramatic,
this is not related to avc; sorry couldn’t find your email on the site. but i wanted to get your opinion on rapha stowaway vs. showers pass elite, which i see you have both. its non-stop rain here in boston, and i need to invest in some kind of waterproof or water resistant apparel.
best,
scott
Scott,
The Rapha Stowaway is great for a brief shower but if it’s raining steadily Shower’s Pass is definitely the way to go. The Elite is a super jacket. One compromise this time of year, the Elite is quite warm.
Hope that helps.
::M
Great photos, interesting to see track in black and white
As a cyclist, Rapha fan boy and an (amateur) photog, I am really enjoying your work! The shot of the kiddie on stabilisers pushed my buttons as I am just trying to get my youngest (18 months) onto his ‘Likeabike’. All my boys (3 at last count) have learned to ride without stabilisers on their little wooden push along, but the picture is wonderful. Thanks for your work.
Chris