On The Road
June, 2004
Hi and welcome to the June issue
of On The Road. Last month the Masters, this month the Kentucky
Derby......I love my job ! The images I chose for this issue are
from the week leading up to and including the Kentucky Derby.
Let's take a look....
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Remote work is always a challenge.
While I am no Skip Dickstein or Bill Frakes I can do a lot
with a couple of Pocket Wizzard Multi Max Transceivers. Derby
week is a great week of racing with 10 or more races daily
for four days leading up to the Saturday and the Kentucky
Derby. I made good use of the sunshine on Tuesday with a Nikon
D2H and 12mm-24mm lens mounted on a Ground Plate and a Slik
Ball Head under the rail. Mid day sun can be difficult to
shoot under so I used a Polarizing Filter to deepen the sky
and enhance the colors. I loose 2 stops with the Polarizing
Filter and exposed manually at ISO 400, 1/1600 sec at f4,
Manual focus( Zone Focus ) |
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Remotes under the rail are the responsibility
of Skip Dickstein for the magazines coverage of the Kentucky
Derby but I like improving my own skills with races earlier
in the week. Remote Nikon D2H, Nikon300mm lens with Nikon
TC-14C 1.4X teleconverter mounted on a Ground Plate with
a Slik Ball Head, ISO320, 1/2000 at f4, Pocket Wizzard Multi
Max Transceivers were used to trigger the camera. I used
the Group Dynamic Focus Mode on the Nikon D2H and let the
subject move into the frame and follow the subjects. There
were 7 frames in perfect focus. This was interesting to
me as most people would manual Zone Focus and hope for one
focused frame. By allowing the auto focus to do its thing,
I captured 7 sharp images.
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Hats are a big part of the Kentucky Derby
week. This young lady had a rose heavy hat that almost covered
her face. Nikon D2H, ISO200, Aperture Priority f2.8 , a Nikon
400mm f2.8 lens, Group Dynamic Focus, and a Nikon SB 800 speedlight
dialed down -1 1/3. |
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Friday was the 130th running of the
Kentucky Oaks. This Half Million Dollar Race is growing
in popularity with Derby fans. As is my custom I chose a
location far from anyone else with the idea of giving my
editors a different look from all the other images they
might see. Here is the winner of the Kentucky Oaks, Ashado
with jockey John Valazquez. No one ever shoots on the inside
between turns one and two but I like it. The perspective
is unique and gives the audience the feeling of being in
the race itself. Nikon D2H, ISO320, 1/1250sec at f4.5, Nikon
300mm lens with TC-14E 1.4X Telecoverter, Group Dynamic
Focus, Hand held. I shot the lead horse with 3 frames and
then swung back in the pack and picked up Ashado for 5 frames....all
of them perfectly sharp.
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Rain can make even the toughest of photographers
run for cover but with the rain comes mud and lots of it.
When the poor weather begins look for the images that are
created by it. Great muddy faces were a regular occurrence
on Oaks Day. Nikon D2H, ISO 320, 1/1250sec f4.5 , Nikon 300mm
lens with TC-14E 1.4X Teleconverter, Hand held. |
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The Kentucky Derby... My editor asked
for an image of the start. I installed one of my Nikon D2H
cameras Saturday at 8:00am as required by Churchill Downs
officials even though the Derby would go off at 6:18pm.
I used a Bogen Super Clamp and the Slik Ball Head to secure
the camera to the grid structure above the start gates.
A Bogen Magic Arm was secured across the back to add extra
support as the start gates would be moved to various locations
around the track for the 9 races prior to the Derby. Safety
straps were also used. I used a Nikon 10.5mm lens for the
shot and would correct the Fisheye effect in Nikon Capture
during post processing. My Assistant for the day was Tracy
Boulian, a very talented photographer from NY University.
She would trigger the Nikon D2H via Pocket Wizzard Multi
Max Trancievers. I had Tracy practice a few starts on Oaks
Day so that her timing would be perfect for the Derby. The
rig was wrapped in black plastic bag for the shoot and wrapped
a second time for protection from the 10 hours of rain predicted
for Derby Day. ISO 400, Aperture Priority set at f5.6 which
gave a shutter speed of 1/1250 sec, WB Cloudy -1, Manual
pre focused slightly less than infinity and taped in place.
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I was about 80 yards from the start gate
which placed me down the stretch for a clean view of the 4th
turn ( top of the stretch ). Here, Smarty Jones begins making
his move on the outside. Nikon D2H, ISO 400, 1/1250 sec f2.8,
Nikon 400mm f2.8 lens, Group Dynamic Focus, WB Cloudy -1,
Hand held ( for a good reason ). |
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The reason I hand held the 400mm f2.8
lens was so that I could pan more effectively as the leaders
went by me. THIS was the shot I wanted of the Kentucky Derby
winner....TIGHT on both jockey and horse ! The group Dynamic
Focus really worked well as the focus was held perfectly
for 5 frames as the horses came around turn 4 ( top of the
stretch image#7 ) and all the way past me. I stopped shooting
for a split second to see who was going to win and realized
that Smarty Jones was definitely passing Lion Heart for
the win. The Group Dynamic Focus was still tracking from
image #7 and I captured 5 more frames of just Smarty Jones
and jockey Stewart Elliott as they passed Lion Heart for
the lead at a point that I planned out to have a clean background.
This is a lot to think about in only 3-5 seconds. I am not
a gambler but planned these images ( #7 and #8 ) the day
before. I do not leave much to chance and my planning paid
off with two double page spreads in the magazine. All camera
settings from image #7 apply to image #8.
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Well........that was exciting ! The
Kentucky Derby is so much fun to photograph. There is action,
color, fans, mud, tradition, My Old Kentucky Home being sung by
250,000 people all rolled into 2 minutes. Thanks for joining me
this month, I hope all of you learned something new and enjoyed
this edition of On The Road. Adios.....................Dave
May,
2008 (click here)
A Southwest Tour
April,
2008 (click here)
The Endless Winter
March,
2008 (click here)
PMA Show in Las Vegas!
February,
2008 (click here)
At the Ballet
January,
2008 (click here)
One Week of Work
December,
2007 (click here)
A Look Back at 2007
November,
2007 (click here)
Traveling
with the New Nikon D3
October,
2007 (click here)
High Country Journey
September,
2007 (click here)
Walking
On The Road
August,
2007 (click here)
Speedway
Thunder from PA
July, 2007
(click here)
"Arlington National
Cemetery"
June, 2007
(click here)
"Kentucky Derby Day"
May, 2007
(click here)
"Mexico Trek"
April,
2007 (click here)
"Egypt Trek"
March,
2007 (click here)
Transit Mix
"Images From the Air"
February,
2007 (click here)
Ice Climbing in Ouray
January,
2007 (click here)
2007 Year in Review
December,
2006 (click here)
People of Willoq, Peru
November,
2006 (click here)
Lexington, Kentucky TREK
October,
2006 (click here)
Training for the Mr USA Title
September,
2006 (click here)
"The International Golf Tournament"
August,
2006 (click here)
"Tour of Champions Documentary"
July,
2006 (click here)
"Northern California, the FBI and Clint
Eastwood ..."
June,
2006 (click here)
"The 2006 Kentucky Derby"
May,
2006 (click here)
"Off the Road Picture Sales"
April,
2006 (click here)
Ladies Olympic Figure Skating
March,
2006 (click here)
Torino Italy and the 2006 Winter Olympic Games
February,
2006 (click here)
"Hey Dave, are you going to the Winter Olympics in Torino
and What Equipment Do You Take?"
January,
2006 (click here)
The Holiday Tea with Tchaikovsky
presented by Colorado's Classical Youth Ballet
December,
2005 (click here)
Landscapes at Pebble Beach:
a look back at 2005
November,
2005 (click here)
Lightpainting Landscapes
NFL Football
October,
2005 (click here)
3 Day Photography Workshop
Gardner-Webb University, Boiling Springs, North Carolina
September,
2005 (click here)
Michelle Kwan
August,
2005 (click here)
International Gymnastics Camp
July,
2005 (click here)
the Men's US Open Golf Championships
June,
2005 (click here)
The Kentucky Derby
May,
2005 (click here)
Nevada Photojournalism Day
April,
2005 (click here)
John Bolin's "The Thorn"
March,
2005 (click here)
Indoor Track and Field
UC Irvine's Paul Spittle and
the Sports Shooter Academy
with Nikon's new DX2
February,
2005 (click here)
Broncos Football:
Denver vs Indianapolis
the US Figure Skating Nationals
Portland, Oregon
College Basketball:
Colorado State vs Air Force
January,
2005 (click here)
Broncos Football:
Broncos VS. Dolphins
Assignment work:
Wrestling
December,
2004 (click here)
A look back at 2004
November,
2004 (click here)
Rich Clarkson's Photography at the Summit Workshop &
Moose Peterson's Digital Landscape Workshop Series
October,
2004 (click here)
Whitewater Kayaking
Gymnastics and more
September,
2004 (click here)
The 2004 Summer Olympic Games
Athens, Greece
August,
2004 (click here)
A look back at some wonderful Olympic moments
July,
2004 (click here)
USAFA Graduation flyover
US Olympic Training Center - Swimming and Gymnastics
June,
2004 (click here)
Last Month the Masters, this month The Kentucky Derby......I
love my job
May,
2004 (click here)
Masters at Augusta National
April,
2004 (click here)
The American Cup Gymnastics
NIKON COLLEGE WORKSHOP
March,
2004 (click here)
Indoor Track and Field
Women's Freestyle Wresting
Rhythmic Gymnastics Nationals
The Glass Flower Ceiling at the Belagio Hotel in Las Vegas
February,
2004 (click here)
College Basketball
Women's Waterpolo
Olympic swimmers on their way to Athens
January,
2004 (click here)
NFL Football
The ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating Finals
A look back at The Greenbay Professionals
December,
2003
Monday Night Football the Sports Shooter Workshop and Luau in
LA
November,
2003
Photography at the Summit workshop
October,
2003
Portraits to workshops to stock image sales
September,
2003
Lightpainting in Banf
The World Gymnastics Championships
August,
2003
International Gymnastics Camp
July,
2003
Thunderbirds
Gymnastics
The Sports Photography Workshop with Rich Clarkson
Velodrome Cycling, More
June, 2003
The 129th running of the Kentucky Derby
White water kayakers
The Champions on Ice tour
May,
2003 (click here)
PBR Rodeo
Chris Shivers and Little Yellow Jacket ride for $1 Million
April,
2003 (click here)
Nikon's featured speaker at PMA in Las Vegas
American Cup Gymnastics
USAFA Women's Basketball
USAFA Swimming
USAFA Boxing
NCAA Fencing Championships
March,
2003 (click here)
USOC's Titan Games
February,
2003 (click here)
Air Force Basketball
Pro Football Pre-Superball Stock Sales
Swimmers train at the Swim Flume at the USOC
Much more!
January,
2003 (click here)
Diving at the Air Force Academy
Denver Broncos VS. The Arizona Cardinals
Olympic Hopefuls Lenny Krayzelberg and Tom Molchow practice
at the USOC
