High jumper

Very nicely done. And a good advertisement for using shutter priority for such subjects, which is my preferred option. The speed here is perfect, 1/500 second gives the rider nice and sharp but there's that very evocative motion blur in the rear wheel. I think I would go for 200 ISO and a larger aperture, your focusing looks spot on so it would have coped well. But there's a lot to be said for the safe option. I do like the inclusion of the treetops at the bottom - that conveys height! It would be good to see the front view - did you attempt any from the other side of the jump? This is good for an action shot, but the rider heading towards the camera does create a better sense of tension and speed. It depends in part on where marshals will let you stand. Willie (banehawi) is the white balance guru, I'm hoping he will be along here later. My two criticisms, both of which are easily rectified, are that I would make a further adjustment in Levels, and maybe use the burn tool, to boost blacks, to give a bit more substance to the wheels in particular but also the trees; plus, I wonder if this is cropped down from a larger frame? The rider fits very neatly into the frame, maybe a bit too neatly at the top/ left, I would like a few more pixels to avoid the feeling that he's about to bump his head on the top of the frame! Those are minor tweaks - Modification to come soon. Moira

Very nicely done. And a good advertisement for using shutter priority for such subjects, which is my preferred option. The speed here is perfect, 1/500 second gives the rider nice and sharp but there's that very evocative motion blur in the rear wheel. I think I would go for 200 ISO and a larger aperture, your focusing looks spot on so it would have coped well. But there's a lot to be said for the safe option.

I do like the inclusion of the treetops at the bottom - that conveys height!

It would be good to see the front view - did you attempt any from the other side of the jump? This is good for an action shot, but the rider heading towards the camera does create a better sense of tension and speed. It depends in part on where marshals will let you stand.

Willie (banehawi) is the white balance guru, I'm hoping he will be along here later. My two criticisms, both of which are easily rectified, are that I would make a further adjustment in Levels, and maybe use the burn tool, to boost blacks, to give a bit more substance to the wheels in particular but also the trees; plus, I wonder if this is cropped down from a larger frame? The rider fits very neatly into the frame, maybe a bit too neatly at the top/ left, I would like a few more pixels to avoid the feeling that he's about to bump his head on the top of the frame!

Those are minor tweaks - Modification to come soon.
Moira

Hi Moira, Thanks for the advice and mod. Yes, it was from a larger image. I made the crop intentionally that way but I agree probably a little more room at the top would be good. Regarding the colour adjustment, it is something that I really have to learn. Things like the burn tool etc. I am not very familiar with and when to make those sort of adjustments. I'll have a good look into that. As far as the rear aspect is concerned, I couldn't take that shot from the front due to the angle if the sun. Basically in this shot the sun is right behind the rider. But tomorrow I will put up another one which is closer and into the sun. Thanks again Carl

Hi Moira,
Thanks for the advice and mod.

Yes, it was from a larger image. I made the crop intentionally that way but I agree probably a little more room at the top would be good.

Regarding the colour adjustment, it is something that I really have to learn. Things like the burn tool etc. I am not very familiar with and when to make those sort of adjustments. I'll have a good look into that.

As far as the rear aspect is concerned, I couldn't take that shot from the front due to the angle if the sun. Basically in this shot the sun is right behind the rider. But tomorrow I will put up another one which is closer and into the sun.

Thanks again
Carl

When I say closer, I mean of a different jump and closer into the sun...

When I say closer, I mean of a different jump and closer into the sun...

Looking forward to tomorrow's! And yes, photographing up into the sky is tricky, particularly with a high sun. Worth trying the frontal view from both sides though, just moving from right to left can make a big difference. This is a sport that I normally get to photograph locally every summer, but the Youth Services cancelled this year. Which I was mightily peeved over. The burn tool is useful, but it's powerful and needs to be used very discreetly. I rarely set to above 3% or 4%, and here I set to shadows, and quite a small brush, to avoid creating a dark halo. It's worth practicing, it can give a more 3-dimensional feel. I used it on the trees as well. Moira

Looking forward to tomorrow's! And yes, photographing up into the sky is tricky, particularly with a high sun. Worth trying the frontal view from both sides though, just moving from right to left can make a big difference. This is a sport that I normally get to photograph locally every summer, but the Youth Services cancelled this year. Which I was mightily peeved over.

The burn tool is useful, but it's powerful and needs to be used very discreetly. I rarely set to above 3% or 4%, and here I set to shadows, and quite a small brush, to avoid creating a dark halo. It's worth practicing, it can give a more 3-dimensional feel. I used it on the trees as well.
Moira

To use any tools such as burn and dodge you need a small brush and low setting, although I find 15% quite controllable with care for many purposes. I would suugest any keen photographer buys a tablet to make the adjustments. By tablet, I mean drawing tablet not modern computer. You cannot beat a pen in the hand for accuracy and touch sensitivity. A mouse is just not good enough for serious work. You need not spend a fortune on a Wacom tablet, have a look at the Trust versions. Very good abd very reasonably priced. Paul

To use any tools such as burn and dodge you need a small brush and low setting, although I find 15% quite controllable with care for many purposes. I would suugest any keen photographer buys a tablet to make the adjustments. By tablet, I mean drawing tablet not modern computer.

You cannot beat a pen in the hand for accuracy and touch sensitivity. A mouse is just not good enough for serious work.

You need not spend a fortune on a Wacom tablet, have a look at the Trust versions. Very good abd very reasonably priced.

Paul

There was a question about colour. A couple of adjustments worth using in Elements 12 (I assume they're similar for the Mac version). One is Enhance/Adjust color/Adjust hue/saturation, to brighten or dull down either all the colours, or specific ones (yellow and green, if the grass is developing too aggressive a look, for instance). The other is Enhance/Adjust color/Remove color cast, where you get an eye dropper tool, and click it on something you want neutrally toned. This shows an instant preview: and there's a handy reset button, so you can try again. I often need to. The problem is to find a neutral tone. Willie will have far more sophisticated advice for you on this, I suspect. I like Moira's mod, by the way. Sorts everything I can suggest!

There was a question about colour.

A couple of adjustments worth using in Elements 12 (I assume they're similar for the Mac version). One is Enhance/Adjust color/Adjust hue/saturation, to brighten or dull down either all the colours, or specific ones (yellow and green, if the grass is developing too aggressive a look, for instance).

The other is Enhance/Adjust color/Remove color cast, where you get an eye dropper tool, and click it on something you want neutrally toned. This shows an instant preview: and there's a handy reset button, so you can try again. I often need to. The problem is to find a neutral tone.

Willie will have far more sophisticated advice for you on this, I suspect.

I like Moira's mod, by the way. Sorts everything I can suggest!