Road challenge picture NOT entered

Canon EF-S 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6 IS

01/15/2006 09:20:03 PM · #1

OK, I figured I'd give the "Road" challenge a shot. Literally. Well, I did get a picture or two, but they're decidedly unspectacular. This is not surprising due to both the photographer's somewhat limited abilities and the lack of "attractive" roads in this part of Texas. Combine that with the fact we haven't had rain since 1906 or so and you get lack of color as well. Still I figured I'd enter one just for the Public Service Announcement factor - title was to be "Share the Road" - you know, a way to let folks know that they really shouldn't run over cyclists. But instead of entering then suffering a week of no comments and low range 4-something scores, I figured I'd just stick 'em in a thread in a forum so at least the Public Service Announcement part gets some coverage.

Oh, and I took both pics while riding my bike. You should know that this is not a recommended procedure, particularly when a) the bike handler cannot ride "no handed", and b) the long lens is involved which can come perilously close to banging into the handlebars if one is not careful. I would have preferred to have come to a complete stop, dismounted, then attempted the shot, but my riding partner didn't hear my "Hey! Stop! I wanna take a picture" comment, thanks to another Texas feature - wind. Sometimes you just gotta do what you gotta do, you know? Anyway, one less Road entry for you to vote on. Which is good, given the sheer number of "Best of" to vote on!

P.S. Although I can't ride "no-handed", I can ride one-footed for short distances. Just didn't see where that would help in this particular instance.

CEJ

Canon EOS-40D

01/15/2006 09:25:27 PM · #2

Why are you posting this before the challenge even gets started? With the description of your area you wrote it is like you are telling us what your entry will look like and then you post these pics so we can have examples...

Message edited by author 2006-01-15 21:26:39.

Art Roflmao

Canon EOS-6D Mark II

Canon EF 16-35mm f/2.8L USM II

01/15/2006 09:28:13 PM · #3

Originally posted by Alienyst:

Sounds like he didn't enter - these are "Would've entered" shots

colyla

Canon EOS-50D

01/15/2006 09:30:22 PM · #4

Originally posted by Art Roflmao:

Originally posted by Alienyst:
Why are you posting this before the challenge even gets started? With the description of your area you wrote it is like you are telling us what your entry will look like and then you post these pics so we can have examples...

Sounds like he didn't enter - these are "Would've entered" shots

that's how I read it as well.
(you need to read the whole post before you jump to the a wrong conclusion.)

Canon EF 28-105mm f/3.5-4.5 II USM

01/15/2006 09:40:51 PM · #5

Heh - I'm not entering the Road challenge, with these pictures or anything even remotely resembling them. Too many good roads out there - Pacific Coast Highway, country lanes in England, etc, etc.

ReallyColorBlind

Canon EOS-70D

01/15/2006 09:42:53 PM · #6

Hey Deb, these aren't that bad. I like the first one better. The relationship between the rider in the foreground and truck in the background is quite good. I'm sure you would have done better than a four, but I respect your decision at knowing what's acceptable to you. Sometimes it's good to be selective.

Also, that's a pretty darn good shot considering you were on a bike at the time. Good luck with future entries.

RCB

glad2badad

Apple iPhone 16 Pro

Lensbaby Sweet 35 Optic

01/15/2006 09:53:48 PM · #7

I second that motion that the shots are pretty good considering you were moving at the time. I tried that once for an experiment and got this.

And that was with a P&S camera (Z3), nothing at all like hanging on to what you're carrying. In my defense, I was going downhill WAY too fast! ;^)

Tamron 70-180mm F/2.8 Di III VXD

01/15/2006 10:16:45 PM · #8

Thanks, RCB - and I really liked your shot for Steps to Adulthood or whichever that one was - I remember seeing that in the challenge. And Barry, I don't go that fast. :-) If I'm going to take a camera when I ride, I normally carry my Powershot A40, but I wanted to play with the big lens for my 300D. So I grabbed a backpack for the camera and lens - for those two shots, though, I'd just finished taking shots at the quarry and figured I'd get a few of my riding partner going down the road. So I just slung the camera over my shoulder and started pedaling! Needless to say, after a few shots I stopped and put the camera back where it belonged.

MadMan2k

Sony Alpha a6400

01/15/2006 10:27:24 PM · #9

You should practice riding no-handed. It's pretty easy, just takes some practice. And you can even land from a wheelie or a jump no-handed (I haven't done the jump part yet)

Although the last time I tried taking a picture and riding no handed, I tried to see why the camera wasn't focusing, realized the lens cap was on, took it off, then almost ran off the road. Maybe you shouldn't do that after all :P

Tamron 70-180mm F/2.8 Di III VXD

01/15/2006 10:47:38 PM · #10

MadMan - I can ride a little no-handed but not enough to do so while holding my "good" camera. :-) And it was a whole lot easier to ride no-handed when I was younger... not sure why it's so much harder now!

MadMan2k

Sony Alpha a6400

01/15/2006 11:00:09 PM · #11

Might be partly the geometry of your bike, if you have a road bike like in the pictures. Steep seat/head angles and short-ish wheelbases don't help much.