photographers on sportives

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  • Cumulonimbus
    Cumulonimbus Posts: 1,730
    Le Commentateur wrote:
    Why would people want photos of themselves riding through a typical suburb? It's not exactly a Dolomite level of scenic beauty. Surely there must have been places with a better backdrop than row of white road markings?

    Thats what i was thinking, especially as it is the Cat and Fiddle classic. Id have thought a picture up on the climb somewhere would be a better momento rather than going through a suburb being passed by cars
  • bompington
    bompington Posts: 7,674
    My avatar comes from one of the thumbnails from sportcam.net from the Etape C last year - the thumbnail is about 300X500, it took a lot of photoshopping to get rid of the watermark & brighten it up - but there was no way I was going to pay!
    Even going downhill at near 40mph, as I was at that point - I think there was one photographer on a downhill, dozens elsewhere - the camera doesn't exactly flatter us more generously proportioned cyclists, never mind puffing uphill - so here's a screen grab of their pic of me nearing the top of the Schiehallion climb (it's not exactly Ventoux), complete with price list for your entertainment.
    Note also the riders off the road in the background - this was nearing the end of the "tack zone", I was just beginning to hope that I might get away with it...

    3994292661_5025e25790_o.jpg
  • dag_on_a_bike
    dag_on_a_bike Posts: 581
    While I'm not generally minded to buy such photos, whether £10 or £20, I really can't understand many of the comments here.

    If you don't like the photo, don't buy it - regardless of price.

    If you do like the photo, decide whether you are prepared to pay the requested price and buy it or not.

    Surely, exactly the same purchasing decision applies to everything.

    It doesn't cost £2000 to make that £2000 bike, or £1 to make a £1 energy bar. It doesn't cost £10, or £20, or whatever to make that photo but if that's the price asked then that's what you are expected to pay. Make the choice.

    As for using a thumbnail and cloning out the watermark, Bompington, that's theft!
    There's no such thing as too old.
  • bs147
    bs147 Posts: 164
    I also have a racecar and compete all over the UK. Photographers are at most events though with upto 8 meetings at different venues each weekend during the Spring-Autumn it is occassionally possible that none are in attendance. Typically there will be approx 200 competitors at each meeting.

    Normally a banker shot is taken in qualifying (in case of a non start) and two/three during the race. The photographer prints your shots (without you asking him/her to) and brings them to the next race to sell to you. They are 8"x10" and £5 each - you can usually barter them down to £12 for three as they don't want to take them home! As that represents a small cost in comparison to a £200 entry fee, virtually everyone buys the prints. The shots are all very good (i'm guessing they don't print the bad ones!) and of course we are rarely seen gurning up a hill!

    On that basis, sportive shorts do seem expensive.....
  • fixiebob
    fixiebob Posts: 222
    Le Commentateur wrote:
    Why would people want photos of themselves riding through a typical suburb? It's not exactly a Dolomite level of scenic beauty. Surely there must have been places with a better backdrop than row of white road markings?

    Like this one at this years Ullapool Mor me on left looking well knacked with a long way still to go.
    http://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h293/ ... oolmor.jpg
  • cj.hack@ulster.ac.uk
    cj.hack@ulster.ac.uk Posts: 9
    Does anyone know the website or name of the 'other' photographer on Alpe d'huez this summer (1st August) ? We have a great photo from photo breton, of our 12 year old son climbing the ALpe, but the other photographer took a 'family' shot which I would love to see, unfortunately we lost the card she gave us. Any clues would be great.
  • bs147
    bs147 Posts: 164
    Could be these:- http://griffe2.phot-online.fr
  • cj.hack@ulster.ac.uk
    cj.hack@ulster.ac.uk Posts: 9
    Thank you so much, this is us:
    http://griffe2.phot-online.fr/album/1764/01-aout-2009#photo_685357
  • Chrissz
    Chrissz Posts: 727
    Well, I just downloaded my pic from the Burgess Hill Rumble - £20 for a hi-res pic. and I am very impressed!! The image is so clear that I can zoom in to the point where I can read the text on my hubs and even the warranty info on the bottom bracket shell!!!

    Unfortunately I still look like a big bloke on a bike :(
    http://coastalcommando.wordpress.com/
  • John C.
    John C. Posts: 2,113
    Although I don't usually buy them the ones of me on last years FW were the best ones of me I've seen , smiling and grinning at the top of the pass after the first feed stop and with a stunning backdrop, and then one of me hunch shouldered at the top of Hardknott, totally spent. You don't have to buy them, and I like looking through them.
    http://www.ripon-loiterers.org.uk/

    Fail to prepare, prepare to fail
    Hills are just a matter of pace
  • bristolpete
    bristolpete Posts: 2,255
    As a photographer myself, I have to say that sadly most 'event' photographers are not actually capable of the job at hand. I have had more than my fair share of event photographers at events both nationally and internationally. Questions like 'who am I shooting for' with the assumption that I am a random bloke walking through a field without actually stopping to think...

    Shame, everyone likes a photo of themselves really, but I agree that a lot of the stuff for sale on line is utter garbage....

    Here is the sort of stuff I shot over the last few months. Its not that hard....

    3915964587_86bc050eaa.jpg

    3916751584_83199b6462.jpg

    3915867835_95b451fcaf.jpg

    3602546738_28ffa2e33e.jpg

    2909905544_64d3b1c198.jpg
  • DubaiNeil
    DubaiNeil Posts: 246
    As a keen semi-pro sports photographer (i.e. I choose to photograph sports, and sell photos - but it is not my main job) I would suggest a few things, that maybe have not been considered:

    1) If the face isn't in the shot - it doesn't sell. Now, you may not want your face to be displaying a grimace, but at least for an uphill shot the photographer is above you, and you are generally looking up, so easier to capture the face. Downhill, all/most/some riders [well me anyway :)] tend to look down, and s photo proudly showing the top of a helmet doesn't sell so well ;)

    2) Single rider shots sell best - Cyclists climbing "tend" to be more strung out, so making it easier to capture a single rider without other riders being in the same shot, and causing clutter, distraction or (at least) more difficulty cropping. As a caveat however, a poor background is due to lack of thought and planning by the photographer...

    3) Is the photographer trying to tell a "story" with the shot? In which case a smiley, happy descent shot doesn't convey the effort and strain required to conquer the climb. The second option shows the personal challenge of the event.
    For motor racing (in my experience) the "banker" shots of practice and qualifying are liked by the teams & drivers for web-site and sponsorship package use, rather than a newspaper sports section back page special of a spectacular incident during a race.

    4) Does the photographer understand the sport? There are a number of "generic" sports photographers in the market who have invested in a large quantity of equipment and wish to recover its cost. They will therefore attend numerous different sports events to widen their market. In my experience (again) I know that I am "best" at photographing sports I know well, and less effective (and probably less "original") at capturing sports I am less familiar with as I do not necessarily understand the nuances of that particular sport.

    5) Have you contacted the photographers in question and suggested a new approach? I personally would be happy for any participant in a sport to provide feedback on my work and positive criticism can help make the photographer more money! This would be particularly true of a large event where there may be more competition for the photographers, so anyone showing a bit of vision and creativity could succeed over the rest.

    All that said, GBP20 for a download does seem a bit steep, but maybe there is a new lens the photographer wants :)

    Neil
  • blorg
    blorg Posts: 1,169
    Is the photographer trying to tell a "story" with the shot? In which case a smiley, happy descent shot doesn't convey the effort and strain required to conquer the climb. The second option shows the personal challenge of the event.
    I think this is key, the uphill shots actually portray the effort involved in the thing.

    At the Marmotte there were photographers on the descents but I would have preferred a few of me on the climbs. Unfortunately I had my helmet on the bars for the climbs so that obscured my number and that is how they do them.

    The money is ridiculous all right, I don't know how many people spend that. I'd happily spend a small amount but have never bought a photo at the high prices asked. My feeling is that if they slashed the price they would sell more and make up enough in volume... but maybe for many people doing sportives it is special enough for them to shell out that much on a photo. I don't deny if there was a good one of me going UP on the Galibier or the Alpe I would have been tempted.
  • attica
    attica Posts: 2,362
    at the New Forest Challenge this year they had one photographer half way up hill getting grimaces and then another about 200 yards on, resulting in this

    I have to say that my biggest disappointment was with the photos from the UK Cyclosportive a few years back (The London to Canterbury tour stage one), I could have paid a princley sum for some photos of myself riding down a high street, truly rubbish.

    EDIT I did buy a great photo of myself descending round a hairpin on the North Cornwall Tor this year but can't remember my race number so can't find the pic

    EDIT Found it here
    "Impressive break"

    "Thanks...

    ...I can taste blood"
  • Shepley
    Shepley Posts: 3
    As a cyclist and ex-fell runner who is also interested in photograhy I was also surprised by the tendency of event photographers to stick with fairly basic shots of uphill riders. However I have now tried the delicate art of the panning shots on riders descending Holme Moss in the recent Tour of the Peak and got a better understanding of the problems! (http://picasaweb.google.co.uk/ShaunP050 ... directlink)

    It is far easier to get a reliable, saleable image of all/most riders on the uphill sections than when they are travelling at speed and possibly in groups on the descents. The wonders of digital photography allow you to take a lot of shots but the 'keeper' rate on my attempts was quite low - as a professional enterprise this just would not be acceptable. Hats off to those that can master the technique!

    As others have mentioned if you give some feedback to the photographers and event organisers hopefully they can improve the service they are attempting to provide.
  • oldnewbiker
    oldnewbiker Posts: 71
    Shepley wrote:
    As a cyclist and ex-fell runner who is also interested in photograhy I was also surprised by the tendency of event photographers to stick with fairly basic shots of uphill riders. However I have now tried the delicate art of the panning shots on riders descending Holme Moss in the recent Tour of the Peak and got a better understanding of the problems! (http://picasaweb.google.co.uk/ShaunP050 ... directlink)

    It is far easier to get a reliable, saleable image of all/most riders on the uphill sections than when they are travelling at speed and possibly in groups on the descents. The wonders of digital photography allow you to take a lot of shots but the 'keeper' rate on my attempts was quite low - as a professional enterprise this just would not be acceptable. Hats off to those that can master the technique!

    As others have mentioned if you give some feedback to the photographers and event organisers hopefully they can improve the service they are attempting to provide.



    Interesting user name how did you happen by it.??
    positivley 4th street
  • gsk82
    gsk82 Posts: 3,599
    i dont get why they always go on the outside of bends either. surely a shot of you leaning towards them would be better!
    "Unfortunately these days a lot of people don’t understand the real quality of a bike" Ernesto Colnago
  • Shepley
    Shepley Posts: 3
    Oldnewbiker wrote :

    Interesting user name how did you happen by it.??

    Happens to be a street name in Glossop from where I used to organise a fell race - I always struggle to come up with usernames but I can see why it caught your eye having looked at your profile! Apologies for any confusion caused.
  • oldnewbiker
    oldnewbiker Posts: 71
    Shepley wrote:
    Oldnewbiker wrote :

    Interesting user name how did you happen by it.??

    Happens to be a street name in Glossop from where I used to organise a fell race - I always struggle to come up with usernames but I can see why it caught your eye having looked at your profile! Apologies for any confusion caused.


    No confusion just interest ,I wondered if I had discovered a cycling cousin.
    positivley 4th street
  • oldnewbiker
    oldnewbiker Posts: 71
    Well I ordered a couple of pictures me taken on the Pendle Pedal very reasonable @ about £7.00 ,they arrived yestrday ,seems I have changed sex and pastime as I got pictures of a young lady finishing a marathon ,she will get a shock
    when she gets pictures of me. :roll:
    positivley 4th street
  • nickwill
    nickwill Posts: 2,735
    oldnewbiker wrote:
    Well I ordered a couple of pictures me taken on the Pendle Pedal very reasonable @ about £7.00 ,they arrived yestrday ,seems I have changed sex and pastime as I got pictures of a young lady finishing a marathon ,she will get a shock
    when she gets pictures of me. :roll:

    Last time I saw you, I told you those performance enhancing drugs would do you no good in the long term! :wink::D
    http://lakescyclist.wordpress.com/
  • oldnewbiker
    oldnewbiker Posts: 71
    Nickwill wrote:
    oldnewbiker wrote:
    Well I ordered a couple of pictures me taken on the Pendle Pedal very reasonable @ about £7.00 ,they arrived yestrday ,seems I have changed sex and pastime as I got pictures of a young lady finishing a marathon ,she will get a shock
    when she gets pictures of me. :roll:

    Last time I saw you, I told you those performance enhancing drugs would do you no good in the long term! :wink::D


    Yeah and I still take ages getting up hills .
    positivley 4th street
  • andy_wrx
    andy_wrx Posts: 3,396
    oldnewbiker wrote:
    Well I ordered a couple of pictures me taken on the Pendle Pedal very reasonable @ about £7.00 ,they arrived yestrday ,seems I have changed sex and pastime as I got pictures of a young lady finishing a marathon ,she will get a shock when she gets pictures of me. :roll:

    Years ago I sent off some Kodachrome slides for processing and as well as mine I got back someone else's amateur glamour pics :shock:
    We all had a look at them in the camera club, then I sent them back to Kodak with a critique of the style, saying how derivative they were and maybe the model would have looked better if they'd shot the standing shots first before the seated-in-cane-chair ones :P
    The reference slide with the index number was there, so hopefully they forwarded them on to the rightful photographer :lol:

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