[Leica] IMG: Davis 4th of July Criterium pro race

[Adam Bridge]

Here in Davis the bike club blocks off most of downtown for a street race. It’s been going on just this side of forever. Mostly it’s run in temperatures that range from low 90s to near 110. This year we made it all the way to 80 with a breeze. Just about a perfect day for bike racing.

And a perfect day to poke at the art of photographing a bike race. I set up at Turn One which is at the end of the longest straight on the course. I chose my Fuji X-T2 coupled to the 100-400mm zoom. In retrospect, except for a couple of shots, I would have been better off with the 50-140, I think.

I’ll just share a few of my favorite shots and maybe you’ll get excited for the Tour de France coming up on the 7th.

The starting instructions:

In the lead at the first turn:

<https://adam-bridge.smugmug.com/Sports/Cycling/2018-Davis-4th-of-July-Criterium/i-JVQVG5d>

“Jump to Lightspeed”

<https://adam-bridge.smugmug.com/Sports/Cycling/2018-Davis-4th-of-July-Criterium/i-tDhGD69>

Course marshal at work:

<https://adam-bridge.smugmug.com/Sports/Cycling/2018-Davis-4th-of-July-Criterium/i-kWCdNp6>

The breakaway:

<https://adam-bridge.smugmug.com/Sports/Cycling/2018-Davis-4th-of-July-Criterium/i-B6Xw4xS>

Team CLIF

<https://adam-bridge.smugmug.com/Sports/Cycling/2018-Davis-4th-of-July-Criterium/i-M6kfNPg>

How I imagine it all feels:

<https://adam-bridge.smugmug.com/Sports/Cycling/2018-Davis-4th-of-July-Criterium/i-bdPb5hN>

I have come away with a new respect for the photographers who make super, tack-sharp, photos of bike races. It was fun. There’s plenty of light but it’s a huge test on autofocus systems. I think the Fuji with the 100-400 wasn’t really up to the task. Or I wasn’t sophisticated enough to make best use of its settings. I should have taken the Sony A7R3 with the 70-200 to see if it did any better. I know the A9 would have worked wonderfully but I don’t shoot sports for a living. It’s like buying Leicas. Well, okay, maybe half a Leica.

Thanks for looking and, perhaps, reading this far.

I’d welcome critique on the shots I’ve shared or on the entire sequence (some of them are for local guys on our club team)

Adam Bridge