[Leica] A newbie here..

[hoppyman at bigpond.net.au (G Hopkinson)]

A classic Ted post. The voice of vast and expert experience regarding the 
photography component; delivered in acerbic Ted style ;-)
Now Ted, I must take you to task on one point regarding your 5000 person 
marathon.
There is one winner, that's true but be assured that the other 4999 are NOT 
losers.
Yes I know that your editors would agree with you, marathoners do not ;-)

Cheers
Hoppy

-----Original Message-----
From: lug-bounces+hoppyman=bigpond.net.au@leica-users.org 
[mailto:lug-bounces+hoppyman=bigpond.net.au@leica-users.org] On Behalf Of
Ted Grant
Sent: Friday, 15 December 2006 03:39
To: Leica Users Group
Subject: Re: [Leica] A newbie here..

Larry K. asked:
> Ok, how do you photograph runners in a race? Do you watch for their knees 
> to come up and hit that moment? ;-) Do you wait for them to collapse? What 
> do you photograph when you're watching 5000 runners stream by?
>
>  Does my jumping runner shot here:
> > http://web.mac.com/mac.hive/iWeb/Site/Street.html <<<<

Larry,
 There are two basic pictures:

1: the gang bang start with everyone which I prefer to shoot with a long 
lens down the street, 300mm or 400mm as it adds to the mass of bodies. Yep 
it's been done a thousand or more times, but that's life in marathons. Or a 
high angle from a building looking down on the mass.... Or from a 
helicopter. Your choice of locations.

2: At the finish line.... "first person coming across the line!" Period! 
Hopefully arms held  high and great expression! That's it, then you go home. 
Or hang around and shoot the losers because after the first person comes 
across the line..... particularly in a new record time, that's what everyone 
else is! Unless it's yur grand mother then you better wait for her to cross 
the line. :-) !

The problem of waiting for "others" to come along is you end up with a shot 
as you have here..... way too loose, too many bodies in the way. The facts 
of life when there's 5000 runners. Or whatever number.

First and last are the only two that count! Hopefully the last is some old 
folk of 89 years to give the shot some extra meaning.

......

ted


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