Straightening the Curves
Clinton Arkansas Chuckwagon race
Clinton Arkansas Chuckwagon race
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Dec, 2014Views
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Behind The Lens
Location
Clinton National Chuckwagon Racing Championships Clinton Arkansas.Time
2:03 PM Gotta love Camera Data :)Lighting
Exorcism comes to mind.. haha.. Most of the events I shoot are during the afternoons when the sun is high or I am indoors where you are not allowed to use a flash.. This event is a week long and I have been before so I had a good idea of where the sun would be during this part of the race. Storm clouds started rolling in during the excitement and this image was actually a bit too dark out of the camera.Equipment
Canon 50D Mark II, Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L USM Lens, When photographing American Chuckwagon Racing I have found a tripod to be a burden if I need to get out of the way in a hurry. I spend most of my time shooting races on my stomach where I can roll under a guests trailer for safety or in a squatting position similar to a frog with my knees bent my elbows on the ground this position allows me to stabilize my camera yet still use my legs to propel myself and camera out of the way if neededInspiration
I love alternative sports and Clinton National Chuckwagon Racing Championships is a week of inspiration. Over 25,000 guests and their horses, ponies, mules and donkeys attend this race. The majority of them staying for the whole week camping on site. There are trail rides and guest competitions, concerts, friends, not to mention camp parties all week long leading up to the race weekend ..The races themselves are the icing on the cake.. I have photographed this team before and the contrast between the black racing colors and the lighter colored ponies works really well. It helps that I am familiar with the track and knew I would have a good chance of having the sun a little behind me and only mounted riders and trees in the back ground by the time they started racing.Editing
As I mentioned this particular photo came out a bit dark due to storm clouds that rolled in. It was also sideways because I was rolling on the ground to change my position for the shot and shooting at the same time I used Adobe Bridge to lighten it ,tweaked the contrast, bumped up the clarity to bring out the dirt and dust flying, cropped and straightened it.In my camera bag
My pack is heavy because these events are large eclectic and spread out I might walk out of camp in the morning to shoot camps and breakfasts cooking over fires( Sometimes they even feed me ) then a seminar, guest ranch rodeo or roping in the covered arena at one end of the event and finish the evening hiking up a bluff to a concert. Camera bodies 5D MarkII and this year the 7D Mark II both with battery grips (I am so excited about this new 7D) Lenses Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II USM Lens Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L Tamron 24-70mm 2.8 50mm Peripheals Extra Camera Cards A cleaning kit and wipes a small roll of gaffers tape Extra Batteries I carry 2 battery chargers for each camera if I know I will be near outlets at the arena or barn area. If I leave camp in the morning I have my 24/70 attached to the Mark II for campsite candid shots and the 200 attached to the 7D to catch a game of horseback tag or other antics that are likely to happen at any time In Addition to the camera equipment I carry the following Notebook Business cards Personal hygiene items extra socks Rain Gear Extra Shirt Brush and hair ties Bug repellent, travel sized sunscreen, lip balm, baby wipes, 2 wash cloths and deodorant in a zip-lock bag I always carry a couple extra zip lock bags if I need to wet a wash cloth I put it into the extra bag when I am done to keep any extra moisture from my gear. Wet socks and T Shirts go in the other. These events are usually hot, dusty, humid and rainy often within the same afternoon, I always pack a clear trash bag for tenting my camera when changing lenses out. I usually carry some salted almonds and I always carry bottled water clipped to my packFeedback
Technically, shooting these events are fairly basic.. If you are lucky enough to have AC acclimate your equipment I set mine out of the bag in the shade for about an hour to bring it back to ambient temperature.. The humidity here will latch on and fog up cold equipment on a hot day. Rhythm, protocol and safety are a little different than most conventional sporting events and worth studying. I can't stress safety enough. You neither want to get hurt or cause someones animal to spook by startling them with your equipment or just walking out from behind a tree at the wrong time. Almost everyone there is riding or driving an equine.. except the Ministries group from Texas riding the longhorn steers. Equines have the right of way. ( and Long Horned Bovines being ridden by ministers) Camera Settings For the races Turn up your fps Set your camera to AI Servo I use Center weighted average for my metering mode with the 5D I like to turn on all of my focus points Free your mind and start out in TV get a feeling for what is happening and then move to manual if you want to get more creative Start with your shutter-speed turned up as close to or over a 1000 as your light will allow. I shoot in RAW this allows me to gather more information and crop more tightly in post processing. Camp-sights and snap shots are up to you but I would much rather get a shot in auto than miss one because of my settings. Choosing your spot As I mentioned before this is not your average sporting event. If you have never attended one of these races watch some videos on line to get a feel for the live action of the event study what moves from the ground up . While watching the videos you will also notice a lot of background noise. These events are one part camping trip, one part tail gate party and all about the races friends and fun. Unlike most spectator sports where there are bleachers and stands with assigned seating "American Chuckwagon" race fans circle the track with horses and wagons others utilize flat bed trailers or back up their pick-up and set their lawn chairs and sun tarps up over them. This is a fun setting but can be tricky if you are looking for a clean back ground and perfect lighting etc.. Use what you have for your position and try to incorporate the rest. Remember there are no fences or barriers between yourself and the event. In most states the law is clear if you are attending an equestrian event and get hurt it is on you. The releases you sign when purchasing your ticket are very specific on this point Read them. Before choosing your spot Assess yourself for your own safety and then your equipment's. Take into account your fitness level before choosing your position. A lot of photographers get phenomenal shots using a tripod while standing on a trailer or in a pick up bed especially panning shots. These are some of the friendliest people in the world and many may let you join them on their trailer or truck. If you choose to shoot hand held remember to be aware of where you are on the sidelines in regards to the track and be considerate of the other spectators by staying under their line of vision. I like to get low when I shoot but that also means I get very dirty and all that dirt has been organically fertilized or will by the end of the day it also has Chiggers use bug spray. Have an escape plan or better yet a spotter and an escape plan.. It rarely happens but occasionally something might come loose or get loose not always from the racing team but from one of the spectators. If an official asks you to move to another location don't argue ask where would be better and say thank you. Be Polite. They are there to keep everyone safe. Please be sensitive to the photos you publish remember a video has a beginning, a middle and an end encompassing events as they happened. A split second still image taken out of the sequence of events can be misconstrued. These race animals are well cared for and invested in. Check with the event about their image protocol. The weather in Missouri and Arkansas is famous for changing abruptly from dry to hot and humid to a thunderstorm within the same hour. Each of these conditions create different challenges for yourself and your equipment be prepared. Don't forget to smile it makes people smile back. Ask questions these fans love their sport and will educate you. In return don't be afraid to answer questions about your equipment or set the camera on auto and let a guest take a picture of you.. Capture some memories , Make some memories Most of all have fun.. And if you attend the 2015 Clinton National Chuckwagon Racing Championships this year or the 2015 Tuscumbia Alabama Qualifying Race in May I would love to meet you .. Maybe we can get someone to take our photo for Vewbug. :)
