I went to my first Twilight Criterium Friday. I wasn't sure what to expect, but wanted to try photographing this kind of sports event.
It was really fun! Watching the riders race on a short track, through the streets, was exciting. As a spectator, it was great, because each lap took about a minute—I saw lots of action. It was fun to shoot for the very same reason.
Shooting the race did have its challenges, though. The combination of speed and twilight meant finding the right balance of shutter speed, aperture, and ISO to stop the action and get a crisp image. I avoided using a flash, because I wasn't sure how much that would affect the riders. I worried about riders getting a flash in the eyes while in the apex of a turn, because of some guy (me) lying on the sidewalk trying to get that up close angle. Next time I'll use a flash part of the time, but I think I will still avoid it when I'm close to the riders. If any participants out there want to provide input, I'd love to hear what you have to say.
Aesthetically, I'm pleased with the results. With a little practice, I was able to figure out my technique for getting reasonably crisp images. This is where digital is really helpful. Previewing the images on the camera gives you instant feedback, which allows you to adjust what you do. I was able adjust my composition on the fly, and the number of acceptable images improved.
Technically, I have room to improve. I chose to shoot at a very high ISO, which means there is a lot more noise/grain in the images. As the sun went down, the noise became more prominent. Thankfully, someone invented Noise Ninja. While the images look pretty good here, blowing them up to a larger size reveals their flaws.
I can't tell you anything about the riders or even who won the races, but you can visit the Twilight Criterium web site for those details. Below are some of the results of my learning experience. I hope you enjoy them.
View the slide show for more photos of the Twilight Criterium or visit our flickr gallery:
© 2008 Kenneth Aaron Neighborhood Notes
I was in the race and you've got a great picture of me above. In terms of using a flash, I think you'd be safe using it some of the time. A lot of people are taking pictures out there and the flash doesn't really get to you that much until it really gets dark. You can try and see what works and what doesn't. Trust me, the riders would let you know if it was bothering them.
Thanks for your comment. I'm concerned about the flash when I'm laying on the ground with my head about 3 feet away from the riders. The flash up in their face might be an issue - for both them and me.