[Leica] Admiration for Ted and many others!

[gwpics at netscape.net (Gerry walden)]

Ted

As i already knew, you are a kind and generous man! I am hoping for a 
second chance, but having looked again at what I already have I think I 
have just about gotten away with it!

Kindest regards

Gerry


  Gerry Walden

www.gwpics.com <http://www.gwpics.com/>

www.photographersdirect.com/gwpics 
<http://www.photographersdirect.com/gwpics>

+44 (0)23 8046 3076



tedgrant@shaw.ca wrote:

> Gerry walden said:
> Subject: [Leica] Admiration for Ted and many others!
>
>
>> Yesterday I had a solo photocall with Olympic diving silver medallist 
>> Peter Waterfield at the local pool, and I have never shot diving 
>> before. <<<<<<<
>
>
> Hi Gerry,
> Well mon ami I see it was quite a surprise! ;-)
>
>> I was using a Nikon D1X and a 70-200 image stabilization lens 
>> shooting at 640iso. Peter was diving for me from the 10 metre board, 
>> and I was able to get about 6 shots in on 'continuous' mode before he 
>> hit the water.<<<<
>
>
> Gerry the problem is, it depends where you're shooting from.  If it's 
> possible find a point where you are absolutely inline with the board 
> and shoot his first move off the board, don't bother shooting anything 
> as he falls through the air.......... no matter how good it looks to 
> your eye. 99.9999999% of the time shooting as he spins to water you'll 
> throw them away! The spot may mean using a 300 or 400mm lens, Or if 
> you can get close enough shoot it with your 200.  And I might move up 
> to 1600 or 3200 for as much shutter speed stopped action you can get.
>
> After all you only want one good one! ;-)  Each dive! ;-)
>
> A point where you are absolutely inline with the board. Focus on the 
> end of the board before he gets there, as soon as he steps to the end, 
> check focus. He'll begin to move his arms for lift off, your finger is 
> on the release, he lifts away, you go click!!! One shot! And that's 
> it. :-) Trust me would I lie to a nice guy like you?  ;-)
>
> If you're using autofocus you can be in trouble if the "sensor goes 
> off the diver for a split second." I'd use manual and to hell with all 
> the whiz bang gadgets. Rely on your ability to re-act quickly. Besides 
> it's only one shot right off the board! Or if you want to use the 
> auto-focus use it to lock on the end of the board, then immediately 
> turn it off before he does his dive.
>
>> Framing was fine (checked on LCD) and I was really pleased with the 
>> way the shoot went until I saw the results on the computer - not a 
>> single sharp shot amongst them!! The poolside shots, and the static 
>> shots on the end of the board were razor sharp, but the action shots 
>> were virtually unusable.<<<<<,,
>
>
> Get the first one off the board... forget all the other stuff simply 
> because they rarely look good! Motor drive, whizo autofocus or any 
> other electronic stuff.. it's one shot manual off the board.... click! 
> Or if you use the motor drive just bang off a couple of frames as he 
> leaves the board...... do not waste time shooting as he falls away 
> from you, they're going to be throw aways most of the time.
>
>> I wanted to say that I now have even more admiration for people like 
>> Ted who shot this type of thing regularly with manual focus, guess 
>> the exposure type gear on film (probably initially 400iso) and got 
>> stunning images time after time.<<<<<<<,
>
>
> Gerry when we shot diving out doors, always the best location. :-)  it 
> was ASA KODAK 100. Indoors as high an ASA as we could get.
>
>> The best gear, and loads of photographic experience coupled with no 
>> pressure and I still don't cut it! I felt like asking Peter to spin 
>> slowly, or to take his time falling (if only) but the only thing I 
>> can do is hold my hand up and ask for another chance!<<
>
>
> OK look at it like this. Now you have a second chance with a little 
> direction you'll do just fine. I'd suggest go to the pool the day 
> before the shoot and case the building to find a "shoot from spot" 
> before he arrives. Then when he's ready you'll just have to go click! 
> And do not bother with the falling to the water stuff... forget it! It 
> doesn't  work!  It may look good to the eye or on the tele but from a 
> still photography point of view it's the pits! Been there done it for 
> longer than I've got left and never did it work with any super 
> fantastic diving pictures!
>
> I trust this helps.
>
> ted
>
>
>
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