Dublin City Marathon 2008 (throw your pics here)

AnimalRights

My 1st Marathon to photograph and only living around the corner from Parnell Square I decided to erm photograph from there.
Wasn't sure what lenses to bring and what to go for, in the end I grabbed the 70-200L 2.8 and the 17-40L, used the 70-200 for 95% of my shots.
Was fascinating watching the whole field pass me, you had the professionals obviously at the start and eventually the stragglers...Parnell square is quite early in the marathon and yet I seen people dumping hats. t-shirts-tops as they were too hot.
Another thing that will stay with me is the noise that hundreds of feet hitting the ground sounds like.
I also seen the famous 8 euro an hour "encouragers"
Pics in the next while, I took them in RAW which thinking now maybe I should've went for jpg, my hands are freezing too.

AnimalRights

More here
http://pix.ie/punkrock/album/329101

Borderfox

Some great shots there Janer, did you get the new 5d yet?

AnimalRights

No, it's not out yet!!
This is the 1st time I've felt the 70-200L 2.8 IS has rewarded me since I've got it.

Borderfox

Yeah you can see that, all the shots ping off the page

Placebo

nice
this is running right outside my gaf
no cam though, booo

City-Exile

AnimalRights wrote: »

I'd be looking nervously over my shoulder too, if the Binman was chasing after me!

dakar

Lovely shots, especially like the last one, it gives a great feel for the event.

But I do feel sorry for the unfortunate in the Marge Simpson outfit:).

AnimalRights

Last one is my favourite too.

City-Exile

I think you need to work the aperture a bit more.
f/2.8 wasn't appropriate for all of those shots.
You'd get better results if you learned where to use the lens wide open & where not to.

Arciphel

Some nice shots there AnimalRights, I was over on the southside taking some shots, seemed to be a lot of heads with cameras about, I'm surprised there isn't more people posting pics up here. Was a perfect morning for shooting too! Had hassle getting in behind the barricades with the press pack, although fair play to the guy who eventually let me in when I said I was "freelance" ... even though I got fired out again 15 minutes later Will stick a few pics up in a while, anyone else head out this morning?

Placebo

City-Exile wrote: »

I think you need to work the aperture a bit more.
f/2.8 wasn't appropriate for all of those shots.
You'd get better results if you learned where to use the lens wide open & where not to.

but then he wouldn't have the depth of field he has now

ThOnda

I would disagree with the aperture. I quite like the isolation of the main subjects (runners).

I am very sorry for that, but the second one really reminds me this picture...

.

Picture is property of Getty Images published on Daylife server.

City-Exile

Placebo wrote: »

but then he wouldn't have the depth of field he has now

He'd have plenty DOF & the second shot is a good example of what I mean.
Unless the guy at the front right is more special that the guy on the left, I see no reason why only he is in focus.

The aperture used here was f/3.2 & there is still a nice, shallow depth of field.

AnimalRights

I specifically went for 2.8 as I'm a sucker for background blur.
Out of the 100+ I took this morning there were sure a few I would've liked with maybe a diff app but..........
Same with my gig photography, I normally bring my 24-105L as while it's an f/4 its a lot easier to photograph a gig using it than the 50mm 1.4.
But last night I deleted a load of my old pics and I still cannot get round how much I love the 1.4 shots...I really am a sucker for background blur, it's just so sexeh!

/edit Just re-read (I've had a few pints) and yes out of all the pics I took, #2 I did think to myself after seeing the results "I should have used down stopped a few stops"

ttcomet

I really like that last shot AnimalRights.

sineadw

Some lovely stuff there

I was at the course at 7am, took over 1200 shots, and thank CHRIST I don't have to process any of them It was an amazing experience though. I feel like I ran the damn thing (although I'm sure I'd feel differently if I had ). I'm more emotionally drained than anything - taking that many medal shots of people who were genuinely just glad to be alive, and a lot of whom couldn't stand - wow..

And my arms are feckin *killing* me.

I was supposed to run it this year but an illness in May knocked my training out and I didn't pick it up again. After seeing some people finishing (and not finishing) today I'm a bit glad. But a bit disappointed too.

CabanSail

I am just back from the Marathon. Was there from 7.30am to 4.30pm.

I shot about 6900 images (I think) but I can't show you any of them. I don't own the copyright. After a couple of hours shooting my right hand was seizing up from the cold.

sineadw

Good day had then Tony? I'm wrecked!

CabanSail wrote: »

I am just back from the Marathon. Was there from 7.30am to 4.30pm.

I shot about 6900 images (I think) but I can't show you any of them. I don't own the copyright. After a couple of hours shooting my right hand was seizing up from the cold.

CabanSail

Really good. I think I got a good percentage of salable images today. The aim is to get them above 90%

Setting the exposure was a bit tricky this morning. On Shutter Priority it was burning out the faces, so went fully mauual. ISO 640, 1/250 & f14. I did vary the aperture a bit. That was fine until the clouds started to randomly drift over the sun, so then went back to S Priority. I packed in the location I was in when I got to ISO 1000, 1/125 & f3.5.

Is it bad form to say you have a tired arm & sore shutter finger when others have just run 42km? LOL

sineadw

CabanSail wrote: »

Is it bad form to say you have a tired arm & sore shutter finger when others have just run 42km? LOL

No! My shoulders, arms and neck are dead. Thank god I didn't use the 5D and the tank of a sigma or they'd have fallen off about 5 hours in.

90%? Hmmm...

CabanSail

sineadw wrote: »

No! My shoulders, arms and neck are dead. Thank god I didn't use the 5D and the tank of a sigma or they'd have fallen off about 5 hours in.

We may rescue you from the Dark Side yet

sineadw wrote: »

90%? Hmmm...

90% is the goal. I have done that on three of the four events so far. One was a total disaster that I try to forget.

Hearvee

Sure most of the runners were still smiling after 25.5 miles anyhow!

Around 6000 shots today, and the same arm/shutterfinger strains Sinead and CabanSail are suffering from! And I'm getting myself a foldup stool before I do that again!

Sinead, I owe you a cuppa (or a pint), as we had to leg it down the course before ye came back from breakfast! Sorry about that!

Pen1987

I managed to get myself a press pass but more for journalistic than photography purposes. Heres a few of my own shots that wont be used in print...

I'm saving for a camera. I borrowed a 'Fujifilm Finepix S8000FD' Digital camera, if anyone could recommend me a good choice of camera to save for for photojournalism use I'd be really obliged.

sineadw

Hearvee wrote: »

Sinead, I owe you a cuppa (or a pint), as we had to leg it down the course before ye came back from breakfast! Sorry about that!

Ah.

I'll have to own up to forgetting the tea I'd promised you until we'd already gotten through the security barrier and were almost back at the car, at which stage and given this morning's temperatures I'd already decided you could go back for your own tea :rolleyes: So you're grand

Glad to hear you had a good day though :O)

Arciphel

Took 900 images, about 90 made the cut and got PP'd in Lightroom, so looks like I am the wrong side of that 90% Was my first time doing an "event" type thing since "Kings Of Concrete" (which was ace!) and it's great to have so much great material to capture right in front of you, a (lazy) photographer's dream...

Here's some I am particulary pleased with - click on them for the full szie images, the rest are in a set on flickr...

kjt

Nice shots Paul, Love #1 & #5!

robinph

sineadw wrote: »

And my arms are feckin *killing* me.

Bet my legs hurt more.

sineadw

I'm guessing they do

RoryW

AnimalRights

RoryW wrote: »

Haha the fecker was cycling when I got him much earlier in the race, gotta say he struggled getting up the square though!

Balfey1972

AnimalRights wrote: »

No, it's not out yet!!
This is the 1st time I've felt the 70-200L 2.8 IS has rewarded me since I've got it.

Great shots AR, lens was surely working. Very sharp.
Fair play to you doing the marathon carrying that lens and camera !!!!!

AnimalRights

Er to be fair I just walked from my flat which is 1 minute to Parnell Sq and set up there, I shuffled in a few diff spots but all within 10 seconds of each other! Then home after an hour, took a total of 133 shots so very happy with the quality I got and the experience of my 1st Marathon.

CabanSail

AnimalRights wrote: »

That guy does the whole Marathon Series on that trike. Saw him in the 5 Mile, 10 mile & the Half Marathon. He adds a bit of character & life to the events.

There is another guy who was in the other three events, but I did not see him yesterday. I would say he is in his 60's & runs the events wearing a Carboard Box & holding a placard about various current issues. Another great character. If I wasn't being paid to be shooting with someone else's camera I would like to get a series of shots of him.

AnimalRights

So the official photographers had exclusive rights to the finish line?
What about where/when the athletes were warming down? were they off limits to the casual photographers too?
I'd like a diff take on the shots next year.

robinph

Between the finish line and where the runners come out from getting their bags back you'd not be able to get into without a race number to run in one end, or a pass to let you in the other. You might be able to get pictures through the fence though and there will be plenty of people milling around the other sides of Merrion Square that might be worth a few shots. There were a couple of people taking shots of me as I was getting a massage in the bus stop on Merrion Square North. The other races in the series in the park though you'd pretty much be able to go every where though, or at least have an unimpeded view of everyehere.

CabanSail

The Finish Line is restricted, as said above, at the Marathon. The events in Phoenix Park are a LOT more casual. You would still not be able to get right into the area, but very close.

If you wanted to get shots of the Finish Line at the Marathon next year I would think you would just have to apply well before the event to get a Photo Pass. I doubt it's about restricting photography, but rather to make things managable. Can you imagine if all the friends & relatives had access trying to get shots with their P&S's it would be chaotic.

I did have a bit of fun on the course telling a few guys with L Lenses that the event was restricted to Nikon exclusively. With an All Area's Access Pass & a Photo Pass on me they looked a bit shocked at first until they saw me smiling at them & realised it was a wind up.

AnCatDubh

CabanSail wrote: »

I did have a bit of fun on the course telling a few guys with L Lenses that the event was restricted to Nikon exclusively. With an All Area's Access Pass & a Photo Pass on me they looked a bit shocked at first until they saw me smiling at them & realised it was a wind up.

ya cruel git ya!

Pen1987

CabanSail wrote: »

That guy does the whole Marathon Series on that trike. Saw him in the 5 Mile, 10 mile & the Half Marathon. He adds a bit of character & life to the events.

There is another guy who was in the other three events, but I did not see him yesterday. I would say he is in his 60's & runs the events wearing a Carboard Box & holding a placard about various current issues. Another great character. If I wasn't being paid to be shooting with someone else's camera I would like to get a series of shots of him.

My arse he does. He finished in 5 hours 30 minutes, thats 30 minutes faster than the toucan and the guiness... but the trike could hardly get the pedals to turn at the start let alone the finish.

CabanSail

Got my Photo's back today.

Looks good for >90% saleable shots.

Total taken 6893.

AnimalRights

CabanSail wrote: »

Got my Photo's back today.

Looks good for >90% saleable shots.

Total taken 6893.

Break that down into english plz, ie I left school at 15.




/edit
Mine is a Pint of Bulmer's

Borderfox

6203.7 are in condition (focus/subject) to go on for sale and 10% go in the bin.

AnimalRights

Funny enough Mondays pics were probs my best ratio too, very few came out blurred/****e.

CabanSail

AnimalRights wrote: »

Break that down into english plz, ie I left school at 15.




/edit
Mine is a Pint of Bulmer's

It means that of the shots I took, more than 9 out of 10 would be OK to sell to the runners. Not really many problems with them being blurry, more to do with framing. It's hard to get them all in the right place in the frame when you are shooting so many shots so fast.