Pkfish Loc: Wilson Wy

I've been invited to photograph a leg of the Rocky Mountain stage stop race this week . It's really a big deal race with a lot of the top teams in the world. I'm just doing this for my self and maybe some others if they want some shots. I can take some gear in with me , but I am snow machining in and plan on moving to several locations. These dogs will be hauling tail as this is a very! fast race. I'm wondering what gear and what settings folks would use? I've got a6d, 60d ,24-105,70-200,100-400,150-600, tripod . It could be snowing and I have had difficulties in the past on snowy days. I'm very excited as the director and course setter will be showing me the good parts of the course . Thank you ahead of time for your comments!

dirtpusher Loc: tulsa oklahoma

Timpanogas

You'll be changing locations rapidly once the race begins. If I were you, I'd be more inclined to take a monopod and not a tripod. I shoot all sports and usually you're not allowed to set up a tripod. You'll be tripping over the legs if your not careful. Just be careful. Have fun.

SharpShooter Loc: NorCal

PK, all I can say, if it snows, you will probably need to shoot manual focus, by prefocussing. I've not shot while snowing, but I'm sure AF would be out.
Also, not to fast to leave the tripod. Unless the 70-200 is a 2.8, you have a lot of slow lenses, at fastest. Do some test shots in similar light and see if you can get any speed.
In low light I'd suggest auto ISO, on Tv to get the speed you need. It'll likely shoot wide open, so DoF will be minimul.
If it snows, put you lens/camera in a bread bag. The baker that designed the bread bag, must have been a photographer, he did a great job! ;-)
Good luck
SS

BHC Loc: Strawberry Valley, JF, USA

PK, I think the variety of focal lengths, in this particular case, should be secondary to the speed of the lenses. At the Iditarod, many of the pictures are taken under poor lighting conditions, so wide apertures are important for early starters and late arrivals. You may want to freeze some of the dogs in motion, but the great action pictures will illustrate motion, so be prepared to pan and shoot with slow shutter speeds. Oncoming quartering shots of complete rigs are also popular. Concentrate on the lead dog's eyes. With moderate apertures, the time lag to shoot will concentrate your shots at the middle of the pack. So you want to be able to shoot wide open to stopped down; aperture range is paramount. As to the best lens, I cannot say. My favorite Iditarod shot was taken by a tourist who had no idea what she was about to see and shot Susan Butcher and her team in profile flat-out with a Nikon F3 and a 50mm f/1.4 lens - maybe not the best of rigs, but the one that was needed at the time. Sadly, it was one of Susan's last races. Good luck and please post some pictures, especially if junior mushers participate.

Pkfish Loc: Wilson Wy

Thanx! PKfish

Pkfish Loc: Wilson Wy

I do have a monopod,and will take that instead of the tripod. Thanx,pkfish

Pkfish Loc: Wilson Wy

My 70-200 is a 2.8 and I think I will put that on my 6d and probably use the 60 d with the 100-400 and pack the 24-105 and take a bread bag or 2. Will be doing some testing today as it is cloudy and a little snowy. Thanx pkfish

Pkfish Loc: Wilson Wy

This race has 10 legs I believe,and they start and return to the same spot every day and then move onto another town close by . So they start around 9am and return mid afternoon,so early and late light won't be a big problem. That is what I'd like to get would be some freeze frame blurred motion along with some crisp close ups. I rarely us burst mode but will be trying it out. Thanx pkfish

AntonioReyna Loc: Los Angeles, California

I would just use the 6D and the 24-105 and the 100-400 lenses. No tripod as you will be shooting at very high shutter speeds outside in the snow and you don't need to be burdened by that. Keep it simple and you will get great pics. GO SEATTLE SEAHAWKS (former Seattle guy now living in Los Angeles)

BHC Loc: Strawberry Valley, JF, USA

That should give you some incredible opportunities to use the outbound leg as a marker, spend some time scouting the route and pick some spots for your shots. Remember this - almost everyone will want to be along the race route, as close to the trail markers as permitted. What a wonderful opportunity to pick a high spot, the closer to vertical the better and use your long glass to prefocus and then shoot over the heads of the others - and with a little practice using shutter priority, to shift back and forth from slow shots with motion to sharp crisp shots, all without having to change location or re-focus. By the way, about 1/3 to 1/2 of the way back will be ideal. In this stretch, the mushers are going to let the teams lope, getting a second wind for the sprint to the finish.