G Dan Mitchell Photography

I started a twitter account today – I hear that I need to! We’ll see how this goes. You can follow at the link or via RSS.

G Dan Mitchell :: Feb.28.2009 :: Commentary :: No Comments »

George Hincapie, 2009 Amgen Tour of California. Sacramento, California. February 14, 2009. © Copyright G Dan Mitchell – all rights reserved.

Team Highroad rider George Hincapie rides the prologue time trial course before the start of the 2009 Amgen Tour of California in Sacramento, California.

I’ve written before that the time trial stages provide some of the best bicycle racing photographic opportunities. During the race itself the riders come by one by one, so it is much easier to spot and photograph them. In addition, you can often find a good spot on the course and set up an effective shot – riders slowing down as then come through a turn and facing you as they exit for example. But there are also many opportunities before and after the actual race. This photograph is among quite a few I made during the hour or so before the start of the race when the competitors ride the course several times and usually individually or in small groups of two or three. Not only is it easier to spot and photograph them, but the crowds that come later are often still yet to arrive.

This photograph is not in the public domain. It may not be used on websites, blogs, or in any other media without explicit advance permission from G Dan Mitchell.

keywords: george, hincapie, columbia, professional, pro, bicycle, bike, race, racing, team, prologue, time trial, stage, road, highroad, dark glasses, beanie, stocking cap, bokeh, warm up, amgen, 2009, tour, of, california, sports, bottle, water, pocket, stock

G Dan Mitchell :: Feb.28.2009 :: Photographs: People, Photographs: Sports :: No Comments »

Fabian Cancellara, 2009 Amgen Tour of California. Sacramento, California. February 14, 2009. © Copyright G Dan Mitchell – all rights reserved.

Stage winner Fabian Cancellara of Team Saxo Bank in the first turn of the prologue time trial stage of the 2009 Amgen Tour of California, Sacramento, California.

Cancellara is seen here coming through the first turn and looking up the long straightaway heading back toward the starting area in the prologue time trial stage of the 2009 Amgen Tour of California. He ended up winning this stage.

This photograph is not in the public domain. It may not be used on websites, blogs, or in any other media without explicit advance permission from G Dan Mitchell.

keywords: fabian, cancellara, team, saxo bank, bell, specialized, red, black, white, prologue, time trial, stage, race, turn, lean, bank, helmet, amgen, 2009, tour, of, california, sacramento, usa, professional, pro, bicycle, bike, road, stage, sports, capitol, state, athlete, stock

G Dan Mitchell :: Feb.27.2009 :: Photographs: People, Photographs: Sports :: No Comments »

I posted earlier today about increasing availability of the Canon EOS 5D II at places like B&H, so I thought it might be useful to begin posting on some of my experiences with the camera during the couple of weeks (and perhaps a thousand frames) that I’ve had it. Here is a copy of something I posted elsewhere earlier this week, in response to a post concerning image quality from this camera:

I’ve shot with cropped sensor bodies extensively in the past. I have shot with a full-frame 5D for the past two years. I recently began shooting with a 5DII and have done a thousand or so frames with it.

I cannot see image quality problems in my images, even in those that stress the ability of the camera in ways that should produce them if they are there: shooting wide dynamic range scenes, using high ISOs (up to 1600), inspecting at large on-screen magnifications, and making careful prints.

My photos have very low noise all the way through the shadows to pure black, even in some photographs where I’ve pushed the shadows either during RAW conversion and/or via the shadow/highlight tool in post. I’m seeing very highly detailed images with smooth tonal transitions. As far as I’ve seen the 5D II has a rather substantial dynamic range – as reported in a number of tests – and it is at least as great as that of the 5D.

Let me repost a couple of 100% magnification crops that I posted elsewhere from the 5DII.

The first was shot at ISO 100 at, IIRC, f/16 using a 35mm prime with the camera on tripod. The crop is a 100% magnification section from the very far lower right corner of the shot. The dark areas were pushed slightly, too, so if there were noise anywhere it would certainly appear here – but I don’t see it even at this resolution, which would be equivalent to a print width of five or six FEET wide. Seems like pretty good resolution to me! (It also speaks well for the EF 35mm f/2 lens.)

The second example is pretty much a noise “torture test” – it is a very dark section of a much larger image. (Again a 100% crop). It was shot using a 100-400mm zoom handheld at ISO 400 in cloudy conditions. There is some noise in the shot, but that is entirely normal – and this noise would be completely invisible even in a very large print. (The pattern on the lighter fabric near the left side of the frame is that of the fabric itself.)

My observations from 100% on-screen pixel peeping are confirmed by the more important test of printing.

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(If my post has helped you with a purchase decision, making your purchase from B&H through this link will help support the blog. Thanks!

G Dan Mitchell :: Feb.26.2009 :: Commentary, Equipment, Tests :: 1 Comment »

Although it has been pretty difficult to grab one before they disappear – sometimes they seem to go in and out of stock in a matter of a few minutes – the Canon EOS 5DII is available at B&H as I write this. It appears to be available as a package with the 24-105mm f/4 L lens and as body-only. If you have been waiting for one and are ready to buy, I suggest acting quickly!

I ended up acquiring one a few weeks ago and I’ll report on my very positive experience with this camera soon. The Tour of California photos were all made with the 5DII. (I’ll also explain why I got one much sooner than I had planned.)

Update: As more or less predicted, the 5D II shipment was sold out quickly. If I hear of more at B&H I’ll post again.

G Dan Mitchell :: Feb.26.2009 :: Commentary, Equipment :: No Comments »

Team Quick Step Specialized Time Trial Bicycles – 2009 Amgen Tour of California. Sacramento, California. February 14, 2009. © Copyright G Dan Mitchell – all rights reserved.

A row of red, white, and black Team Quickstep Specialized bicycles lined up at the team vehicle before the prologue time trial stage of the 2009 Amgen Tour of Callifornia bicycle race.

The time trial bikes for Team Quick Step were lined up outside the team vehicle in the staging area for the prologue time trial – another example of the sort of opportunities you have to shoot “bike stuff” before and after the race at an event like this.

This photograph is not in the public domain. It may not be used on websites, blogs, or in any other media without explicit advance permission from G Dan Mitchell.

keywords: bike, bicycle, wheel, tire, spoke, frame, fork, gear, chain, ring, brake, quick step, pulsar, specialized, components, rim, carbon, time trial, prologue, stage, hub, team, 2009, amgen, tour, of, california, professional, pro, race, road, stage, sacramento, usa, stock, red, black, white

G Dan Mitchell :: Feb.26.2009 :: Photographs: Sports :: No Comments »

Lance Armstrong, Prologue, 2009 Amgen Tour of California. Sacramento, California. February 14, 2009. © Copyright G Dan Mitchell – all rights reserved.

Astana’s Lance Armstrong negotiates the first turn during the prologue stage of the 2009 Amgen Tour of California bicycle race.

Lance Armstrong of Team Astana leans into the first turn of the prologue time trial of the 2009 Amgen Tour of California professional bike race in Sacramento, California.

This photograph is not in the public domain. It may not be used on websites, blogs, or in any other media without explicit advance permission from G Dan Mitchell.

keywords: lance, armstrong, astana, team, bike, bicycle, pro, professional, racer, race, stage, prolog, prologue, time trial, lean, turn, trek, road, giro, sacramento, amgen, 2009, tour, of, california, usa, stock, person, sports, competition

G Dan Mitchell :: Feb.25.2009 :: Photographs: People, Photographs: Sports :: No Comments »