Shooting The Ontario Cup Downhill #3 At Kelso

This weekend I got out to shoot the third Ontario Cup downhill race which was held at Kelso. This is the same location where the first race I shot in May took place but on a different course. I decided to shoot both Saturday and Sunday to ensure I got the kind of shots my customers have come to expect from me. With these short tracks, you are really limited on shooting locations.

The course was super short and challenging to shoot. The most interesting section of the track was really dark and the overcast sky really didn’t help in this situation. Even with three strobes it was difficult to light the scene evenly. To make matters worse, there was an A, B and C line riders could choose from. Getting a proper lighting setup for all three was nearly impossible. I managed to make it work during practice but decided to shoot elsewhere for the race. I’m glad I went and shot it during practice though or I would have wasted a lot of time setting it up for the race. From what I’ve seen of the shots floating around, I think I made the right call.

Even though they were calling for rain, it held off for most of the day. I brought my full wet-weather gear but never had to use it. The rain that had fallen made for a nice lush forest and if I were shooting here for a private session, I could have made it look like Bromont. I may have to head back and do that!

Race day went a bit better. I knew what I was in for and was prepared. I hiked the course a few times and settled on my locations. I found a nice little jump with a white limestone lip among some birch trees that I thought would look good for morning practice. For the race, I decided on a little creek crossing I knew even the greenest rider would look cool going through. It’s important to me that everyone feels that they get a flattering photo of themselves.

I delivered a few prints and posters to the race for customers. It was great to hand guys their prints and see how stoked they were with the shots. It really makes it all worthwhile. Best part about racing and riding for me has always been the people. People in Ontario complain about the lack of community but this is where it is, at every trail-head in Ontario – well, except the Don . I had a blast just sitting on the rocks talking with Brandon and Derek while I set up my gear. Thanks also to all the guys who took the time to walk over and say hi and show their appreciation for the shots.

Here are some of the shots from the race.

Huge thanks to Pete, Lee, Kris and all the team at Sirbikealot Racing. You guys did a bang up job as always. Thanks for letting me display a couple of big prints.

All my images from the race are available here in the FastTimes online store. http://fasttimesinc.com/store/index.php?gnum=137

If you are one of the riders in the images above and would like to use them, you may do so by purchasing the $25.00 digital download from the online store. Landscape oriented shots will be the same size as the portrait ones, these are only reduces to better fit my blog dimensions.

I apologize for the huge logo on the images in the online store but because some people have tried to use them without my permission, I had no choice. I know it’s harder to see yourselves in some cases. I do go through each shot and I don’t post blinkers or any with awkward faces. These aren’t just batched and all put online, I go through each shot. If you want to be sure though, feel free to drop me a line and I will look at it more closely for you. You can use the email to a friend option and send it landry(at)fasttimesinc.com. Just enter your questions in the notes.

Also wanted to add that there is a “standard image retouching” option available when you order an image. This is normally used for my portrait work but if there is something about an image you would like “Photoshopped” simply add this option and send me some instructions. A prime example would be removing a lone spectator in your shot such as this.