My Top 10 Cycling Shots for 2013
Here is a list of my top cycling shots from 2013—as voted by me! It's that time of year and everyone's doing it so I thought I would put my two cents out there as well. I'm not a pro photog and my photos aren't going to set the interwebs ablaze, but I'm proud of them.
Actually, this was a great exercise. With digital cameras and cell phones, race pictures are a dime a dozen these days. There is way too much spray and pray going on at the races. Just because your camera can take 300 frames per second, they don't all need to be posted online.
I think it's important to take a critical look at my photos and show just the good ones. I try to be ruthless with my normal editing and this took things a step further. I have no idea how many race pictures I actually took this year but there are only 200 left on my computer, and I started this end of year list with 24 before cutting it down to 10.
This year I was trying to find my style. I didn't think I had one, but when I asked a helpful professional, he thought that I did have a style of my own. He said, "First and foremost, your style is that of a documentary photographer rather than that of a pictorial photographer. You take in the world as it is, without attempting to artificially craft an image to meet your vision." Stepping back and looking at my images, I tend to agree with him. I like a wide-angle, black-and-white version of the world. It's funny how it takes someone else to help you see yourself. This doesn't mean that I won't change over time or try new things, but it does show me where I stand at this moment.
I hope you like the shots. And, if you do, browse around and take a look at the rest of my images. www.samobiker.com
10. Hot and dusty summer type weather for Santa Cross at the Greek Theater in Los Angeles.
9. Riders wait for their start at the Wolfpack Hustle drag races on the 6th St bridge in Los Angeles.
8. Riders hammer up the hill at Turkey Trot Cross.
7. A lone rider warms up while watching the races at the Encino Velodrome on a grey day.
6. Passionate fans cheer on the women on at the World Championship road race in Florence, Italy.
5. Wolfpack Hustle drag races on the 6th St bridge in downtown Los Angeles.
4. A devoted fan stands in the rain after the race passes at the men's 2013 World Championship road race in Florence, Italy.
3. Catching air at Spooky Kross in the middle of a horse racetrack at Pomona Fairplex.
2. Dusty SoCal cyclocross.
1. State Championships at the Encino Velodrome.