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Last weekend saw the Tough Bloke Challenge down at Cataract Scout Park, my sister competed in the event (completed it in 1 hr 4mins with one penatly too ) so whilst all manner of people traversed the course I took the opportunity to have a look at the obstacles and track and take a few pictures.

For the second time round (following on from my session at the AFL) my hat's off to sports photographers again...it ain't as easy as it looks! There were a number of pro guys/gals there at set positions getting shots of the competitors, given the conditions of the obstacle course getting nice shots was hard, lots of shadows and very bright sunny day and fast competitors.

I was operating on the semi auto mode which was my first mistake, I found after a while switching to the fully manual gave me much better results, from a exposure point of view anyway. Composition was hard - I was trying to get lots of isolation between the competitors and the background, but given the close quarters and having only a wider angle lens this was hard. Looking back through the images the next week, I reckon you really need to get in front of the competitors to get them running into the frame with a full frontal style!

Anyway, thoughts and suggestions for this kind of thing for next time?

DebT with her hippo series gave me the idea for the series image here too... (its pretty close too 200kb and within 800px so hopefully it only counts as one image)

Nice pics there Gerry, and I would agree that it would have been a tough gig....you really have captured the action in these shots...and I do like the first pic (or is it three?)

I have always believed that some of the women I have known were blokes and after correlating your title plus the images of those lovely young ladies it would appear that I’m right

Seriously, all images give a great indication of the tough course and as such, they are winners

You've got a great bunch of shots there; they really convey the toughness of the course (not to mention the competitors). I've never heard of this event - it sounds like fun and if I was about 50 years younger I'd have a go!

Frank

Gerry
Not bad, but all of those pics would have been improved with a little fill flash to open up the shadows. I often use my SB800 with minus 1.3 dialled in and it makes a big difference.

Now you are trying new things aren't you.

I also like #1. The different emergence strategies are great to see.

you really have captured the action in these shots

ta Cam!

women I have known were blokes

hopefully not too intimately

those lovely young ladies

some were very nice indeed and my hats off to them for getting in risking the nails to have a crack!

great indication of the tough course and as such, they are winners

that was what I was trying to do, i am glad it came across...

I've never heard of this event - it sounds like fun and if I was about 50 years younger I'd have a go!

the great thing about the event is you can do it at your own pace and skip whatever obstacles you feel you are not up too!

little fill flash to open up the shadows. I often use my SB800 with minus 1.3 dialled in and it makes a big difference.

great idea, I wish I had thought of that at the time! that probably would have saved alot of images that I had to dump...

Now you are trying new things aren't you.
I also like #1. The different emergence strategies are great to see.

trying to get out of the comfort zone

yes, these emergence strategies were very, very funny....definitely an advantage if your a small bloke!

Gerry, nice captures! Looking at the environment and harsh light, I would have given up before taking a picture. Love the tryptych tunnel exit! Great idea.

I think this one would be great to try out some hanky panky from CLS... What if you had one or two sb600's or something clamped to some of those trees........

Love the tryptych tunnel exit! Great idea.

ta

try out some hanky panky from CLS... What if you had one or two sb600's

yes that would have been the smart thing to do - it did not even click after walking past one of the photogs who had an external flash rigged at ground level off to the left and then was shooting from head on with another flash onboard - oh it did not help that I left the flash at home....

Looking back, I did not even consider flash - I will remember that for next time tho!

How could you forget the flash??? I hope your having fun with it!