Wakeboarding

[Marvin]

I was asked to take some pictures of a 14 year old wakeboarder for an award he is in. We went out tonight and it was a sort of a practice run as I have the chance to take more if necessary.
My longest lens is the crappy Tamron 28-300 lens which is the one I used (most of the shots were taken at around 150mm). I am wondering if I should use the 24-120vr or my kit and crop them as the Tamron isn't the sharpest.
Any C & C would be great so I can do the best job I can.
Thanks,
Lee

[Big V]

Sh$t that kid is good.. Selective sharpening could be used if you want to use your smaller lens and crop, select the background and give it a slight blur in ps, will make the sharpened wakeboarder stand out more and compensate for the fact that you dont have f2.8 to shoot with.

[beetleboy]

I think you did a great job as it is!

[rflower]

I think these look pretty good. I really like number 2, but the facial expressions in all of them are pretty clear and sharp to me.

Well done

Russell

[Marvin]

Thanks guys. I was a bit disappointed with the sharpness, but I guess beggars can't be choosers. He hasn't seen them yet so I'll find out what he thinks.
Cheers!

[jammy2]

Wow...all three pics are nicely captured but the second really turns your world upside down

[BBJ]

Lee, these are great and i think what ever lens you use it will be great and these shots are as good as it gets, well done on these pics lee as they are all great.

[Dprime]

Marvin, nice clean shots, look great!

I do alot of wakeboarding photography myself so I can appreciate its not the eaisest task to get a rider nice and sharp 100% of the time.

Just a few helpfull pointers from my experience, when you shoot the rider, try shooting so that you include the water/wake inside the frame, (usually shooting portrait makes that a little eaiser). It just helps show how high the rider is during his trick and makes it look more impressive.
Either way looks like you have most things down pat!

Amazing how small the wakeboarding community is, I've seen that kids face around here and there.


Heres one of my shots to show you what I mean about the water level.
Goodluck!

[surenj]

My favourite is #2 - very nice action shot. Well done.

[Marvin]

Thanks dprime. That's a good idea. I was trying to get a close up of him in the air but he was pretty high and you can't really get that from the pics. I might try portrait next time - but I find I miss them a bit when I am panning his jump. Great shot by the way. Were you in a boat following the boarder?
Being a novice (read completely hopeless newbie) wakeboarder myself I know how bloody hard it is to get any air. I am struggling to jump the wake, let along flipping or spinning! I feel like I have huge air and then they tell me it's about 30cm or so!!!
I really enjoyed taking pics of him and he blew my friend and I away (she is just like me - we are learning together!).
Cheers!
Lee