Sometimes, ya gotta get dirty!

Down on my belly in the muck, broken twigs, bugs and general forest waste. That's simply what it takes at times, to get the angle and the image.

There are times when my work takes me out of the comfort (?) of my work room and into the not-so-clean-and-tidy real world. Such as was the case lately, when I shot a series of images for local sporting goods retailer, Fontaine Source for Sports.

We headed out to the Harold Town Conservation Area for a few hours of mountain bike excitement. All in the effort to create awe inspiring images that demonstrate the product and show what fun and joy you can have when fully engaged.

This visit, the second of two, was a bit more enjoyable than the first, as we didn't have the flying, biting insects to contend with. And, I was lucky enough to return with all the equipment I arrived with. Always a bonus.

While I wasn't cycling, I did have to deal with a couple arms-full of photo gear while trudging along the same trails as the guys riding. No, I didn't take a nose dive down a hill or trip over one of the myriad branches, boulders, tree roots etc. I did, however have the pleasure of watching others do it. (Sorry, no photos) I believe that there were 3 minor crashes, during the second trip to the trails.  No blood or broken bones, but a bit of concern for expensive bikes.

To grab the sensation for the viewer, I felt the need to incorporate a flash or two. Tall trees and low sun angle, meant for a pretty dark scene. The flash clamped to a tree branch in these photos, for example, meant that the riders (Ben Logan above and his friend, Cody) were crisply illuminated against the dark trees. No modifier. Just a 1/8 CTO gel on the flash head for a touch of warmth. The dark trees tend to cool the light, so the CTO is warranted.
All the images were inspected for blunders and very basically edited in Adobe Camera Raw, and that's about it for adjustments. The gems were delivered to Ben at the store where he transferred them to a USB drive. Now the images are proudly displayed on the wall-mounted TV screen for all the visitors to enjoy.
Now honestly, how could I just sit at an office all day when I can have this kind of fun? Sometimes getting dirty is what it takes, and it's way more fun.
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