Legs-a-blur - From the Photo Gallery

[Craig]

http://www.fencing101.com/Photo_Gall...Sabre_Finals_V

Interesting photo. Focused on the fencer's torso so that everything else is a blur.

PKT also uploaded some graphics of the Beijing Olympic preview posters.

Cheers,
Craig

[JEC]

That is a spot filter and a low F-number (large aperture) to reduce the depth of field. It has lower shutter speed than is needed to capture moving action, probably 60. However, the most common way to get the blurring in that shot is with Photoshop. Having seen the series of photos, it seems that the depth of field is very limited such as the leg is now in the plane of focal distance.

This is an example of a spot filter

Tiffen (a brand that I like) has a similar tutorial for filters but wasn't able to find it now.

[a517dogg]

That fencer has excellent use.

[Craig]

Originally posted by a517dogg
That fencer has excellent use.

Use of what?

[pkt]

Craig,

Glad you like the fotos and letting other know about the Beijing posters.

As I wrote before, and it bears repeating here:
#111 shows Chinese characters with pictograms illustrating the sport incorporated in it.

- -

JEC,

You sound like you know what you're talking about. But in this instance, unfortunately, you're wrong.

I have yet to learn how to do PhotoShop except for the basic cut and paste and resizing the image.

To paraphrase the former Coca-cola chairman on the occassion of Coke's introduction of New Coke. (Does anyone remember that brouhaha?) To assume that I'm that knowledgeable about PhotoShop is most flattering.

Those fotos were untouched.

I've turned off the flash, intentionally or not is another matter. I thought the action was a bit too far away. cf #113 & 114 for the difference when the foto was shot with the flash on. I didn't like the effect.

The fotos were shot using:
Nikon F90X camera
set to 'Vari-programme' in the SPort mode
Nikon AF Nikkor 28-200mm 1:3.5-5.6D lense in full 200mm zoom - my 'standard' lens for most purposes. The AutoFocusing was turned off.
B+W Skylight filter
Fuji Reala ASA 100 film

So as a result I can't tell you what setting I shot those fotos at. But I do agree, as the result show, the program defaults to a slow shutter speed hence the blur. There's simply not enough light in a gym to slow down the action. Or: I need a faster lens.

I like those two fotos (I have more, but less dramatic as these two) simply because as Craig, puts it "legs a-blur", and they eillustrate the good form the attacking fencer shows: The upright torso, eyes on the target, and in #116, the full, airborne lunge.
Look at the same fencer's attack in #113.

He's the product of Polish sabre training.

- -

Shooting speeding Formula 1/CART cars are easier than shooting fencing. Hence I appreciate teh work Evan Whitney posted earlier in the gallery.

PK

[JEC]

Originally posted by pkt
You sound like you know what you're talking about. But in this instance, unfortunately you're wrong.
... I've turned off the flash. I thought the action was a bit too far away. cf #113 & 114 for the difference when the foto was shot with the flash on. I didn't like the effect.
The fotos were shot using:
Nikon F90X camera
set to 'Vari-programme' in the SPort mode
Nikon 28 - 200mm 1:3.5-5.6D lense - my 'standard' lens for most purposes.
Fuji Reala ASA 100 film
So as I result I can't tell you what setting it was on. But I do agree, as the result show, the program default to a slow shutter speed hence the blur.

So, no filter is OK. Still your automatic "SPort mode" gave you a reduced depth of field, which means that your camera had only focal distance at a very small slab near the torso of the fencer with a slow shutter because your light meter sense the need of more light. Slow-mo, U.M.Amherst.Sabre95, Cerian, and D'art might want to comment upon them.

[D'Artagnan1673]

I will try to post two pictures tomorrow. One is set to normal program mode with a Canon Eos Elan 7. The other is with the same camera but set manually to 4.5 aperture and 250 shutter speed.

The difference is very significant. Although the latter is underexposed, the action is clearly captured. The former picture will have more lighting, but the body parts that are moving are quite blurry. I prefer the underexposed but clearer picture.

My wife took many pictures of myself against August Skopik at the recent Houston event. The main thing she changed is that she used Fuji Professional 1600 speed film. We have yet to develope these pictures.

JEC, if you do not mind, I will try to find a good shot with you against Maysel for the example.

[D'Artagnan1673]

Check the following link.

http://www.spindletopcavaliers.org/Fencing/Pictures.htm

Forgive me for the unpolished appearance, but I wanted to submit this before I go to class. The top picture is under program. The bottom picture is from the Fete' de Lun. Sorry, JEC, I could not find a picture with you and Maysel that you would have wanted me to post None the less, let it be known that JEC lost by 1 touch to the person who claimed second place at this B1 tournament. He fenced very well!

[Capt. Slo-mo]

Well, I'm not a still photo kind of guy, but it seems fairly clear what is going on in the "legs-a-blur" picture.

Low light, iris aperture is open all the way. The camera has dropped the shutter speed fairly low: 1/60, probably, or better.

Notice the blur is fairly uniform, except for the torso of the left fencer. What's happened is that the entire camera is panning what looks to be left to right. The upper torso of the fencer is in focus because his movement roughly synchronizes with the movement of the camera. The legs and arms and the other fencer are moving in opposition, so they appear blurred by the longer exposure.

Still, it makes for a neat picture. You can also get a similar effect with a longer zoom lense (good focus in center, blurred all around the periphery) by selecting a slow shutter speed, then rapidly zooming into the full focal length while the picture is being exposed. Nice trick, if you practice it.

[edew]

Originally posted by D'Artagnan1673
Check the following link.

http://www.spindletopcavaliers.org/Fencing/Pictures.htm

Forgive me for the unpolished appearance, but I wanted to submit this before I go to class. The top picture is under program. The bottom picture is from the Fete' de Lun. Sorry, JEC, I could not find a picture with you and Maysel that you would have wanted me to post None the less, let it be known that JEC lost by 1 touch to the person who claimed second place at this B1 tournament. He fenced very well!

Hey, there's Mihai Popovici in the second picture. Tell him I said hi!

[a517dogg]

Originally posted by Craig
Use of what?

He has excellent use of his body. His back is naturally upright, his head and neck are also upright, unlike alot of fencers who are hunched over or leaning forward. His engarde seems very relaxed and natural.

[JEC]

Originally posted by D'Artagnan1673
Sorry, JEC, I could not find a picture with you and Maysel that you would have wanted me to post None the less, let it be known that JEC lost by 1 touch to the person who claimed second place at this B1 tournament. He fenced very well!

Thanks. I know that I'm not photogenic at all. I'm scrappy fencer. FYI: When I reviewed the tape that you film, Maysel had a floor touch that was awarded. Not sour grapes. He is a better fencer than I.

[pkt]

Capt was right.
I forgot to mention that I panned with the action. Part of my 'training' as a result of shooting roll upon rolls of F1 & CART racing...

- -

D'Art,

Doesn't your foto developer offer a scanning-to-CD/Email address service?

In western Canada, I have London Drugs scan my negs - they use a $50,000 machine - and email them to my email address - I do not want to end up with a mountain of CDs - for CAD6 for consumer grade resolution - which is what you see in most of the fotos I posted, or CAD 12 for professional grade. Well worth the money, and I must say better than most under-5-meg digicams. Yes, it takes a bit longer, but, hey do you know how much a Nikon SLR digital BODY costs? I'm still gathering up my courage...or waiting for Santa.

PK

[pkt]

Originally posted by JEC
Thanks. I know that I'm not photogenic at all. I'm scrappy fencer.

We all look the same under our masks and whites. [Now, where have I heard that refrain - you all look alike - before. ]

D'Art, i agree with you, I like your 2nd shot better.

If you look at the action shot #115, both blades are clearly visible. The attacker's blade is noticeable only because it disturbed the background, sort of like the blinking of a star when it passed behind a dark object.

OTOH, in #116, unfortunately, neither blade is visible.

I just uploaded one more #121, the last in the gallery. Same final DE bout. Agin both blades are visible. But notice the odd dynamics of Piotr's blade. He's retreating, and i don't know what's happening to his blade. Looks as though he's starting to move his sabre fwd, hence the point is behind the guard...

Any suggestions, Capt?

PK

[pkt]

Originally posted by a517dogg
He has excellent use of his body. His back is naturally upright, his head and neck are also upright, unlike alot of fencers who are hunched over or leaning forward. His engarde seems very relaxed and natural.

Again, Piotr started fencing in Poland.

That's the result of doing 6 months of footwork at the beginning before you're allowed to touch a weapon...


Did you see his final position after the attack in foto 113? Compare the two arm positions...

I must give the kid on the right credit: notice his front foot postion? Excellent. Same as Piotr's.

Judging from this static foto, whose attack do you think it was, eh?

PK

[JEC]

Originally posted by edew
Hey, there's Mihai Popovici in the second picture. Tell him I said hi!

I beat him in DE for epee and told him about you being in our webforum.

[D'Artagnan1673]

I will be sure to tell Alexandre hi to everybody who knows him when I see him next.

PKT, not that my pictures are magnificent, but try my settings next time and see if you get clearer pictures. None the less, the movement is very much implied by your shots, wheras mine are move frozen. The program setting simply will not use a fast enough shutter speed to fresh an action. A local photography guy suggested setting TV on manual and set the camera decide the aperture. I suggest that you try many different settings until you find what works best for you.

JEC, did you where two different jackets at the Fete' de Lun? I have some pictures of a guy in your pool wearing the identical gear, socks and orthopedics you have but does not have a Salle' Pouj patch on the jacket. If that is you, then I have a few nice shots of you fencing.

[JEC]

During pools, Sims (SM) and I did some infighting and he got me in the crease between my non-weapon side sleeve and my patch. Gary Van Der Wege, our referee, finished the job and ripped it off my jacket. It looked like I was been demoted. So, it is likely that I am in those photos. I certainly would like to see them.
Thanks,
JEC

[D'Artagnan1673]

I forgot about your patch coming off against Sim. Here are four photographs of you fencing.

http://www.spindletopcavaliers.org/Fencing/JEC.htm

[pkt]

Originally posted by D'Artagnan1673
...

PKT, not that my pictures are magnificent, but try my settings next time and see if you get clearer pictures. None the less, the movement is very much implied by your shots, wheras mine are move frozen. The program setting simply will not use a fast enough shutter speed to fresh an action. A local photography guy suggested setting TV on manual and set the camera decide the aperture. I suggest that you try many different settings until you find what works best for you.

...

Thank you for the suggestions.
I've started to try the various settings on this camera after owning it for over 3 years. D'oh!

Just so people don't think I'm a fotographic idiot: the first foto I took I used a bellow type all manual camera. I even used a tape measure to get the correct distance. The foto was of a Queen of the Night flower - Epiphyllum and that was in the 60s.

I think next time I shoot fencing I shall try to use more aperture and slow down the shutter speed to get the same effect...

I shot rolls of CART racing and unfortunately, in most, I set too high a shutter speed and the cars ended up looking as if they were standing still. the pros would have the brands marking on the tires in a blur...

But i was very happy with one specific foto which on first look was out of focus. On closer inspection, the focus was on the rightside rear view mirror of Paul Tracy's car - I was shooting on his left. The focus was so sharp that one can see what he should see inhis rearview mirror. I was using only a 300mm lens from across the street, about 3 lanes away while he was pulling away from pit lane.

PK