I was shooting without a press pass for this event. I don't know much about biking or cyclocross. I haven't had any meaningful ownership of any bicycle since high school.
I didn't go shoot all week I only went for the last two days, Saturday and Sunday. I put myself up in the nearby Hilton otherwise known to the public as Super8. I ordered room service from a nearby Michelin 4-star restaurant for dinner while going through my pictures and uploading them to Instagram. Before I knew it, a Rolls Royce rolled up and dropped off my dinner.
For this event, I decided to go wider than my usual 20-35 or 16-35. I went for the Nikkor 16mm f/2.8 fisheye from my library in Adorama Rental. I was committed to it for the simple reason that I paid for it might as well used it to the fullest. To fill the frame of the fisheye lens is to go really close and that's what I did and tried to do all day every day. The above were shot using the fisheye lens. My other setup was the usual 70-200 f/2.8, charity of my dear friend.
Weeks before the event I tried to get some press credential. I even followed up when I didn't hear anything. I even emailed and texted the parties involved. The first one left his job and the second one never replied my text or would have none of my bull shit; a reflection of what a photographer I am. Anyway I still proceeded to book my Hilton even I didn't get no press pass. I guess I simply spectate if I am not allowed to take pictures. Packing is always challenging; should I bring my 600mm or 800mm? Should I use my F-stop Ajna or the biggest Shinn? In the end, I settled for a small no-brand backpack my kids got from scouting but considered too uncool to use. For me that's just true normcore I couldn't pass up. Though I have to say before this, I had never ever shoot wearing a backpack, a slingback messenger bag yes but never a backpack. I actively use two camera setups and I actually don't need to carry a bag for equipment in the field because the two camera setups are always in use and won't stay in the bag anyway.
It always takes me longer than I thought no matter I knew it would take longer than I thought to last minute pack my stuff to the car the morning I leave the house.
Google tells me I need some 2 hours to get there. I am happy with the morning traffic. When I got to the venue I was pointed to go to the parking lot some where across some highway. It was a minor miracle I was able to find the parking lot without GPS or not driving back to the highway inadvertently.
It took me forever to take my gear out and to get everything I need ready. The car was parked not too close to the course so I didn't imagine myself coming back to the car to pick up something I forgot; I would only come back to the car to drive away when the day was done. I needed to make sure I had everything I needed for the shoot as if it's very important like I was paid to do it or like my career was on the line. "If you don't take money, they can't tell you what to do, kid."
Nikon D810 with Nikkor 16mm f/2.8 fisheye. Nikon D700 with the Nikon 70-200 f/2.8. Sunpak 160J, PC sync cable, power cable with power pack. Junior bracket. Nikkor 16-35 f/4 carried as a spare in my backpack--or simply for weight training or back breaking purpose. I also carried my rocket blower which turned out to be useful when the almost blizzard like snow came later in the day. And yes the two rain covers too.
Snow came in the afternoon and it never relented. Bad weather kind of makes good pictures for me.
I didn't set up my flash when I left the parking lot so it was a bit of a hassle to set it up there in the course amid all the actions. I ended up hand holding the 120J (just as planned) without using the bracket as the days prior I noticed the bracket could get into the fisheye angle of view, ever slightly. Anyway while I was shooting, see the above pictures, I noticed I dropped the knurled knot and the flash anti twist plate--even I wasn't attaching the flash to the bracket, I had the knob went through the plate and screwed onto the flash shoe. During the shooting frenzy, the knob must have come unscrewed and fell on the ground together with the leaves and falling snow. Talking about finding a needle in the haystack. I almost gave up searching in between shots. Luckily I or my foot found the knurled knob and then the tiny anti hot shoe twist plate. I felt very lucky. I don't know what I am going to do without the knob and the plate, they are my life.
It got ridiculously cold and snowy as the day went on. I took a breather buying lunch from one of the food trucks.
to be continued . . .
I was glad I remembered to bring the two rain covers from home and more importantly carried them in the field. I needed them. The cover was long enough to accommodate a long lens. However it turned out too long and unwieldy for the 16mm fisheye. Sometimes the cover was too loose and got into the picture view. In the end I just removed the cover all together for the 16mm lens. Both camera and lens performed almost flawlessly under sub zero temperature, wind and snow. My fingers aren't all that lucky. Skin fell off after a week and they are still numb.
I guess some observations merit and merit sharing.
I am in general a cheap person. I use the camera strap that comes with the camera. I don't have any fancy straps or carrying system. When the camera is hanging from my neck I feel safe and secured. The constant neck pain reminded me the camera setups were in place where they needed to be. My hands can be free if I want to without dropping the camera. Of course there are drawbacks. When I shoot vertical which is actually infrequent with my D700 and grip, too often the strap got into the viewfinder which can be annoying and shot stopping (the rain cover made it 10 times worse). With my D810 and 16mm fisheye I simply did not shoot vertical. Also I do not have a grip for my D810 so that kind of discouraged me to shoot vertical anyway.
I did use my rocket blower to blow away the snowflakes which came down non stop and got accumulated on my viewfinder and whatnot. I grabbed my rocket blower to blow the flakes away. It didn't look too professional but it worked. I guess it beats blowing with my breath as my breath would most likely fog up the viewfinder, even I guess, momentarily.
The junior races might not be as exciting as the U23 or the elites' but in terms of licensing potential it's better or equally good or I mean bad? I am speaking from experience here. So don't write off the junior races if licensing your shots is what you have in mind--I try to be pedantic here, I don't sell my pictures I license them.
It was a challenge, a real struggle to carry two camera setups a backpack and weigh 200 pounds to use the potty. I just felt lucky without dropping anything. I hope I never need to make the decision to retrieve or not to retrieve . . .
The day's program came to an end and I was happy to drive to check-in my Hilton which was just some 10 or 15 minutes away in snowy road condition.
The place was better than expected. The bed was nicely made, the bathroom was all clean and with ample supply of towels. The WiFi was sufficiently fast at least for download, the upload was slow just as what I would expect from cable. I ordered from a neighborhood Michelin 4-star restaurant. Unlike New York, there was no such thing as free delivery but I still need to order a certain amount to be worth their trouble. About an hour later, my phone rang and I was ready to pick up my delivery. I gave a hefty tips for the Rolls Royce chauffeured delivery. I only ate half of my dinner and put the half in the fridge. The bathroom vent made some weird noise non stop and the TV remote worked haphazardly. The TV remote was designed in such a way one can't easily change the battery. Anyway I wasn't a big TV watcher plus I was too busy Light Rooming my pictures.
I had breakfast in the Hilton. It was quite an experience. There was this dude, sort of in bike attire presumably a cyclocross racer who just casually grabbed a napkin and blew his nose and put the used napkin now full of booger and snot into the stir up waste basket right next to the coffee urns and other Hilton breakfast delicacies. A woman was rightfully appalled and took it upon herself to empty it to the trash bin which was just about ten feet away. Then he was at it again. I was disgusted by his lack of manner and utter oblivious to decorum. After all we were staying in a Hilton.
The second day wasn't as exciting as the first. Good or better weather did not help my pictures. The highlight was I met Nick a real photographer and videographer. I meant to meet Nick when I was at the UCI Cyclocross at Rockland Community College. The first day highlight was I bumped into Coach David and his family; DJ, one of the Star Track riders was in the race and Matt's girlfriend was racing as well.
I almost left before the elite race began as I was tired, cold and worried about driving back to New York. I had four slices of white bread I got from breakfast for lunch. Plus a hotdog I got from SRAM. I honestly don't know what SRAM does. For all I know, they make hotdogs. After the elite race started came the third highlight of the 2-day event. I bumped into track sheriff Karl from Kissena. We had a good chat. Karl was all smile, happily shooting a real camera with real black and white film. I was instantly diminished, my toy cameras and all. It took me some time to recover to begin shooting again.
Without a press pass wasn't a big issue except when it was. I did get asked to leave the course once though. With the press vest one can I assume get inside the course when the winner rides across the finish line. Without the vest I got the excuse of not getting the position I needed to get the shot.
It was a once in a lifetime experience for me. I figure if it's held somewhere else I wouldn't bother or have the resources to go.
