Gansbaai skills track - more pics added

[Gansbay]

Started this post with the photos below - but suddenly wondered if hubbers can help.  I have posted some more photos of the track we have built to help local children to improve their bike skills.  Quite a few township kids have come to ride - most without helmets.  Can anybody help with small or medium helmets (they can be used, just not broken!)

 

More photos of the track later in the thread.

 

 

 

One for the photo experts: Took this photo with a camera mounted flash - but can'y figure why there is a shadow in front of the bike and a ghost effect at the back.  Any ideas?  The ghost effect is more noticable on  the original.

 

Below a pic of the beach ride at low tide - good training and not too hard on the bike maintainance.

 

 

Gansbay2009-06-03 12:45:40

[Gansbay]

Some of us older guys struggling a bit with some of the jumps at the local jump track - but still smiling

 

Although even some of the younger ones have their moments

[madmarc]

Your shutter speed was too slow. Basically the Shutter opened the flash went off but there was still enough light for the film to pick up movement of the tyres before the shutter closed, so the shadow you see is actually the tyres in two different positions as the rider was lifting or coming down.

 

Its a fantastic action shot ... well done to the camera man

[Gansbay]

 

 

 

 

 

The track is lsowly gaining in popularity as it grows.  If anybody has any ideas where we could get helmets for some of the Masakane kids please post!

[Gansbay]

Your shutter speed was too slow. Basically the Shutter opened the flash went off but there was still enough light for the film to pick up movement of the tyres before the shutter closed' date=' so the shadow you see is actually the tyres in two different positions as the rider was lifting or coming down.

 

Its a fantastic action shot ... well done to the camera man

[/quote']

 

Thanks - I had it set at 60 - what would you recommend then, or how do I find what the syncro speed is?

[madmarc]

phew it's many years since i did this, and i'm not sure on the type of camera. the older SLR used to have a black X next to the Flash shutter speed on the shutter speed setting ring. the new digitals have an "action shot" setting which basically speeds up the shutter...... But 60 is definatly too slow for your shot because your ambient light (background light) is to bright. If it had been later in the evening and darker then the shot would have worked

[Gansbay]

phew it's many years since i did this' date=' and i'm not sure on the type of camera. the older SLR used to have a black X next to the Flash shutter speed on the shutter speed setting ring. the new digitals have an "action shot" setting which basically speeds up the shutter...... But 60 is definatly too slow for your shot because your ambient light (background light) is to bright. If it had been later in the evening and darker then the shot would have worked[/quote']

 

Thanks  again - I will play around again and see what happens with the exposure.  If I get it right I will post the result! 

[Red Zone]

Your shutter speed was too slow. Basically the Shutter opened the flash went off but there was still enough light for the film to pick up movement of the tyres before the shutter closed' date=' so the shadow you see is actually the tyres in two different positions as the rider was lifting or coming down.

 

Its a fantastic action shot ... well done to the camera man

[/quote']

 

If that was the case wouldn't there also be a "shadow" under the rim at the top of the wheel

[madmarc]

Your shutter speed was too slow. Basically the Shutter opened the flash went off but there was still enough light for the film to pick up movement of the tyres before the shutter closed' date=' so the shadow you see is actually the tyres in two different positions as the rider was lifting or coming down.

 

Its a fantastic action shot ... well done to the camera man

[/quote']

 

If that was the case wouldn't there also be a "shadow" under the rim at the top of the wheel

 

Good question!! because one would assume even more shadows, almost like a double exposure.

 

But you will note shadows by the right hand as well as the front lobe of the helmet. The flash froze the cyclist and the shadows appeared as a result of the shutter closing after the flash when the cyclist started descending from the jump, this would put the shadow over the top of the tyre at the top of the wheel and under the tyre at the bottom of the wheel. With both being black, you cannot see the shadow at the top. Also the high peripheril speed of the tyre would add a greater shadow than the rest of the bike which is travelling a lot slower, thats why it is a blurred shadow - film picks up fast movement as a blur when the exposure is too long (shutter speed to slow) thats why action shots like this must always be taken at the fastest shutter speed or fozen using a flash. using a 60 shutter speed is okay but there is a huge contrast between the darker parts of the bike and the ambient light in the background this is why it double exposed - i would have used 125 shutter speed in these lighting conditions or waited for it to get darker if using 60, this have reduced the contrast and made a perfect picture. One could have taken the same pic at 60 with flash if ambient light was brighter as this would have been a lower contrast between the subject and the background.

 

Photography is not an exact science, its more of an art and one can get very technical, and i'm certainly no fundy. But to understand it you first need to understand light and how it works on film, and thats a whole lot of studying.

 

Its still a cool pic me thinks

[Gansbay]

Some more photos of the skills track - if you are ever in the area have a look-in!

 

Most of the jumps and drops are quite easy but look intimidating,  we have used an old dump site to build a bit of 'technical' single track to help some of the local children develop their bike skills. 

[Slowbee]

gansbaai, over what sort of area is the skills track ?

 

 

 

[Slowbee]

area in terms of size?

 

 

[Gansbay]

The track is about a km long.  A few ups and downs (as in step ups and a 2m rocky climb), then a 80m vibracrete ride up a hill, a fun little section with a few small dropoffs. 

 

The track is not worth driving out for (from Cape Town that is!)- but if anybody is ever in the Gansbaai area we would love some input.

 

 

 

The jump section has a few nice jumps - we've gone about 5m in distance on the one.  Then a couple of bmx style jumps.  At this stage we are avoiding too big a jump as most of the bikes will not really cope (nor the riders!), but we have been amazed at how some of the children have progressed.

[Gansbay]

Lindela - helmet sponsored by Omnico (won it a race we held on the track last year)

[Gansbay]

Simthembile - we have loaned him a helmet - but he has brought some friends, so need more!

[Gansbay]

Another thought - if anyone who has some seriously good bike skills is in the area during the school holidays - it might be an idea to do a demo during the local festival (Fees van die Ganse July 10,11,12)  We will be having a 50 and 35km mtb race as well as a kiddies ride somewhere in the harbour and surrounds (about 3km).  Please let me know