39. Bicycle(s) - March 9-15, 2014
Paul-
Sometimes, you can regret the loss of something wonderful for all the wrong reasons…
Eons ago, when both the universe and I were much younger, I had a shoe box full of baseball cards. (It was a Red Ball Jets box. The shoes came out; the cards went in.) This was during the heady age—at least on my block—when baseball cards were traded with friends on doorsteps…not scrutinized with electron microscopes to gauge authenticity, encased in a slabs of Lucite, and sold for outrageous amounts at conventions. I collected cards for three reasons: 1) They were dirt cheap and fun to collect; 2) they came wrapped with a rectangle of pink material that could cautiously be called gum; and 3) you could attached them to your bike frame with clothespins and the rotating spokes would make a neat clicking sound as a result. All the kids did it. It was a blast. But, sadly—because I knew more about bikes than I did at the time about baseball players—I sacrificed the likes of Don Drysdale, Carl Yastrzemski, Roger Maris and—sob—my hero Sandy Koufax (a nice Jewish pitcher who never played on the Sabbath) to the pleasures of the moment. Most of the cards eventually found their way to my bike and were discarded after my pedaling wore down the cardboard. So I miss those cards and the countless others that would probably be worth something now. But such regret would be for the wrong reason. Honestly, I think their monetary value interests me less than the bittersweet value they would bring to the excessive nostalgia my terrific childhood engenders. In any event, I digress. (As usual.) In this image, instead of baseball cards, I have used playing cards. And not just any playing cards. In keeping with the theme, they’re Bicycles.
Graced with the arm of a god, the finesse of a surgeon, and the wisdom of Solomon, Koufax’s choice of a fastball caught the batter looking with a full count and three men on as the umpire rose from his crouch and yelled: “Olympus E500; 14-45mm lens at 14mm focal length; 1/250 sec. at f10; ISO 200; the camera is hand-held.”
Addendum. I currently own approximately one baseball card: a mint (or possibly near-mint) condition 1985 Topps Kirby Puckett rookie card. It has never seen my bike and—since it’s sheathed in thick plastic and dwells in safe deposit box—is unlikely to anytime soon.
Sometimes, you can regret the loss of something wonderful for all the wrong reasons…
Eons ago, when both the universe and I were much younger, I had a shoe box full of baseball cards. (It was a Red Ball Jets box. The shoes came out; the cards went in.) This was during the heady age—at least on my block—when baseball cards were traded with friends on doorsteps…not scrutinized with electron microscopes to gauge authenticity, encased in a slabs of Lucite, and sold for outrageous amounts at conventions. I collected cards for three reasons: 1) They were dirt cheap and fun to collect; 2) they came wrapped with a rectangle of pink material that could cautiously be called gum; and 3) you could attached them to your bike frame with clothespins and the rotating spokes would make a neat clicking sound as a result. All the kids did it. It was a blast. But, sadly—because I knew more about bikes than I did at the time about baseball players—I sacrificed the likes of Don Drysdale, Carl Yastrzemski, Roger Maris and—sob—my hero Sandy Koufax (a nice Jewish pitcher who never played on the Sabbath) to the pleasures of the moment. Most of the cards eventually found their way to my bike and were discarded after my pedaling wore down the cardboard. So I miss those cards and the countless others that would probably be worth something now. But such regret would be for the wrong reason. Honestly, I think their monetary value interests me less than the bittersweet value they would bring to the excessive nostalgia my terrific childhood engenders. In any event, I digress. (As usual.) In this image, instead of baseball cards, I have used playing cards. And not just any playing cards. In keeping with the theme, they’re Bicycles.
Graced with the arm of a god, the finesse of a surgeon, and the wisdom of Solomon, Koufax’s choice of a fastball caught the batter looking with a full count and three men on as the umpire rose from his crouch and yelled: “Olympus E500; 14-45mm lens at 14mm focal length; 1/250 sec. at f10; ISO 200; the camera is hand-held.”
Addendum. I currently own approximately one baseball card: a mint (or possibly near-mint) condition 1985 Topps Kirby Puckett rookie card. It has never seen my bike and—since it’s sheathed in thick plastic and dwells in safe deposit box—is unlikely to anytime soon.
Kevin-
In keeping with this week’s WPOTM theme I spent a few hours in the “studio” (the garage of the Palm Springs home) on Wednesday playing around with trying to light and photograph Michelle’s bicycle. And frankly, I wasn’t that pleased with the shots.
So I decided to ask Michelle to ride the bike instead, so that I could do some fairly slow shutter speed “panning” shots of her and the bike on the path next to a wash just a mile or so from our house. Thankfully, as I was shooting, the afternoon sun went behind a cloud which softened the light. I asked Michelle to make a half dozen passes as I panned and shot in continuous mode.
Nikon D3s with 70-200mm f/2.8 Nikkor lens set to 125mm. ISO 100. The exposure was 1/40th of a second at f/5.6.
In keeping with this week’s WPOTM theme I spent a few hours in the “studio” (the garage of the Palm Springs home) on Wednesday playing around with trying to light and photograph Michelle’s bicycle. And frankly, I wasn’t that pleased with the shots.
So I decided to ask Michelle to ride the bike instead, so that I could do some fairly slow shutter speed “panning” shots of her and the bike on the path next to a wash just a mile or so from our house. Thankfully, as I was shooting, the afternoon sun went behind a cloud which softened the light. I asked Michelle to make a half dozen passes as I panned and shot in continuous mode.
Nikon D3s with 70-200mm f/2.8 Nikkor lens set to 125mm. ISO 100. The exposure was 1/40th of a second at f/5.6.
Deron-
I was going to do a 180 and freak everyone out and NOT shoot my bicycle. I went to Target to buy a pack of Bicycle Playing Cards, but didn't like the selection of designs. Sooooo...
Since 'Naked', when I was desperately searching for a store mannequin to shoot, I've wanted to use this vacant office space. So, instead of a plastic lady, I went with my carbon fiber rocketship.
I was going to do a 180 and freak everyone out and NOT shoot my bicycle. I went to Target to buy a pack of Bicycle Playing Cards, but didn't like the selection of designs. Sooooo...
Since 'Naked', when I was desperately searching for a store mannequin to shoot, I've wanted to use this vacant office space. So, instead of a plastic lady, I went with my carbon fiber rocketship.
Byron-
My submission is similar to Kevin's in that I had my spouse ride by while I shot a photo. The setting is entirely different however. Bicycling in Minnesota in March can be challenging. The rider is lucky to find spots that have melted down to the concrete or asphalt. This is accomplished between show storms, of course. I was trying to capture the water either splashing off or being lifted up by the tire. It's also interesting to note the difference in apparel between biking in Palm Springs and Minnesota.
I shot this at ISO 200, f/6.3 at 1/640 sec.
My submission is similar to Kevin's in that I had my spouse ride by while I shot a photo. The setting is entirely different however. Bicycling in Minnesota in March can be challenging. The rider is lucky to find spots that have melted down to the concrete or asphalt. This is accomplished between show storms, of course. I was trying to capture the water either splashing off or being lifted up by the tire. It's also interesting to note the difference in apparel between biking in Palm Springs and Minnesota.
I shot this at ISO 200, f/6.3 at 1/640 sec.