Thursday, July 14, 2011

Waterskier Throwing Spray

A slalom waterskier carving a turn. I photograph skiers frequently during the summer and experiment with different compositions and different timing. This image has appeal because of the composition. The tow rope provides a nice diagonal line that leads the viewer's eye to the skier. The skier's body is also oriented in a diagonal line at this point in his turn. Diagonals provide for a dynamic image. The wall of spray conceals any background clutter, such as shorelines or boats, that may have been present and serves to isolate the subject.
There are other options for composition and timing. Some skiers like to see the entire wall of spray and prefer photos that are not as tightly framed. I usually prefer images that are framed as tightly as possible so that the skier fills almost the entire frame. This particular image provides a nice compromise and gives a great overall composition. I'll post some other examples in future posts.
This photo was taken with a 35-350 lens at 160mm, 1/2500 second at f/5.0, ISO 200. The tow rope was 15' off the standard length, or 60 feet long. I was positioned just in front of the pylon on the boat.

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