Shooting the second race is always easier. With the first race, you realized you could have done more or to be more inspired. On the second race, you managed to avoid all the smaller mistakes and just to be able to execute all the shot angles and locations. By the 5th or 6th race, you would run out of inspiration and shot ideas. You feel burnt out.
On 3/20, I shot my second race of the season, the Randall's Island Crit #3 p/b Hilltop Bicycles and New York Bike Lawyers. The turn out was ok since the venue isn't made for handling large fields. What was unique was that we have a separate women's field in the fixed gear race. Roughly about 13, 14 riders. The men's field has about 19, 21 riders. The separate women's field was unique because usually we don't have enough time to run another field near the end of the race day. And the organizer does not have the budget as well. If there are more Randall's Island crit races later in the season, hopefully adding an extra field would be financially viable. Something we have to see later in the season. Perhaps, some sorts of sponsorship level fixed gear race? Otherwise, it was a fun, epic day of racing with plenty of exciting finish and victory salutes..... Some impressive breakaway from Vincent Verrazano Team Racing and great team work by NYCC to hold off the pack from catching the 4 men break.
The last race is on this Saturday, the 26th. The start time is unusually early, 6:30 am. I have to see what would be the lighting condition. I think I know. I have shot enough park races to realize those pre-dawn lighting condition isn't really photography friendly. ISO 3200? Maybe I should go for the Red Hook Crit look? Killing the ambient light and just strobe every shot?
This coming weekend is going to be epic for me...a back to back racing weekend.....the final race of the Randall's Island Crit on the 26th. Next day, 27th, shooting the first duathlon race for NYtri.org in Central Park. Expected turn out is about 250. Is also the first race I will introduce my new photographer assistant Amy into shooting NYtri.org events. Then, I will have to spend the following Monday and Tuesday to process and edit all the shots for 2 events! Things are about to get real really fast here..... Sleeping would be so overrated!
