Cyclist in a Sand Storm Photo

Photographer’s Note

While in a small desert town in Egypt, I hired a bicycle with another traveler and we rode out to find some sand dunes. During the trip, the wind started to become stronger and stronger and eventually it was blowing sand and dust through the air, making it harder to cycle. My visions of clear blue sky sand dune photos were clearly not going happen. Instead, I stopped to capture the moment, as a local was riding towards the camera. You can see my friend in the far distance riding on.

ChrisJ, phwall, macondo, Wanda1, judesta, adores, hispic, albertz, rlrad, jusninasirun, sevy has marked this note useful

Critiques | Translate

bracasha75 (22983) 2009-04-05 0:12

Helo David
This is great shot and i have realy never have contact with storm in this form
Extra shot
Keep save,Bratislav

Fransx (1453) 2009-04-05 0:15

David,
I like the ambient of this. It's well exposed and very sharp. the cyclist infront is in an optimal position.
Well done. Regards.
Francis Xavier

ChrisJ (71614) 2009-04-05 0:37

Hi David

I like the warm colours, & mood, added by the swirling dust. Good silhouettes of the man on the bicycle, & the power poles, with excellent sharpness. Tfs!

phwall (5974) 2009-04-05 1:32

Hi Dave,
Excellent atmospheric capture, the warm tones look superb.
Lovely areas of light and shade, nice action, the cyclists add a lot of depth to the capture.
Very good result.
Cheers
Peter

macondo (13519) 2009-04-05 1:59

Hi David.
Wonderful capture in the wind and dust, but you must have been placing your camera at risk of getting dust in it. I presume the colour tones are quite natural in the circumstances. I love the way the various objects, but especially the nearer cyclist, loom out of the dust. The atmosphere is so well captured. Great shot.
Regards,
Andrew

Wanda1 (11195) 2009-04-05 5:11

Hi David,
You may not have had your blue skies, but what a great felling the wind and sand created with these kind of surroundings. Really moody and I love the golden tones.
Regards
Wanda

pabau (488) 2009-04-05 6:31

Thanks David for this picture where light and sand seems to be the same, people are both real and ghostly.
Pascal

Floydian (30970) 2009-04-05 7:28

Hi David,

Very strong photo, great mood created by the dusty sand and the yellow toning that comes with it. The two bikers make the image more alive and give the image an extra boost in focus points....really good work, great eye in seeing and capturing this.

Regards,

Henk

Morac (21943) 2009-04-05 8:09

Hi Dave,
Excellent atmospheric capture,in the warm tones, with this cyclist, like a ghost on his bike.
Regards
Marc

toto (18919) 2009-04-05 8:59

Bonjour,
belle photo de ce cycliste qui s' en va dans cette brume magnifique qui avec cet éclairage reçoit des teintes superbes.
Jolies couleurs, bien vu et bien pris.

Amitiés Thomas

jmdias (20959) 2009-04-05 9:41

david

the position of the personages are amazing, perfect. The compo is fabulous in each corner.beautiful mood like a dream. well done, very beautiful work

hugs

jorge

yaya13baut (2413) 2009-04-05 11:37

hi David,
impressive shot of these two bikers in the storm. it must be uneasy for them. Good light anc yellow color, they reinforce the dramatic mood of the scene.
Yannis

judesta (992) 2009-04-05 15:39

Hi David
Mother nature, you can never rely on her! But in your disappointment you get this fine image, there is always an opportunity even if it is not what you are expecting. Wonderful colours and great atmosphere achieved.
Cheers
Jude

adores (16033) 2009-04-05 16:12

Hi David!
I really like the atmosphere of this one, the riders coming through the dust, the colours, the power lines.Good dof also!

trekks (14340) 2009-04-05 18:20

hi David

One of the difficulties in preserving the mood and actual view of the scene is to get correct exposure of it on digital and you have done more than that at 1/500s showing the strong wind effect in this desert. The dusty air is definitely very good in telling us about the forces of nature that people here must face daily.

I somehow like the effect of the filtered sunlight and the best part must be the 2 dark figures in the windstorm. A cyclist!

Good work.

tfs, bill

hispic (7399) 2009-04-05 20:01

Hi David,
Very impressive image, a colour banding in the sky has brought a good effect oppositely in such a picture. Great courage to have taken this shot in the cloud of dust of the archenemy for cameras!
Regards, Hisashi

albertz (2414) 2009-04-06 9:09

Brilliant composition! the mist, color and the human element stimulate a greater sense of mood. Excellent shot.
Regards
Albert

rlrad (1518) 2009-04-06 17:25

Hi David,

In that case I would have been searching for a way to protect my camera from the blowing sand but you seized the moment and created a really nice image. I like the way the sand filters the light - the wind must really have been blowing hard as there is a lot of movement in the air at 1/500 seconds - amazing you all could stay upright on bicycles. Great shot, interesting situation, tremendous decisive moment capture.

So did you sustain any damage to your camera or lens from exposing them to this sandstorm?

Thanks,
Reed Radcliffe
St. Louis, Missouri, USA

jusninasirun (10573) 2009-04-06 22:50

Hi Dave,

I have always wanted to take a shot like this and you have done it really well here. The color of the sand and the cyclists looks dreamy in very nice perspective. I like it and TFS.

Best regards,
Jusni

Flavia (10202) 2009-04-07 7:19

Hi David,

This is a winning! Beautiful magic light and the composition witht the bike coming out of the fog is absolutely perfect!

Regards,

Flavia

marietom (32694) 2009-04-08 13:09

hello David,

Elle est magnifique, cette image, quelle composition géniale, avec ce cycliste bien sombre dans cet univers doré. Bravo !
Bonne soirée
Marie

yquem46 (9498) 2009-04-09 10:04

I missed this one David !
Superb 2 silhouettes in the dust and the yellow light
usually power poles are not very esthetic but in the present situation they're a good frame for the scene
well done
Patrick

mafegan (4898) 2009-04-10 16:13

Hi David
I like this action shot with the 2 cyclists positioned between the powerlines. I can just about feel the dust blowing in my face. Almost sepia. Tfs, Marlene

sevy (14848) 2009-04-20 1:34

Hello David,

Among your photos of Egypt, I noticed this one which is evidencing a strong moment and also a part of the life of the people.
Very good work of exposure.
For the composition, I propose you in WS a panoramic crop in order to exploit even more the first bicycle.

Yves.

[workshop] [compare]

delkoo (35642) 2009-04-21 7:23

hi david,
I really love the soft light and the dark silhouette of the bicycle. Composition is perfect and there is a great atmosphere here.

regards
didier