Iron Woman Series

[Mongo]

One of the series rounds of the Iron Woman contest came to Mongo's home town beach so he ventured down for an hours. Very overcast day with only a few sunny breaks and even rained. Here are just a few of the event's many images. Some were taken at considerable distance.

D800E, Nikon 200-500mm mostly at f7.3 to f8, 1/1600th, ISO 320 and monopod.

From Mongo's vantage point, the perfect focal length would have been an 80-400mm VRII on the day.

[Akira]

Very lively captures, Mongo.  I'm surprized to see how many relatives Baroness Margaret Thatcher had! 

[Mongo]

Very lively captures, Mongo.  I'm surprized to see how many relatives Baroness Margaret Thatcher had! 

LOL   -  Very cute Akira. Had not thought of that. However, now that you mention it, these young women are probably just as tough and determined as the Baroness. Thanks for looking in and your comments.

[Frank Fremerey]

Technically brilliant work, as usual ... hm ... the subject:

1) I am confused. I thought Ironman is swimming, cycling, running. Why do they surf???

2) ambigous ... sexy and painful ... I do not understand sports ... what people like about it ... doing it ... looking at it ... that is me

[Mongo]

Technically brilliant work, as usual ... hm ... the subject:

1) I am confused. I thought Ironman is swimming, cycling, running. Why do they surf???

2) ambigous ... sexy and painful ... I do not understand sports ... what people like about it ... doing it ... looking at it ... that is me

thanks for looking in Frank and for your comments and questions. Not sure Mongo is the one to ask as he knowns absolutely nothing about sport and follows none of them. This was just a colourful event just down the road to the beach where Mongo lives and a good opportunity to further try out the 200-500mm on a real event.

Not sure about the types of trial in the Iron man/iron woman events. A lot of it seems to be in the ocean. Perhaps the events you are referring to are the triathlon (or something like that) or perhaps Mongo only managed to see the swim/water based segments of the iron man events - not really sure.

Not sure this will be of any comfort to you but "the do not understand why people do the sports thing" comments applies as much to Mongo as it does to you. Sorry to say, there are at least two of us in that category.

[Frank Fremerey]

Yes. Us and Winston Churchill.

I go a long way ... literally ... for a good photo .... but movement for the sake of movement?

Or in a competition?

Sometimes I love to swim ... feel the water ... feel my strength, my body ... maybe this is what is there about sports?

[Mongo]

Yes. Us and Winston Churchill.

I go a long way ... literally ... for a good photo .... but movement for the sake of movement?

Or in a competition?

Sometimes I love to swim ... feel the water ... feel my strength, my body ... maybe this is what is there about sports?

your guess is as good as Mongo's !........??

[Bjørn Rørslett]

Dedication and commitment have many faces ...

Mongo, why would the 80-400 be better for this event than the 200-500?

[Mongo]

Dedication and commitment have many faces ...

Mongo, why would the 80-400 be better for this event than the 200-500?

Not that lens per se but the focal length would have been better. A wider than 200mm end on a lens would have captured more shots as Mongo managed to get very close at times (closer than he had anticipated would be possible). Having said that, the 500mm end was a very good length but would not complain if it had gone to 600mm instead. Some of the shots had to be cropped 50-70%+ due to long distance from the subjects. For this last reason, the 800E was used instead of the D4s - Mongo finds it better for heavy cropping.

So, if a dream focal length lens could have been had for this (and probably many other similar events or just for ridiculously broad versatility), a theoretical 80-600mm would have been better. However, there is no such thing and this statement will only flair up a lot of speculative wish lists.  the 200-500mm did a reasonable job and no real complaints.

PS - on this subject, forgot to mention that Mrs Mongo was shooting right along side using an older 50-500mm sigma and a crop sensor Pentax body. Effectively she was using the range 75mm -750mm. Looking at her images later, it is clear that she did not miss a thing using that combination focal length.

[Gary]

gary had the 50-500 Bigma, a very useful lens for outdoor, daylight sports. The first and last images are gary's favorite.

In gary's youth, he used to participate in sports.  For gary, it was all about competition, competing against others and against oneself. One has to be both mentally and physically prepared to be competitive. Learning to push oneself by overcoming/ignoring pain is part of the mental preparation.

[armando_m]

Great series Mongo

Talking sports, I like bicycling and running and swimming, things that are repetitive and allow me to be by myself, I tried a running competition and didn't like running in a crowd, completely the opposite of being by myself that I enjoy so much, and that often I can achieve when I'm photographing something

So as much as I admire the people that participate in this massively difficult events, I might like to challenge myself to do it, just not in a crowd

[Mongo]

gary had the 50-500 Bigma, a very useful lens for outdoor, daylight sports. The first and last images are gary's favorite.

In gary's youth, he used to participate in sports.  For gary, it was all about competition, competing against others and against oneself. One has to be both mentally and physically prepared to be competitive. Learning to push oneself by overcoming/ignoring pain is part of the mental preparation.

Mongo thanks you for looking in and your comments Gary. It seems the Bigma may still have its place. Also glad these images resonated with you. Mongo, unfortunately, cannot be a sportsman of any kind but it does not stop him from admiring those who can do the sort of thing in these images and similarly demanding and disciplined sports.

Great series Mongo

Talking sports, I like bicycling and running and swimming, things that are repetitive and allow me to be by myself, I tried a running competition and didn't like running in a crowd, completely the opposite of being by myself that I enjoy so much, and that often I can achieve when I'm photographing something

So as much as I admire the people that participate in this massively difficult events, I might like to challenge myself to do it, just not in a crowd

thanks for looking and your kind comments Armando. It is interesting to note your approach to these types of physical and mental sports. Mongo suspects that, even in a crowd, some of these competitors are doing a solitary race against themselves in their mind despite the crowd. Mongo posted elsewhere when placing captions of these images individually that in the case of image #6, it often must feel like its only you against yourself and the elements. So, your approach in not difficult to understand and is probably shared by many.

[AndrewC]

Great series, I am particularly taken with the 3rd and the last mainly because of the eyes.
In the last she looks extremely determined to go fast, in the 3rd she looks extremely determined to get the perfect selfie angle. 

[Mongo]

Great series, I am particularly taken with the 3rd and the last mainly because of the eyes.
In the last she looks extremely determined to go fast, in the 3rd she looks extremely determined to get the perfect selfie angle. 

Thanks Andrew. The last one is sheer grit and all out determination. Interesting perspective you have on number 3 and she would need one hell of a selfish stick. She had actually just gone through some breakers and paused momentarily to time he approach to the daunting task facing her ahead. Glad it was her and not Mongo !

[Les Olson]

Technically brilliant work, as usual ... hm ... the subject:

1) I am confused. I thought Ironman is swimming, cycling, running. Why do they surf???

This is an event developed in Surf Life Saving clubs in Australia and the US to develop the skills needed to rescue people in the water.  Now there is a professional circuit.  Edit: the word has come to me: in the US these events were called "taplins".

The racers start on the beach, swim out through the surf and back, then repeat paddling a surf board with arms only, then repeat paddling a surf ski with a paddle.  If there is any sort of swell it can be quite challenging technically, but even in flat conditions, if you have ever had questions about your upper body strength this event will answer them.  Between elements they run along the beach; not far but it is on soft, dry sand, and that is brutally hard.