Fuerteventura "Canary Islands" - Kitesurfing Paradise

[Jakov Minić]

yes the life guard is special.

Seriously lovely images. Wish I could get that "close"  (to the life guard and surfers that is)

Elsa, isn't one of them your boyfriend?

[elsa hoffmann]

Elsa, isn't one of them your boyfriend?

no sweetheart - you are.

Mr FLoyd - is that the new 600?

[MFloyd]

No Elsa, as I mentioned, it's my Nikkor 300mm f/2.8 VR II coupled to the Nikkor TC20-E III. I have too little usage of a genuine 600mm 😉

I show you my setup again, as you can see the lifeguard in the background 


The biggest enemy is sand blowing at 35 knots, followed by salt spray.

[elsa hoffmann]

Sorry Mr Floyd - I was distracted for a moment. Just a moment.

[MFloyd]

Nothing to be sorry 😐 about 😎 

As you can see, the AF is working exceptionally well, even at a maximum opening of f/5.6. For fast moving objects such as cars I'm using the "group" mode; here, I'm exclusively using the 3D mode; in the viewfinder one could see the red square making a frenetic dance around the subject, and you think "this will never be in focus"; but no, everything is OK, only a few unsharp pictures out of hundreds.

[elsa hoffmann]

I have looked at the images several times. And like them more every time. I think everyone knows - I like close crops, perhaps that is why I like this even more. I often miss the surroundings or putting things in context because I like going close.
As for the house looking into the frame - I am a fan of that type of thing.

[stenrasmussen]

Yup, 665 is so good (with the kiter just clear of the mountain in the distance).
I wish I was this good...at action photography.

[MFloyd]

Thank you Sten.  I have to say though, 665 it is one of my 4-6 pictures of last year. To a certain extent you can direct / have handle on the composition, but there is also a part of good luck, in order that everything falls into the right place. 😊

Elsa: this has always be my problem: close crops, which made me often miss the overall context / surroundings. Age has improved my skill to step back and enlarge the view, to such extent that sometimes the main subject becomes minimalist / a detail of the picture. Not later than yesterday I had a discussion with a friend about the sailing calendar we are issuing every year for our old sail rig association. Im always trying to combine a serie of crop / action pictures with more panoramic pictures where the boats are incorporated into the beautiful landscape of the Alps.  And I was challenged about the pictures "of boats lost in the middle of the landscape".... this to me "the crop nerd"...

[MFloyd]

And I'm ending this set with a last jump; a return from the beach; and a modest tribute to Philippe Halsman.....

[Jakov Minić]

I thoroughly enjoyed this series Mr MFloyd!

[MFloyd]

Thank you Jakov.  It was a real pleasure to share this portfolio with NikonGear.  I was quite surprised about the small number of pictures I took during this week - a little over 700 - but the weather has not been always OK; and I was also there to relax, and enjoy the presence of my children.  I hope to be there again next year.