Getting Airtime

I was fortunate to be at the Red Bull King of the Air competition which was held in Cape Town recently. The event which went into a dormant stage for 8 years because of the lack of sponsors was brought alive again by Red Bull. Choosing Cape Town as a venue cold probably not be matched easily. Most pro’s are “hibernating” in Cape Town during the “off” season in the northern hemisphere.  I guess most of the participants were not invited, they were here already. This also gave the opportunity for some locals to enter as “’wild cards”. Talent there is in South Africa, they just need a stage like they had at Big Bay. Well done to the Saffas who competed and did exceptionally well against some of the world’s best. 

The jumping was amazing. Unfortunately I cannot say the same for the photography. I realized that a photographer cannot be a spectator at the same time. I went early to get a nice spot with a good view over Big Bay. That is where I stood most of the time trying to get a good snap of some of the jumps. It wasn't long before I experienced the difficulties of taking action pics from one spot over a long distance. Apart from the fact that the distance was a bit more than what my lens could handle, focusing was also a problem. Secondly the backdrop of the ocean was also “interfering” with the outcome of the detail.  I have certainly not mastered the skill yet of capturing kite surfers from a distance. I guess in the end one has to decide what is more important; getting nice shots of the action or keeping your spot where you can view the action.

Whatever the outcome of the pictures, the day was still awesome. It is amazing to see what some guys are capable of doing with their kites. Maybe I should work on my own jumping skills and leave the photography to the people who know what they are doing.