Pixtus - Photography Forum, Photographers, Photo Tips

Rick Waldroup · 03:43 PM

Let me start this by saying this is not meant to be a religious post or a political post in any way. I simply attended this event and shot what I saw. I shot this event this past Labor Day weekend.

Thunder Over Texas is an unusual event in that it mixes motorcycles, bikers, vintage cars, hard rock bands, and LOTS and LOTS of leather with Christianity. It is a Christian based bike rally that is in it's fifth year. This was the first time that it was held in Granbury. It is organized by the Jerry Savelle Ministries, located in Crowley, Texas. That is him in some of the photos below.

It really was an interesting and unusual event. Here are just a handful of shots from the event. There are many more on my pbase account if anyone is interested.

ndsimm · 09-07-2006, 09:45 AM

looks good...any more bike shots??

Rick Waldroup · 09-07-2006, 10:00 AM

There are just a few more bike shots. My wife asked me the same thing. Where are all of the bike shots? I went there expecting to take a lot of motorcycle shots and I found the people so interesting I wound up shooting more of the people! The front of the stage the preacher is on is lined with choppers, etc. It really was a pretty cool event.

Rick Waldroup · 09-07-2006, 10:07 AM

Here is one showing the size of the stage with the bikes lined up in front. This was on Sunday morning during services. It was more like a rock show than a sermon.

Huck · 09-07-2006, 12:36 PM

interesting information

csfbphoto · 09-07-2006, 12:38 PM

I like the b/w style that you used.
Do you have any color shots too?

TXhummer2 · 09-07-2006, 12:39 PM

cool! rick!

Rick Waldroup · 01:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by csfbphoto

I like the b/w style that you used.
Do you have any color shots too?

Yes, I shot these with a Nikon D1x and a D2H, so the originals are in color. Let me see if I can find some that are post processed in color and I will post them. It's funny shooting this stuff. I am a B&W film shooter of more than 30 years, so I still think like that. And some events lend themselves to B&W more than color, at least to my eye they do. And this was one of them. Even with all of the wild color of the motorcycles, when I first got there, I thought to myself immediately, "Man, this would look great in B&W." So that is how I shot it. I treat it like I did when I shot B&W film- I see it in B&W while I am shooting. I hope that makes sense. I do not use PS for the B&W conversion. I use a really great conversion program from the Imaging Factory for all of my B&W digital work. It has made a world of difference in my digital B&W stuff.

Anyway, it was a really unusual scene to say the least.

xseption · 09-07-2006, 03:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rick Waldroup

I use a really great conversion program from the Imaging Factory for all of my B&W digital work. It has made a world of difference in my digital B&W stuff.

I would be interested in the conversion program ... do you have any more details?

thanks!

~ edd

tiffany · 09-07-2006, 04:20 PM

i really like #3. it almost looks like the two hands are touching.

KeithnFW · 09-07-2006, 04:28 PM

Loved the last shot. . . . Beavis & Butthead. . . the older years.

Rick Waldroup · 09-07-2006, 04:50 PM

http://www.theimagingfactory.com/

Here is the link for the B&W conversion program. It is the Convert to B&W Pro v.3.0 It is a plugin for PS or PS Elements, which is what I have. The first 30 days are free, then it is 99.99 to purchase it. Ever since I went completely digital back in January of this year, I have been disappointed in trying to get decent B&W from digital files. All I have is Elements and there are no channel mixers so converting to B&W was poor to say the least. A friend of mine turned me on to this program and it is simply wonderful.

You have channel mixers for individual colors, you can pick your own paper contrast, and so on... It is really great. I'm doing things that I normally did in a wet darkroom for 30 years, except now I am doing it on a computer and in half the time and with more consistent results. I think Scott Watters uses this same program for his B&W stuff.

If you are into B&W photography as much as I am, this is an invaluable tool for that type of work.

Tiffany, that shot you liked is one of my favorites from that day. I was getting jostled around quite a bit when I shot it so it is just a tad soft, but I thought the effect was pretty cool.