Blog Of Good Cheer

Panning For A Change

Although all the photographs in this post were taken in Italy, the post isn’t about Italy. Looking at the pictures you’ll see they all have cyclists, but the post isn’t really about cycling either.

It’s really about trying something new and breaking out of the comfort zone of tried and trusted approaches. Well maybe it’s not really that lofty and is only about my attempt at panning.

I came across a cycling race in a small hill-top Italian town. The race was going to start at 16:00 and the preparations started well before that. Although this wasn’t a professional race it was being taken seriously by the organisers, spectators and competitors. Locals were out marking the route, setting up the start and finish line and checking the competitors bicycles were within tolerance. As the starting time drew nearer the traffic police were out to ensure the cyclists route was well protected. It looked to me that they left nothing to chance.

I asked around and found out the race was about 80km long consisting of 5 laps on the roads skirting the town. I wanted to take photographs of the race and getting some at the start and finish were obvious choices. Taking some of the cyclists struggling a little would be good too, as would pictures of the cyclists with the town in the background. There’s nothing earth-shattering going on here. All I did before the race was have a think about the type of photographs that might have impact, that is, if I could get them.

Since the race was 5 laps around a circuit I decided that after taking some pictures at the start, I’d position myself a little outside the town allowing me to take photos as the cyclists pushed up hill with a nice town backdrop.

That all went reasonably well until I had an idea! Panning – I’d never really tried panning before. If I got it right I’d get a photo of a cyclist or cyclists completely sharp with the background blurred giving a feeling of speed.

I had no idea where to start and with a lot of trial and error (digital cameras and a my subject coming back again and again helped a lot here) I hit on a formula that seemed to work.

I tried various shutter speeds and found 1/60 and 1/40 seemed best. Anything faster and the background wasn’t blurry enough, anything slower and I didn’t get close to getting the cyclist sharp enough. I tried to pan as smoothly as I could and I guess that will just improve with more practice.

I didn’t get the perfect shot. I got a few that I was pleased with as a first attempt. I read somewhere that you have to treat panning like a golf swing, as smooth as possible without neglecting the follow-through. If I have to rely on golf techniques to get this right I’m in big trouble.

After the 4^th lap I headed back to the finish to catch the final sprint. There wasn’t one. Cycling around a hilly circuit in temperatures above 30 degrees takes its toll and the field was strung out in the end.

I got a photo of the winner, but although they’re not perfect, I really like the attempts at panning.

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No mean feat - trying to wear flip-flops or sandals.

Usually I can’t wear flip-flops or sandals for long periods. Not necessarily a problem in Ireland as the opportunities for wearing them are few. But I’m on holiday in Italy and I’m experiencing some very hot weather and the cooling effect of having my feet exposed to the elements would be welcome. When I’m on holiday I like to explore on foot and to do that while wearing normal shoes or trainers can be a bit uncomfortable in very hot weather.

Flip-flops and sandals have never been the answer for me. The main reason is support or lack of support to be more accurate. I’ve never been able to find a pair of flip-flops or sandals that I could wear for hours walking around towns and villages and not suffer for it the next day. Other people can wear them, but after an hour or two my feet get tired and start to ache. How can you explore on foot if your feet hurt?

The other reason is smell. My feet don’t normally smell badly but once I put them into a pair of flip-flops or sandals there is an instant chemical reaction and my feet and the footwear really should be quarantined. If there was a medical term describing the experience it would be something like Foot-odour Holiday Syndrome.

But flip-flops and sandals are the best footwear for a sun-holiday. You just can’t avoid perspiring if the temperature is a good 10 degrees higher than you’re used to. Footwear that lets your feet breath is a tried and trusted way to stay cool.

This holiday I’ve been lucky with the weather. Apart from the odd thunder storm the sky has been blue and the sun has been shining and with a little more luck it will continue that way.

So why am I bothering to write a post at all? Surely I should be sitting under an umbrella outside a nice bar sipping a cool drink, chatting to the locals or reading a good book. You’d probably be right if you said I’ve no business typing on a keyboard while the sun is shining.

But something happened on the way out in Dublin airport that has made this holiday a bit special. I popped into the fat face shop and bought a pair of flip-flops in their sale. It was an impulse buy (what else could it be at 6 am) before boarding the flight to Rome.

I’ve long reconciled myself to the fact that I cannot wear flip-flops. Well perhaps I can walk around a flat surface for a little while but once the ground gets uneven (not much, just a little uneven) I can’t walk in them. I look ridiculous walking in a way that has me trying desperately to keep them on by scrunching up my toes.

I find it impossible and before long my feet are sore and I’m fed up.

But in fat face in Dublin airport I found the perfect flip-flop – the perfect flip-flop for me that is. It may not be everyone’s ideal shape but with a significant rise supporting my arches I feel I could walk around in them all day long.

Oh and they don’t smell. I’ve stress tested them several times now and I’m completely satisfied that neither the flip-flops nor my feet smell badly after a day’s extensive use.

Finally I can wear flip-flops, woo-hoo!

So that got me thinking. In the past I’ve bought relatively expensive sandals that are supposed to be as comfortable as walking shoes and are made from specially designed foot-odour killing material. After taking them home, trying to break them in, it quickly became clear that their designers still have a way to go to get the technology right.

But spurred on by my successful flip-flop purchase I decided to chance getting a cheap pair of sandals in the sales in a local shoe shop. This shop sold its most expensive pair of sandals for €40 and it’s cheapest for €30. I didn’t recognise any brand they sold. Not a Columbia, North Face or Salomon in sight. I tried the range and settled for cheapest pair.

Again I’m delighted. They are comfortable and I can walk in them for hours and despite the fact that the manufacturer (Lotto) does not claim that they are ergonomically designed to fit my feet or that they have been manufactured from odour killing material they are the most comfortable, odour-free sandals I’ve ever owned.

I can now walk about on cobbled streets, sandy beaches and forest paths without any discomfort. Trust me, in temperatures that range from 24 to 34 degrees having your toes exposed is the only way to travel.