This was a tough event - and one of which to learn from.

Fast paced action I am not used too, and this was fast. So fast I shot .jpg - whoa... I have never -- ever -- shot .jpg - and from the results - I'm still not a fan. Why .jgp and not .NEF Nikon's RAW (Nikon Electronic Format) -- well... I needed the buffer. Even with the D3s - the buffer fills up after a few seconds of 9 frames per second. Don't let the Nikon Rep. fancy talk fool you.. it will choke and choke hard.

So --

The Tour of Utah -- fast bikes - 1 p.m. sun - and I've never done this before. That pretty much sums it up.

I shot 3D focus track for a while -- and then I switched to AF Auto Area -- as the 3D wasn't keeping up - and it held it's own...What I should have done is switch back to NEF after switching to AF Auto - but I didn't.

At first I shot the 80-200 AF-s f2.8 -- at around 5.6 from the opposite corner. Then at the second lap I crossed the street and at the corner Apex - I shot the Tamron 17-35mm f2.8-4 at again f5.6.

This was almost a waste as the AF just couldn't react to the closing distance of the racers. The third lap I switched off the AF and picked a point and did my best -- once again.. not good enough. The 4th lap - I crossed the street to my original position with the 80-200mm and filled the frame with Auto AF. After a while everything ended up up looking the same, so I walked up the street to change the scenery.

All in all -- a day of shooting is a blast - what would I have done differently -- I would have rented a 400mm f4 and been a bit farther back - and once again, just filled the frame.

Filling the frame is the most compelling view point - I feel.

Of the 370 photos -- this is what made the cut - and the cut was brutal.

Comments - both good and bad are always welcome.