Settings for blurred action shots: Try as I might I seem unable to get the settings correct to get the bicycle and its rider in focus with a blurred background to express the awesome...

cyclespeed Loc: Calgary, Alberta Canada

Try as I might I seem unable to get the settings correct to get the bicycle and its rider in focus with a blurred background to express the awesome speed on the descents.
ISO 100 ( bright day )
programmed everything from f22 and get about 1/500 ss. This stills gets everything quite sharp. Tried Exposure compensation but it results in either too dark or too bright.
How can I get less light in so I can have a longer exposure?
Much appreciate any help you can suggest.

FredB Loc: A little below the Mason-Dixon line.

Well, you're never going to get the RIDER (who is moving) in focus, and the BACKGROUND (which is not moving) to be blurry unless you change your technique.

Hint: Move the camera so the above situation is reversed - MOVE The camera along with the RIDER, so the rider is NOT MOVING with relation to the camera, and the background will now be...anyone?... MOVING - Hence, blurry-able.

A not-to-quick shutter and appropriate ISO & Aperture will do the trick.

ExpoComp has nothing to do with it.

lightcatcher Loc: Farmington, NM (4 corners)

Follow subject with camera will give blurred background.

Linda From Maine Loc: Yakima, Washington

The technique is called panning, and requires a bit of practice - and a much slower shutter speed. Google the term and you'll find many helpful articles such as:

http://digital-photography-school.com/mastering-panning-to-photograph-moving-subjects/

IShootEverything Loc: TN

Well first of all with f/22 you will get MOST of everything in focus. Try f/2.8-5.6 that should get you what you want if you have the right speed. If your lens has image stabilization you will want to turn it on. As far as speed you will have to play with that, some speed that will have the bike/person sharp and slow enough to blur the background. Your ISO will not change anything except your max speed for the available light. I know exactly what you are trying to do and have done it before myself. You need to set your camera so you have one and only one AF point, keep that point on that bike/person and fallow him/her as they go past,just before they get to the point were they are at the angle you want, start holding the shutter down until they go past the point you want. That way you will have the angle you need/want.
Hope this helps.

SharpShooter Loc: NorCal

cyclespeed wrote:

Try as I might I seem unable to get the settings correct to get the bicycle and its rider in focus with a blurred background to express the awesome speed on the descents.
ISO 100 ( bright day )
programmed everything from f22 and get about 1/500 ss. This stills gets everything quite sharp. Tried Exposure compensation but it results in either too dark or too bright.
How can I get less light in so I can have a longer exposure?
Much appreciate any help you can suggest.

Cycle, I do a ton of cycling shooting. By blurred background do you mean the background to be OOF, and the riders sharp. Or do you mean blurred as in panning? For panning you need to be at ss of 1/60 or even slower!
What equipment are you using?
SS

GoofyNewfie Loc: Kansas City

cyclespeed wrote:

Try as I might I seem unable to get the settings correct to get the bicycle and its rider in focus with a blurred background to express the awesome speed on the descents.
ISO 100 ( bright day )
programmed everything from f22 and get about 1/500 ss. This stills gets everything quite sharp. Tried Exposure compensation but it results in either too dark or too bright.
How can I get less light in so I can have a longer exposure?
Much appreciate any help you can suggest.

Pan the camera (as noted above) to match the speed of the rider and you may get something like the photo below.
Here are the settings I used:

1/45th sec f/11 ISO 200

(Download)

Bob Yankle Loc: Burlington, NC

To answer your question about the light, use a neutral density filter. Typically, shutter speeds are 1/20 or 1/30 for panning shots.

DwsPV Loc: South Africa

cyclespeed wrote:

Try as I might I seem unable to get the settings correct to get the bicycle and its rider in focus with a blurred background to express the awesome speed on the descents.
ISO 100 ( bright day )
programmed everything from f22 and get about 1/500 ss. This stills gets everything quite sharp. Tried Exposure compensation but it results in either too dark or too bright.
How can I get less light in so I can have a longer exposure?
Much appreciate any help you can suggest.

For cycling 1/500 WILL freeze everything, you probably need to be 1/100 or lower as one post is showing even down to 1/45.

I would suggest you set your camera to Shutter Priority (Nikon) or TV (Canon), ISO 100, WB Auto, and then start playing with shutter speeds from1/160 and slowing down further until you get a speed that you can hand hold comfortably. Focus needs to be AF-C for Nikon or AIS for Canon, and limit the number of focus points to as little as you can. I find that with more focus points, the camera tends to try and lock onto background stuff. And with cycling, its obvious that you can predict and track direction of movement so you don't need to many focus points.

The more perpendicular to your target, the better, as the panning motion will help the camera lock on target, and blur the background.

And then of course, the slower the shutter the more light you will let in, so the suggestion to use ND filters is quite correct.

Hope this helps...

DwsPV Loc: South Africa

Bob Yankle wrote:

To answer your question about the light, use a neutral density filter. Typically, shutter speeds are 1/20 or 1/30 for panning shots.

Agreed!

lighthouse Loc: No Fixed Abode

Bob Yankle wrote:

To answer your question about the light, use a neutral density filter. Typically, shutter speeds are 1/20 or 1/30 for panning shots.

Finally, someone answered the question!
Far out, that was like pulling teeth wasn't it? :-)

To get from 1/500th sec down to 1/30th sec you will need a 4 stop neutral density filter.
If you use 6 stops you can get your F/22 back to F/11.
With a Lee system and a Little Stopper (6 stops) and a 2 stop and 3 stop, you will have available to you, 2,3,5,6,8,9 & 11 stops.

ronz Loc: Florida

Panning is the term used to describe what you are wanting to do. There are some good articles on it you can Google. It is not a difficult process but does take a bit of practice. I use it often for Kart and cycle racing for effect. Slow camera speed, move the camera at the speed the subject is moving, aperture is not a bug concern here.

cjc2 Loc: Hellertown PA

GoofyNewfie wrote:

Pan the camera (as noted above) to match the speed of the rider and you may get something like the photo below.
Here are the settings I used:

This is a SUPERB example of what you need to do!

Boone Loc: Groundhog Town USA

Bob Yankle wrote:

To answer your question about the light, use a neutral density filter. Typically, shutter speeds are 1/20 or 1/30 for panning shots.

:thumbup: Boone!!

the f/stops here Loc: New Mexico

GoofyNewfie wrote:

Pan the camera (as noted above) to match the speed of the rider and you may get something like the photo below.
Here are the settings I used:

Great image and thanks for including the setting. I use a 20th to a 60th and a second for birds. Same technique. Thanks Goofynewfie! Best, J. Goffe

1/60 sec exposure

(Download)