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Asking for help for next time
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Nov 28, 2019 07:02:55   #
Stephan G
 
RichardTaylor wrote:
J...
The main thing is to keep your motion smooth as you follow through.
...



Often people stop shooting at the moment they think they got the "shot". And they end up disappointed. The Follow Through is just as crucial as the Start Up. Start shooting just before your target enters your view and continue until it goes out of your view. Yes, you will have a large number of shots that will be similar. But you will be able to cull out very satisfactory shots. And, yes, you will miss opportunities for other vehicles shots in the process. By being very choosy as to which vehicle you will make a "star" will go a long way to lock in the practice of panning.

PS., The suggested method will also help with BIFs.

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Nov 28, 2019 10:01:30   #
Real Nikon Lover Loc: Simi Valley, CA
 
Anyone in the group try shooting 1/4 mile drag racing? Speeds 0-300mph in under 6 secs?

Curious about camera settings for those events. Shooting down track, or through the trap shots.

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Nov 28, 2019 10:40:08   #
MichaelH Loc: NorCal via Lansing, MI
 
RichardTaylor wrote:
Just a note on "clean" backgrounds.

#6 not clean
#7 Clean.
.


Both work very well for me. I see what you mean about the clean background but the blurred background in #6 still makes the race car the item that draws the eye to it. Very nice.

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Nov 28, 2019 10:42:46   #
bpulv Loc: Buena Park, CA
 
Vietnam Vet wrote:
Panning is all about setting your shutter speed. Try panning at 1/15 of a second and then set your f-stop and iso for proper exposure. That should give you a great starting point.


When I was an Air Force photographer in the 1960's I shot similar photos all the time. 1/15th second is too slow to get the plane in sharp focus. Shoot with a telephoto lens at 1/25th or 1/50th second, lens wide open and pan smoothly. 1/15th is too long for most photographers to pan and end up with the plane in sharp focus. The shallow depth of field of a telephoto will help blur the background.

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Nov 28, 2019 11:29:36   #
jeep_daddy Loc: Prescott AZ
 
jbgs wrote:
I had envisioned this differently than how it ended up. I was trying to have the plane in focus but have a motion blur of the background so to show the movement of the plane. I realize now that my settings were way off 1/1600 sec f/14 135mm ISO 1000. I know I should have been close to f5.6 since that was the lens I was using and yes I know an f2.8 would have been better but I did not have that glass with me. I was trying to pan with the plane so I know I did not need to be set at 1/1600 sec. I guess all these mistakes are just from my inexperience, I mean that was the first time I took pictures at an airshow. Rather than making excuses I would like to know what I should do differently for next time.
I had envisioned this differently than how it ende... (show quote)


I've done a lot of aircraft pictures. I usually shoot jets with a fast shutter and propeller driven planes at a much slower shutter speed so that I still have some prop blur. In my opinion, you didn't need f/22. You should open up to at least f/5.6 or f/4 with that lens. Personally, I'd buy a Canon 100-400 zoom lens for this kind of photography. A 135mm lens really isn't enough of a focal length. That said, I'd open up all the way, if the lens has IS for panning I'd set that on, lower the ISO to the lowest setting and shoot away. You'll want to use AI-Servo focus, a multiple focus points for flying jets, and auto w/b. I'd also use the fastest frame rate your camera offers. I usually shoot a 7D Mark II at 10 frames per second. Practice your panning technique. It's not easy to do and takes a lot of practice.

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Nov 28, 2019 12:08:35   #
BrentHarder Loc: Southern California
 
RichardTaylor wrote:
Thanks. If they are not sharp I do not post them (content may dictate otherwise (rarely)). All have been sharpened wnen PPing (I shoot raw).

Most of these (except #4 & #5) were shot with a Canon mid range body (40D) and a Canon 100-400 lens, shutter speed around 1/125 for the racing shots. The aperture will depend on the lighting (I will usually be shooting at minimum native ISO), usually around f8 to f14 (sometimes it may go higher however I don't worry about that) . If you have a "clean" background the aperture doesn't matter that much as it will be blurred anyway.
Pic #4 was with a Canon 5D (the original) and a 24-105 kit lens. It was a a driver training day (only one car on the short track at a time) so there was no presure. Having complete freedom to move around the track (not just shooting from the spectator area) helps a lot (so long as your are safe (ie behind a barrier)). I used the day to practice my skills.
Thanks. If they are not sharp I do not post them (... (show quote)

Thanks for all your information. Very informative. LOVE the blurry backgrounds

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Nov 28, 2019 15:43:52   #
RichardTaylor Loc: Sydney, Australia
 
MichaelH wrote:
Both work very well for me. I see what you mean about the clean background but the blurred background in #6 still makes the race car the item that draws the eye to it. Very nice.


Thank you.

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Nov 28, 2019 15:45:00   #
RichardTaylor Loc: Sydney, Australia
 
BrentHarder wrote:
Thanks for all your information. Very informative. LOVE the blurry backgrounds


Thanks.

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Nov 28, 2019 16:45:03   #
RichardTaylor Loc: Sydney, Australia
 
.

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Nov 28, 2019 18:34:10   #
Picture Taker Loc: Michigan Thumb
 
You may've a hard time panning the type of shot you showed. The object is KINDA coming at you, you want to pan as it passes you.

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Nov 28, 2019 19:00:23   #
RichardTaylor Loc: Sydney, Australia
 
Jim Eads wrote:
Anyone in the group try shooting 1/4 mile drag racing? Speeds 0-300mph in under 6 secs?

Curious about camera settings for those events. Shooting down track, or through the trap shots.


It all depends on what you a trying to achieve (freeze the action, or show motion) and the light levels (daylight, or after the sun goes down).

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Nov 28, 2019 21:18:55   #
nadelewitz Loc: Ithaca NY
 
jbgs wrote:
I had envisioned this differently than how it ended up. I was trying to have the plane in focus but have a motion blur of the background so to show the movement of the plane. I realize now that my settings were way off 1/1600 sec f/14 135mm ISO 1000. I know I should have been close to f5.6 since that was the lens I was using and yes I know an f2.8 would have been better but I did not have that glass with me. I was trying to pan with the plane so I know I did not need to be set at 1/1600 sec. I guess all these mistakes are just from my inexperience, I mean that was the first time I took pictures at an airshow. Rather than making excuses I would like to know what I should do differently for next time.
I had envisioned this differently than how it ende... (show quote)


You said it yourself. Use a slower shutter speed and pan with the moving subject. This takes practice of course...the faster the subject the harder it is to do.

Also, if the subject is moving on a path perpendicular to you, its distance from the camera is constantly changing, so a smaller aperture for more depth-of-field is helpful unless you can focus and pan at the same time. The smaller aperture calls for a slower shutter speed, not a fast one..

This is a balancing act. PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE.

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Feb 12, 2020 17:06:55   #
flyboy61 Loc: The Great American Desert
 
LWW wrote:
Continuous AF and practice.


YUP!

Shooting Auto racing, I have found it is a lot easier to get good photeaux when the yellow flag is out, and the speeds were 60-80 mph than when they were balls-to the wall racing at 125+.
With Aircraft and racing cars, we are running into problems of track surface, driver input, the car or airplane's own vibrations, sir conditions, in additions to the photog's own wibbles and wobbles. all which conspire to make a poor photographer's hair grey!

I have settled on 1/125 - 1250 sec. for sharpness and wheel motion, so the cars don't look like they were sitting still.
Airshows are different..1/250-1/400 to give propeller planes some prop blur, so they don't look like a bug pinned to a board. but, I am older, and slower shutters may work for the young and immortal.
Jets are for faster shutter speeds, and 1/1000 sec. is a good place to start.
Generally, for both cars and aircraft, Shutter priority, and the DOF, even at wide open, is sufficient.

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Mar 15, 2020 02:18:35   #
Hip Coyote
 
Not an expert in this type of photography but one thing that popped out to me was the angle of the shot would never allow you to pan a shot. The plane is coming slightly at you.

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Apr 13, 2020 11:06:42   #
Electric Gnome Loc: Norwich UK
 
I agree with the slower shutter speed and panning practice. However although not the same, you could "fake" the effect in photoshop and just add the amount and direction of blur you were hoping to capture. I had a powerboat shot and the background was slightly blurred but distracting, slower shutter speeds just led to blurry subject. I ended up using photoshop and cranked the blur up to max for a more arty (IMO) effect. I can post it out of interest if you like.

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