Motorsport - Truck Racing

[rawill]

Typically motorsport shots are shot at 1/500 or higher.
However I don't like those shots as they 'freeze' the action.

I try slow speeds, 1/80 or thereabouts, usually on S setting.
However getting focus right and panning properly make it a challenge.

here is an effort from this morning with the camera set on P.
I hadn't realized the speed went so low, so not in focus.



Cropped, histogram moved to the right, that is all.
It was also very bright and eventually I went to to -2 EC so i did not get the "Hi" message.
Today I had the wrong lens and could not put a polarizing filter on to try to take out some f stops.
It also meant I could not get close enough.

Might try again tomorrow with a tripod, and a 28-200 Sigma lens. Again no polarizing filter.
Maybe I will get a bit more of a "bad light day".

[rawill]

1/80th, EC-2, it was too dark, so it has been lightened, with the curve tool.
It is OOF, but if I had got the focus right I would like this photo, sorry about the dirty sensor!~!

Again, wrong lens, so it is too far away.

Not good for the environment, but fun to watch, dangerous if they get away on the driver.

[gregj1763]

Hi Robin, Neat looking photo's.
Never seen truck racing, I reckon it would be awesome.
I think you could probably increase your shutter speed a bit to get sharper images and still get the sense of motion in the image.
Here is a photo I took at Symmons Plains in 2005 on my old Minolta Dimage Z10
ISO 100 f/8 1/320
Ps, Wish I could come too but I have to work to pay for my expensive hobby, photography.
Cheers, Greg

[rawill]

Thanks Gregg,
Good shot,

VERY, crisp, clear and sharp.
Car has just entered the frame and is looking to go out.

and especially good given it was taken on a Z10.
I suspect that 320 was the max speed setting, and there would have been lag in taking the shot as well.

My problem is the wheel centers have to be a bit more blurry, which is why I have it set lower,
probably too low!, especially given the low number of good ones I get.



In the words of some shoe manufacturer, "Just do it".

Ooops I see I was wrong about shutter speed!!

I thought it was similar to the Z1,Z3-Z6

[gregj1763]

Good luck if you go tomorrow Robin.
Would love to see some more photos.
Where is the event being held?

[rawill]

Teretonga, bet you haven't heard of it.

South of the South Island, near Invercargill.
A very fast track.

Now it looks like I have got work tomorrow.
Here's hoping for some rain where I work, but no rain on the race track.

[gregj1763]

No never heard of it but just checked it out on their web site. Looks a great track with only one slow corner on it. Hope you get there tomorrow

[Ryogenetic]

I try slow speeds, 1/80 or thereabouts, usually on S setting.
However getting focus right and panning properly make it a challenge.

here is an effort from this morning with the camera set on P.
I hadn't realized the speed went so low, so not in focus.



It was also very bright and eventually I went to to -2 EC so i did not get the "Hi" message.
Today I had the wrong lens and could not put a polarizing filter on to try to take out some f stops.
It also meant I could not get close enough.

Might try again tomorrow with a tripod, and a 28-200 Sigma lens. Again no polarizing filter.
Maybe I will get a bit more of a "bad light day".

Robin are you shooting in JPEG or RAW? I would recommend shooting JPEG with the D70 (12fps vs 4 RAW) Have a look at this guy:



His work can be found at MSM

I think MSM's shots are similar to what you are looking for. Key things that I note; Most of the time he is usually shooting at 1/60 and below, he uses a mono-pod. There are people who can nail a moving shot hand held, but I think the have more success if they have support of a mono/tripod.

Good luck look forward to seeing your shots!
Ryo

[rawill]

Robin are you shooting in JPEG or RAW? I would recommend shooting JPEG with the D70 (12fps vs 4 RAW) Have a look at this guy: Most of the time he is usually shooting at 1/60 and below, he uses a mono-pod.

There are people who can nail a moving shot hand held, but I think the have more success if they have support of a mono/tripod.

Good luck look forward to seeing your shots!
Ryo

Very uesful comment.

All my Motorsporets shots are hand held.

I was wondering about the mono pod, I do not have one, only a tripod which I have just bought.

I am thinking to try something out tomorrow, got to work today now!

We have 3 days of racing, today is qualifying then Sat and Sun for racing, so I hope to get at least half a day there.

Today I am going ot tell my boss I have to go.
I am starting work now, 5.30, so that should make him happy to let me off work.

Trouble is I am paid per unit, so the more I do the better I am paid.
It is hard to miss out on good work, when the rate per hour is quite high.

Had a quick look, YES.

That is what I am after, I do get shots like that, but few and far between.
His sense of speed, and the car at the begining of the frame,
just right in my book.

Thanks for the link, I will bookmark his site.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/dinanm3...in/photostream

[Ryogenetic]

Halston has been giving me feedback and pointers, since I got my camera; this last year he hit a high mark on Japolnik with this shot:



He has some serious talent! I am going to have to get over to a track one of these days and give motion auto photography a whirl!

Ryo

[rawill]

That is some shot.

I meant to say normally shoot JPEG, but tired RAW the other day for a few shots.

But because I have it set to multiple shots it is too slow.
So I will go back to the best JPEG setting.

[rawill]

From last year's race meeting.
Sadly the car is in the middle of the frame, and not enough to crop properly, otherwise the car would have nothing behind it.
PP so far, slight darkening, straighten slightly, that is all.

I had better shots of the car just in the frame with space in front of the car, but they were a bit OOF.



Told the boss I could not work today, but after a 5.30am start and 10.45pm finish he was OK with it.
He just told me to get some truck photos!

But they will be working from early this morning to beat the rain.

Decided to crop it and see what happened.

I think the photo is better, but I lose some colour from the background.

[gregj1763]

The cropped version looks much better to me Robin. The focus is more on the car now and it has got rid of some dust bunnies in the grassy area.
Plenty of colour still in the background.
Ps, you have a good boss. I'm looking forward to the truck photo's as well.
Good luck. Greg

[Bobobird]

Lots of cool shots here.

More please.

[rawill]

Just to prove I went to the motor racing today, not the shot of the day.
Still working on which one that is.
Environmentalists would not like this one, pretty large carbon footprint!

[gregj1763]

Big is better.
Look forward to the rest

[rawill]

I decided to take some shots of the trucks from a different spot, bad choice.
The background interferes too much, and it was harder to get them in focus, as you can see, both are OOF.

However I am rapidly coming to the conclusion I might need some help, of the monopod type.
I am just not steady enough, and that along with panning is making it difficult to get enough in focus shots.






Below is a shot from my usual spot


None of the above 3 photos have had any PP of any kind.

But this one has been straightened a little, cropped, saturation increase and bit of an S added to the colour curve



But sadly my best shot of this one was a little late, so you can't see any space of the front of the car, hence you will not see it.

Anyway, as always, CC welcome

[rawill]

My last shot of the day.
It was very sunny, so EC was set to -5! too much,
I had to lighten it a little more light, crop it, and straighten it.

Also was shooting at 125 by now to make sure I got some in focus.
Sun was also problematic, and on this lens I do not have a polarising filter.

A Sigma 28-200D
I should have used my 70-300 nikon lense with the polariser.
Didn't want to change the lens, so much sand around, it was very windy as well.

This truck broke its crankshaft in practice, and the guys literally worked all night to get it going.
Got it running at 3.00AM!~!



And the smallest truck

[rawill]

I thought I should add this one for motorsport fans.

CC welcome.



A bit OOF but for me I think a goodish shot.
As I said comments welcome

S priority, 1/80th, F32, EC-1.3 ISO 200.

[gregj1763]

Hi Robin, Sorry I haven't replied but work has inconsiderately interfered with my web browsing.
That shot of the Tulloch car is the pick of your photo's so far in my opinion and the sharpest so far.
The last two photo's of the trucks are good as well, love the tyre smoke but both are still a little soft so a monopod would be a good idea if you want to shoot at your preferred slower shutter speeds.
Ps, I think all that sand has got inside your camera. Might be time to clean your lenses or sensor.
Well done on the images. Cheers, Greg