Setting for panning track photos

[brucehughw]

Hi, all.

I want to photograph my daughter running track, and I thought a slower shutter speed and panning would give a nice effect: streaked background, blurred hands and arms, steady (hopefully) head. I have a Nikon D7000 and a 50 mm f1.8 and 70-300 mm lens. Can anyone recommend a good place to start with focal length, shutter speed, and aperture. I tried 1/30 s last weekend and a modest zoom, and about 1 of 5 photos were ok. I've since purchased a tripod, which should help stabilize the camera in the non-panning axes.

By the way, if anyone has an opportunity to photograph track and field, I highly recommend it. Subjects are plentiful, they pass by multiple times, and at the start, finish, baton passes, hurdles, sprints, etc. there's ample emotion. Here is a link for one of my panning photos (first attempt!)

https://www.flickr.com/photos/brucehughw/13891157290/

Thanks, Bruce

[Stagecoach]

Bruce, I have undertaken panning with cars and cyclists with some success and on doing a quick google came up with this forum article http://photography-on-the.net/forum/....php?t=1083487 which shows part way down some good track examples and Exif that may be of help.

It may be helpful if we can see one or two of the results you achieved that may give clues.

Grahame

[brucehughw]

Grahame,

thanks very much. I edited my post and added a link for an image.

Cheers,

Bruce

[Stagecoach]

Bruce, looking at the pic you posted it seems like you basically achieved your goal.

I suspect the priorities are firstly to find the shutter speed that at least freezes the parts of the body, most importantly the head that coincides with the speed of the runners.

Secondly to use an aperture that is going to give adequate DOF for the subject for your focal length.

Thirdly, let the ISO control itself.

From my experience with cars, (although much faster) I did find that a longer focal length was easier than a shorter one and tended to favour around 75 to 100mm. I also came to the conclusion there was not considerable difference between the motion blur of the background between wide open and mid apertures.

I have not tried using a tripod but would be concerned at retaining the subject within frame if wanting to get in reasonably close. Just some thoughts.

There was a very interesting thread some time back from Christina regarding capturing horse racing along the same principles of retaining movement in limbs.

Grahame

[Nomadr]

panning runners is not the same as panning cars, as you rightly thought some arms and legs are going to be blurred (whilst the ones traveling in the same direct as the pan will be in focus), 1/30th is about the right speed for runners and to hand hold your camera, the tripod will only be effective if the runners are on the same focal plane, personally i would rapid fire a series of shots as I panned, they arent all going to be in sharp focus, its worth remembering that while you are panning right to left they are also moving up and down as they run, its always going to be hit and miss but 1 in 5 sounds ok to me,if you feel you are missing the action you can always up the shutter speed a little and see what results you get, cheers martyn

[Shadowman]

I've been in training for the last few years for track and field event photography by attending marathons. You have the opportunity to try so many methods.

[Stagecoach]

panning runners is not the same as panning cars,

Martyn, both subjects have the same characteristics with respect to movement in that not all parts of the subject will be moving at an identical speed to that of the horizontal speed of the camera.

As with a runner, a car has a body and parts that will rise, fall and see-saw caused by changes in suspension heights due to road condition, braking and acceleration/deceleration. The principle of how you capture (freeze or not freeze) these movements that are not at an identical direction to the camera are the same. Assuming panning speed is identical to the horizontal forward movement of the subject the shutter speed will determine how these wayward movements are captured.

Grahame

[Nomadr]

grahame i didnt explain what i meant very well, a car is different due to everything within it going in the same direction therefor you can get some sharp images whilst completely blurring the bg,runners have forward motion and backward motion at the same time (legs and sometimes arms) so at 1/30th there is going to be some movement blur on a limb or two.

[brucehughw]

Thank you all for your comments and sharing your knowledge. When I did not receive any notices that this thread had received posts, I thought no one posted. Turns out I did not change my settings to receive updates; hence, I did not realize people were posting. The joys of the internet.

Anyway, the technical tips all help (shutter speed, focal length, aperture). I never thought about practicing with a marathon, what an idea! I live within walking distance of the Boston Marathon, and just missed an opportunity for lots (tens of thousands of runners) of practice. Oh well, there's other races. I'll look for the horse racing thread, too, and see how those photographers approached panning.

Bruce