powermark

iTrader: (2)

Here is a thread from a local forum I made about a year ago, figure I would pass it on here. I am going to use a lot of drifting because i think it is the best form of motorsports to get a really good motion blur.

Also I do not photoshop my pictures in anyway, except for my stamp. I dont even crop them

Most of these were shot on a rebel XT, 20D and 30D, a few are on my new 40D. I do not own any fancy 1D series. If your good, all you really need is good glass. Action photography is a true testiment to a good photographer. I just dont care much for stills.


i think that in photography, shooting action shots is one of my good traits, so im going to do a little article for all who cares.

When I shoot action, i just run the camera in shutter priority (TV on canons) and let the camera figure out the lighting in MOST situations, and sometimes ill fine tune it with AE shifting. Some situations I run full manual, generally in odd lighting conditions. Make sure you run AI servo and not single shot when shooting action, this allows the camera to continually focus after each picture when shooting bursts- Thats what its there for, shooting action, so use it

The key really is a good lens with a good image stabilization system, this allows you to run a much lower shutter speed. Dont be fooled by some Canon lenses such as the 70-300. It has a single stage stabilizer that only stabilizes vertical movement. Make sure you get a 2 stage (only found in L glass) stabilizer that controls vertical and horizontal movement. There really isnt a formula to shooting action. Ive heard people say a 1MPH: 1MS shutter speed is good, but i dont quite agree with that, I would START with 1.5-2x and then go down from there.

the main points of shooting action are:
1) angle at which the object is traveling, I.E. coming at you, front 1/4 shot, side, rear 1/4, etc.
2) speed of whatever your shooting
3) your distance from where you are shooting
4) focal length (which can tie into 3)
5) lighting sometimes, if you have a good F lens, u dont have to worry about this so much
6) objects in the background


here are some examples.

covering 1
Dont bother at trying to run a slow shutter on something coming straight at you. Whatever you might be shooting needs to be coming across you at some point to start getting a sense of motion. If im at a race in a photo hole shooting straight shots, I generally jack up the shutter pretty good, (1/250th) esp. if you cannot see much of the wheel rotation





at that point you start getting the 1/4 shot, then shutter speed starts to become a factor




covers steps 2-4
When Im shooting with my telephoto at focal lock (or close to) at a good distance, your body movement isnt as fast, this allows you to run a slower shutter. keep in mind i have a 2.8L IS which is about the best lens for stabilization, allowing me to run really slow shutters. for non IS lenses, I would start at 1.3-1.5x the speed of whatever your shooting and then move down from there, not going below 50-60th.

formula D Irwindale: car traveling about 40-50 mph, at focal lock, probably 30 yards away, shutter speed 1/40th





shooting about 5-10 mph faster, but much shorter distance, moved up to 1/60th




shooting at 70mm on the 70-200 again, moved up to 1/125th.



The key is finding that sweet spot. Sometimes you can shoot REALLY slow, but can end up with a little more blur, in which basically your focus point is in focus, but the surrounding areas start to blur. Plus some drivers are faster then others. The shots look awesome, but when it comes to selling them, can be a little harder.
example:




DISTANCE
Generally, shorter the distance, shorter the focal, the less speed you can run. If your whipping your camera around fast, its going to be harder for you to hold that camera as still, allowing less shutter.

burn out, probably about 17-20mm in this shot, in the burn out box only traveling maybe 5-10mph, shutter was around 60th. As you can see, this is the same speed I was shooting cars traveling 50-60mph, but since it is MUCH closer, this really cuts your ability to run a slow shutter, 80th would have probably been prime in this shot






whats in the background
This doesnt really come into play so much, but for example, when you have a backdrop that doesnt look different as you move, as in, shooting into the inside of an oval, you dont have to shoot so slow because the background all looks the same anyway.


shooting direct side shots are the most rewarding and dont require really slow shutters, this was shot at 100th.


1/80th - 150mph


1/60th - 100mph

xamraci

can u elaborate on the Fstop/aperature settings you used...I have a problem with drawing out motion when I shoot action shots, IE, making things seem STILL, part of its that I like to see the wheels i mid-motion...

What different Fnumbers were you shooting at with each of the above at which different shutter speeds...

Thanks

powermark

iTrader: (2)

Your Aperature settings adjusts your depth of field/lighting, it doesnt have a lot to do with motion. Motion is reflected thru the shutter speed. If your looking for not much motion blur, but just want the tires to be moving, you can stay conservative on your shutter speed, around 1/200th depending on glass.

The only time aperature effects motion is when running your iris wide open. As you decrease your available light, your going to start increasing the amount of blur at the same shutter speed.

All the shots you see above are what I deemed as the best shutter speed for the given situation, in which the car looks crisp, but the tires and backgrounds are moving.

If you wanted to get really aggressive, you can set your focus points to pick up the area you want in focus. Then from that point out it will get progressively more blury.

Here is a perfect example taken at 1/40th. I adjusted my focus point to the far left field and took the shot, as you can see from the front of the car moving back, the blur gets progressively harsh.

xamraci

Interesting...I will have to try a few of those tricks at the next track day...

this is at 1/120 F4.5


1/60 F5.6


Cant really SEE the motion...if you get what I am saying...

This is a shot my friend took...Same shutter, different F...
1/120 F10

powermark

iTrader: (2)

theres no way you shot that at 1/120th unless the S14 was driving 5mph. also 1/125th at F4.5 in that much lighting would blow the shot out unless you were running a few ND filters. That shot was either taken on a program or auto mode or the shutter wasnt 1/120th

put the camera on shutter priority, let the camera meter the light.

xamraci

I dont shoot auto mode anything...and it was shot at 100-120th with no filters...unless it was some instance were I was shooting 1/80th, which I dont recall adjusting the camera to that day....I could also be looking at the wrong image data, but I dont think I am...perhaps though

here is another shot a few months earlier same track, same lense, different shutter 1/80th or so with a polarizing filter


I assume that you shoot undera shutter priority?

powermark

iTrader: (2)

i think you might have been looking at the wrong image data. It just isnt possible for a shot to be that still at 1/120th unless the car was going about 5 mph.

upload the full res shot somewhere and put the link on here and I can check the picture to see what shutter speed it was taken at.



that shot of the S2000 was with a polarizer or was the lighting off?

powermark

iTrader: (2)

1/1600 at F4

I knew theres no way that could have been 1/120th at F4, the shot would have been completely blown out.

just run shutter priority. if you need to AE bracket shift it up or down a 1/4 stop is fine.

File name: HEEBSPEED1.jpg
File size: 174529 bytes (2240x1488, 0.4bpp, 57x)
EXIF Summary: 1/1600s f/4.0 ISO200 55mm (35mm eq:82mm)

Camera-Specific Properties:

Equipment Make: NIKON CORPORATION
Camera Model: NIKON D100
Camera Software: Ver.2.00
Maximum Lens Aperture: f/4.0
Sensing Method: One-Chip Color Area
Color Filter Array Pattern: 40096
Focal Length (35mm Equiv): 82 mm

Image-Specific Properties:

Image Created: 2007:11:19 08:21:11
Exposure Time: 1/1600 sec
F-Number: f/4.0
Exposure Program: Manual
Exposure Bias: 0 EV
Metering Mode: Pattern
Light Source: Unknown
Flash: No Flash
Focal Length: 55.00 mm
Color Space Information: Uncalibrated
Image Width: 2240
Image Height: 1488
Rendering: Normal
Exposure Mode: Manual
Scene Capture Type: Standard
Gain Control: None
Contrast: Normal
Saturation: Normal
Sharpness: Hard
Subject Distance Range: Unknown
ISO Speed Used: 200
Image Quality: FINE
White Balance: AUTO
Image Sharpening: HIGH
Focus Mode: AF-S
Flash Setting: NORMAL
Flash Compensation: 0.0 EV
ISO Speed Requested: 200
Tone Compensation: AUTO
Lens Type: Nikon G Series
Lens Range: 55.0 - 200.0 mm; f/4.0 - f/5.6
Auto Focus: Dynamic Area, Center Selected, Top Focused
Shooting/Bracketing Mode: Single Frame/Off
Color Mode: Adobe RGB
Lighting Type: NATURAL
Noise Reduction: OFF

RedBullRR

iTrader: (7)

Cool. Def Subbing

xamraci

I guess I am not familiar with phrasing the shutter speed...I was under the impression 1/120=1200 or 1/80=800, what I have been smoking...I dont know. My brain hurts

That picture of the S2k is shot with a polarizing filter and an A-WB setting...there is no color adjustments on it as far as I can recall, my friend edits all the images before they are put on the site, I have to remember I was shooting that day with the mirror/shock setting ON which "seems" to SLOW the shutter speed down...I guess I have been smoking crack lately, I need more sleep. I will certainly try to shoot in shutter priority and see how well the camera meters the light, I will also try shooting with-out the polarizing filter and see how the shots turn out. Whats your take on a UV filter for action shooting? My biggest problem is MID-DAY shots what WASh out as you said...

You shoot with a Canon Primarily?

powermark

iTrader: (2)

yea i dont know anything about nikons really.

shoot without the polarizer, it does nothing but kill the coloring of your shots.

UVs are simply for protection. if you get one, get a plastic one, they reflect less.

i dont run one bc if you get light coming in at an angle to your lens, you can get a reflection between the UV and the lens that creates a sun burst in your shot, though not running a UV, i have a higher risk to damage to my glass. though i havent had any issues with that yet.

xamraci

Good info, I am sure it will come to good use, thanks man.

gr?

Some people will shoot with manual focus instead of relying on the camera's auto focus system. Manual works well when you're shooting at a road course where the drivers will consistently hit the same driving line. Drifting is one type of racing that the drive line will not be consistent but if you're shooting on a road course, using manual focus will generally give a higher keeper rate since you're not relying on the autofocus system to track the subject. The quality of the pan will be dependent solely upon the panning motion.

Also, some people have personal preferences for framing and cropping panning shots. I prefer to leave more room in front of the car. Here's an example:

powermark

iTrader: (2)

ill do some off angle shots sometime, but i shoot for the dead center.

Zridder19

iTrader: (14)

nice

powermark

iTrader: (2)

updated:

"covering steps 2-4"

MR_X

iTrader: (5)

AWESOME WRITE UP!!! I need to practice this. Just need a better telephoto lens. Mine is too slow at focusing.

UHATEIT

iTrader: (7)

were the shots you took at the top of this page done with a tripod? also can shots like this be done without an upgraded lense? A canon in TV mode can adjust to many of the shutter speeds, I was thinking you needed the lense for better zoom.

Let me know powermark!

kspec

wowwwwwwwww dang NICE photos...

powermark

iTrader: (2)

I hand hold everything, including the 400. You cant do action shots on a tripod. Monopod if you dont have a steady hand, but i dont like th be limited by anything when im whipping the camera around.

70-200 2.8L IS Canon lens is the best on the market, period. But its also $1800

the 70-200 F4 IS is about 1/2 the price as the 2.8L IS, not as sharp, but pretty close. Its a great budget lens.