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Thread: Track Photography... for a noob

  1. #1

    Track Photography... for a noob

    I am a noob with the camera.. I own an entry level canon DSLR the T3 with a 75-300 (non-is) and an 18-55 lens that really should be replaced. I really enjoyed taking the photos at the ddt yesterday, but not real pleased with the results. Headlights were pink, the photos all seem abit washed out, focus I can blame myself for, not much I can do about that with my eyesight.
    The extent of my manual intervention with the camera is to set it to 'action' mode and handle manual focus.

    Any tips would be appreciated..
    2013 WRB BRZ

  2. #2

    Join Date
    Nov 2003
    Location
    Maple, Ontario
    Posts
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    Hey Martyn,

    All the photo's you took were great. I only wish I could take photo's like that. LOL I'm a complete um rookie with any sort of Camera. Thanks again for the photo's.

  3. #3
    Oh hey np, I guess we are always our own toughest critic. Think next time, I need to bring a laptop so I can actually look at them through the day to decide if good or bad and what needs to change.
    2013 WRB BRZ

  4. #4
    I had my laptop in my bag all day, you could've used it... sorry!

    I find the best way to take shots of cars is to shoot in shutter priority (tV) mode, setting the shutter speed based on the rough vehicle speed. The general rule of thumb to get good background blur is 1/vehicle speed (mph). Generally I find it pretty hard to get focused shots at those speeds though and just keep playing with the shutter speed until I get the slowest shutter speed that still has good focus on the vehicle.

    To shoot at 1/vehicle speed you need to be REALLY good at panning, I typically shoot in the 1/800 range because I'm not nearly that good at panning.



    https://www.flickr.com/photos/w_pars...7652820892060/
    2013 FRS - Daily enjoyed.

  5. #5
    Trying to understand.. so if the car is going lets say approx. 100mph you set shutter at 1/100, and with that in mind you are expected to pan and keep the car in frame as you shoot? If you are lousy at it just set shutter faster and hope

    Also guessing you set manual focus at a distance you expect the car at as best you can. Looking at the shots on the tiny led they look great.. until you see them on a 15" screen.
    2013 WRB BRZ

  6. #6
    Quote Originally Posted by MartynD View Post
    Trying to understand.. so if the car is going lets say approx. 100mph you set shutter at 1/100, and with that in mind you are expected to pan and keep the car in frame as you shoot? If you are lousy at it just set shutter faster and hope
    Yep, that's the theory. I find it's easier to pan by keeping both eyes open so I can see the surroundings with my left eye, but I'm still not great with slow shutters and panning.

    Quote Originally Posted by MartynD View Post
    Also guessing you set manual focus at a distance you expect the car at as best you can. Looking at the shots on the tiny led they look great.. until you see them on a 15" screen.
    I typically use a different auto focus mode, I think yours should have the same modes mine does (it's a rebel T2i). AI Focus still beeps as it locks focus, but will keep adjusting focus as whatever you're focusing on moves. AI Servo just keeps adjusting focus without beeping on lock. I normally use AI Focus, and keep the shutter half pressed to keep it focusing as I pan with the car, then release and refocus/shoot once it's where I want it. Might not be the best way, but I find it works for me.
    2013 FRS - Daily enjoyed.

  7. #7
    I'm still working on panning too. Yesterday I left my camera in Intelligent Auto and hoped for the best. Perhaps we need a SPDA Beginner Friendly Photography Day.

  8. #8
    The best approach is to use shutter priority so you can try things with some consistency. If you leave it up to the camera it could go slow shutter and small aperture or big aperature and fast shutter. Shutter priority locks the shutter to whatever you pick and lets the camera pick ISO and aperture to get the amount of light it wants.

    I've found the best place to practice is a busy city street, there's always tons of cars going by.
    2013 FRS - Daily enjoyed.

  9. #9
    Practice, take hundreds of pics, and eventually you'll get one or two that you'll really appreciate. I use a Nikon D7000 with a 55-300 or an 18-105 lens. I constantly move my shutter speed around. On the Nikon I shoot in S mode (shutter speed). Sometimes manual focus, sometimes autofocus.


    These two were 1/30th with manual focus.


    Memory serves me, these were 1/250th.

    Slow shutter speeds are a challenge. Here I wanted the Miata in focus, but ended up getting the Honda.

    I think this was 1/60th - probably the better shutter speed for panning and getting focused shots.

    This one, probably 1/1600th. Wheels frozen in time, but nice crisp image that you won't likely get with a slow shutter speed.

    I enjoy taking photos and tinkering with my camera; got this DSLR last fall. Prior to that were point and shoot (unless you go way back to my Pentax K1000, where I got the basics). If you have access to Photoshop then you can adjust some of the lighting that you may have missed on the track. Any editing program will allow you to crop pics to frame them better. On slow shutter mode, with the Nikon I shoot in CH (continuous high) mode. The great thing about digital, as long as you have a big memory card there's no issue of running out of space.

    When shooting at the track, I have the LCD screen turned off and use the viewfinder. Saves a ton of battery life.
    Last edited by nissannx; 05-31-2015 at 06:47 AM. Reason: Pics didn't show up.
    Frank - I drive a Nissan
    #259

  10. #10
    ALMS 2012-07-21 at 10-27-06 by Paul Figueiredo, on Flickr

    ALMS 2012-07-22 at 14-07-14 by Paul Figueiredo, on Flickr

    ALMS 2012-07-22 at 10-18-19 by Paul Figueiredo, on Flickr

    Sigma 2012-06-10 at 10-07-14 by Paul Figueiredo, on Flickr

    Nator 2012-04-14 at 15-51-16 by Paul Figueiredo, on Flickr

    Track photography can be a lot more then just the cars on track. There's a lot going on all over the place, don't forget to stop and smell the fuel. haha.

    To me it depends on what you want to illustrate with your photo, the blur shows motion. Sometime's that blur is from your camera moving when you want a stationary subject which is generally not desired. Sometimes it's a moving object and relatively stationary camera which can be more desired. Even if a photo doesn't come out the way you want it too loo at it and figure out what you would did and didn't like about it. Only then is it easier to correct it rather then shooting 10000 images and having 5 good ones you like.
    Paul Figueiredo - TRAKRAVN - 2015 Scion FRS

  11. #11
    Thanks for the advice guys, going to come out this weekend and practice what you have suggested!
    2013 WRB BRZ

  12. #12

    Played with TV mode today, big help

    IMG_9616 by Martyn Danby, on Flickr
    2013 WRB BRZ

  13. #13
    Great shot Martyn!
    2013 FRS - Daily enjoyed.

  14. #14
    heh that one is probably the highlight of 1500 photos taken today, at least for the slow shutter panning trick stuff. Found the auto focus actually did a fairly good job over all, I had it set to focus on what was targeted at center of viewfinder only. Your car looked a little drivers side heavy today... you may wanna have that looked at..

    IMG_9164 by Martyn Danby, on Flickr
    Last edited by MartynD; 06-06-2015 at 07:14 PM.
    2013 WRB BRZ

  15. #15

    Join Date
    Nov 2003
    Location
    Maple, Ontario
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    Nice shots!!

  16. #16
    Quote Originally Posted by MartynD View Post
    Your car looked a little drivers side heavy today... you may wanna have that looked at..

    IMG_9164 by Martyn Danby, on Flickr
    Your keen photography captured a naturally highly skilled driver adapting quickly to a new platform to load up the tires to their maximum using weight transfer skills honed over years of competition experience. There is nothing wrong with the suspension.


    Stephen - I drive Blue Subarus of the rally and track varietals.

  17. #17
    Quote Originally Posted by STeveD View Post
    There is nothing wrong with the suspension.
    Only issue is the size of the doors?
    2013 FRS - Daily enjoyed.

  18. #18
    Quote Originally Posted by wparsons View Post
    Only issue is the size of the doors?
    Yes, hard to fit the magnets. And next time please buy World Rally Blue so my tape matches. Kthxbye.

    Seriously, I had a hoot in that car! Wonderfully bolstered seat, Crisp and easy to feel gearbox, perfectly easy to catch rear end, and it taught me to unwind sooner. Thank you again!


    Stephen - I drive Blue Subarus of the rally and track varietals.

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