# Motorsport Advice



## EddieB (May 13, 2006)

Okies - starting to get a hang of panning etc, finding the focus points of my 500D a little limiting now so thinking of getting a 7D soonish...

Now my question is - what am I doing wrong in the below photo.

Back of the car pin sharp - front of the car bit blurry


IMG_7805 by Ed Bookless, on Flickr

Taken at Cheveraux at Croft... is it due to my focus point? OR is it because the car is moving direction through the turn? Any suggestions to get all the car sharp? Looking for some constructive C&C.

Will post some of my set in the next week or so from Croft...


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## bretti_kivi (Apr 22, 2008)

are you on auto focus points? If so, why? I think that one really isn't focus, it's panning. And yes, they're moving differently, the key as far as I'm concerned is to have *something* sharp.

Can I see the EXIF? I'd err towards a combo of focus *and* panning, especially as "Visit weston supermud" is in focus and sharp. But maybe it's not panning, maybe it's just not a high enough shutter speed. 

- Bret


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## mk4gtiturbo (Jun 16, 2009)

I tried this earlier in the year with the Porsches at Thruxton. I got what I thought was a good shot but like you say one end of the car was blurred. I'm interested in the explanation to this as well.


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## EddieB (May 13, 2006)

bretti_kivi said:


> are you on auto focus points? If so, why? I think that one really isn't focus, it's panning. And yes, they're moving differently, the key as far as I'm concerned is to have *something* sharp.
> 
> Can I see the EXIF? I'd err towards a combo of focus *and* panning, especially as "Visit weston supermud" is in focus and sharp. But maybe it's not panning, maybe it's just not a high enough shutter speed.
> 
> - Bret


Nope - manually select the focus point... actually try to move my focal points around a bit to vary my shots a bit.

1/125
f 11
ISO100
232mm

Here is another example which highlights it even more:


IMG_8258 by Ed Bookless, on Flickr

1/80
f 13
ISO 100
297mm


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## bretti_kivi (Apr 22, 2008)

this happens a lot. You'll see it all over the place on my icetrack shots as the whole car is moving and unless you're hitting silly-high shutter speeds, you won't get it all stable. And then it starts to look a lot like it's parked on the track. It's in motion, so why don't you want to show this on the shot?

So get part of teh car in focus and sharp and *make it look like you wanted it that way* and everything else will follow. Of course, that's half the task. 

But that's then why you want to be in a position where you can get lots of the car in focus and at the side of corners isn't necessarily the best place for that. On the other hand, you have to take what you can get...

- Bret


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## EddieB (May 13, 2006)

Really shown in this case but I like the effect here:


IMG_2300 by Ed Bookless, on Flickr

1/125 f8.0 13mm


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## EddieB (May 13, 2006)

Cheers Bret - think I just need to be picky as to where I focus. 

Getting so self critical now with my motorsport shots - I spent a lot of the weekend trying to get my shutter speeds down low but shooting with such a heavy lens at 1/80th of a sec sees a crap keeper rate. All part of the learning curve!


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## bretti_kivi (Apr 22, 2008)

the icetrack superspecial album with a lot of shots is here: http://www.23hq.com/bretti_kivi/album/7485290

sample with exactly the same "issue"; the guy is in focus (focus slightly too far back) and crappy panning: 









HtH

- Bret


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## bretti_kivi (Apr 22, 2008)

EddieB said:


> Cheers Bret - think I just need to be picky as to where I focus.
> 
> Getting so self critical now with my motorsport shots - I spent a lot of the weekend trying to get my shutter speeds down low but shooting with such a heavy lens at 1/80th of a sec sees a crap keeper rate. All part of the learning curve!


Monopod?

And why so slow? I was running at 1/500+ on the rally and I'd do that again.

This is 1/800, f10 and "sort your own ISO", i.e. 800:









From here, I'd say that you're maybe trying too hard. Work on a specific issue and get it better. You can practice panning from a hill next to the A1.

One thing I have worked out - and I'm trying for a media pass for the WRC - is that you need to be able to get the best shots out NOW and you don't have the luxury of time. Which means taking fewer, good shots and 25-50% potential keeper rates. The picture editor can select what he wants.
I'm also seeing that I need to have a story behind a shot and a static "car on track" shot will not sell anywhere near as well as "fight club", accidents and spins. Which is the other reason I'll probably try and get to Ouninpohja 

- Bret


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## EddieB (May 13, 2006)

Yeah I borrowed a monopod which helped... suspect I've fallen into a trap where slower shutter speed the better.

I know I need to work on composition and making my photos a bit more interesting... hence why I've ended up with photos looking like this in my set - ridiculous I know!

It appears Croft is on a hill now! by Ed Bookless, on Flickr

Nice photo BTW!


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## durmz (Nov 2, 2010)

good advice I got recently with regards to panning is to have your feet pointing in the direction that your actually going to pull the trigger, so your not twisted up when clicking, and don't stop panning when you do click, easy not to notice that you've stopped the pan once you pushed the button, thinking that's it, jobs done, but you've got to keep that pan whilst the shutters open for the whole shot


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## EddieB (May 13, 2006)

durmz said:


> good advice I got recently with regards to panning is to have your feet pointing in the direction that your actually going to pull the trigger, so your not twisted up when clicking, and don't stop panning when you do click, easy not to notice that you've stopped the pan once you pushed the button, thinking that's it, jobs done, but you've got to keep that pan whilst the shutters open for the whole shot


Cheers - think my issue is more with shutter speed being to slow from what Bret is saying! And also something I sort of thought myself.

I've got bucket loads of sharp photos from the car bang infront of me - issue is more on the corners - where the action happens!


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## durmz (Nov 2, 2010)

cool. im yet to try motorsport photography, will have to give it a go soon, brands hatch isnt far from me so got no excuses


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## bretti_kivi (Apr 22, 2008)

durmz said:


> good advice I got recently with regards to panning is to have your feet pointing in the direction that your actually going to pull the trigger, so your not twisted up when clicking, and don't stop panning when you do click, easy not to notice that you've stopped the pan once you pushed the button, thinking that's it, jobs done, but you've got to keep that pan whilst the shutters open for the whole shot


I quite like that, but I'd extend it to say that you should be pointing in the direction you're shooting *all the time* and that as you rotate the cam on it's leg, you should be following through. I'd also tend to take a couple "too many", because sometimes you'll get stuff which wasn't intended but is pretty cool. 
Like this: (look at Loeb's hand!)










- Bret


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## EddieB (May 13, 2006)

durmz said:


> cool. im yet to try motorsport photography, will have to give it a go soon, brands hatch isnt far from me so got no excuses


I think the last BTCC race of the year is at Brands!

Was looking at getting to another BTCC race this year as I've been to Croft 4 times already in the last couple of months. Knockhill is probably the nearest track to me after Croft. All the others are 4 hours+ drive...


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