Scottish Motor Rally

canon400d

Here are some more shots I took of the Scottish International Motor Rally. I used a 40D with 17-55 2.8. C & C is very much welcomed as I have the Merrick Motor Rally through Glentrool forest in a couple of weeks. I am sure there is room for improvement so any help will really be appreciated.
Regards
Bob
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Jathnael

Only thing I was say is drop you shutter speed a little slower and you would be GTG.

canon400d

Jathnael wrote:

Only thing I was say is drop you shutter speed a little slower and you would be GTG.

Thanks Jathnael I will certainly do that. My real ignorance what is GTG?
Regards
Bob

moose135

I agree with Jathnael, a slower shutter speed, combined with a little panning, will give you a nice feel of speed. And I assume GTG means "Good To Go".

canon400d

moose135 wrote:

I agree with Jathnael, a slower shutter speed, combined with a little panning, will give you a nice feel of speed. And I assume GTG means "Good To Go".

Thanks Moose I really am gonna learn this panning which I have been told is the answer. The last time I tried it everything turned out blurred. Now I know what GTG means.
Regards
Bob

Jathnael

GTG = good to go..
Sorry, I am former military, sometimes it slips through with TLAs
TLA= Three Letter Acronym

BTW I am a huge rally dork

moose135

canon400d wrote:

Thanks Moose I really am gonna learn this panning which I have been told is the answer. The last time I tried it everything turned out blurred.

I usually keep my feet planted, and twist at the waist to follow the action. Just like with hitting a baseball or golf ball, you need to follow through on your motion - start tracking the car before you hit the shutter, and continue the sweep after you stop shooting to get a smoother motion.

I take it you're shooting with a 400D so you might want to set it to high speed (continuous) mode, and fire off a burst of four or five shots as the car goes past. At Pocono earlier this month, I spent some time working on panning shots - here's a sample:


And more from Pocono here:
http://www.moose135photography.com/Sports/NASCAR/Pocono-August-2009/9112600_C6RXZ/1/607333932_4xTcZ

Good luck - I look forward to seeing more of your shots. I like rally cars, I just wish there was somewhere close by I could go shoot them.

HoofClix

Bob,

Panning with autos is going to be the same as with horses, making sure that the camera and your upper body are solid but fluidly movable unit. Move your torso above the hips with the car, but also really concentrate on holding some part of the car very steady inside your focus target, squeezing off the shutter release. concentrate on not jerking the shutter, whichs jerks the camera. And follow through after your shutter releases.. (Same thing goes when you might be firing a pistol or a rifle, squeezing the trigger.) If you do this you will get steady subjects!

Actually, "squeezing" will make all of your shots better!

canon400d

moose135 wrote:

I usually keep my feet planted, and twist at the waist to follow the action. Just like with hitting a baseball or golf ball, you need to follow through on your motion - start tracking the car before you hit the shutter, and continue the sweep after you stop shooting to get a smoother motion.

I take it you're shooting with a 400D so you might want to set it to high speed (continuous) mode, and fire off a burst of four or five shots as the car goes past. At Pocono earlier this month, I spent some time working on panning shots - here's a sample:


And more from Pocono here:
http://www.moose135photography.com/Sports/NASCAR/Pocono-August-2009/9112600_C6RXZ/1/607333932_4xTcZ

Good luck - I look forward to seeing more of your shots. I like rally cars, I just wish there was somewhere close by I could go shoot them.

Thanks Moose for your advice on panning and I am looking forward very much to trying it out. I have looked at all your car shots and they are terrific indeed and I understand what you mean by a slower shutter speed. I am now using a 40D like you so there is no excuse and it is all down to me.
Regards
Bob

canon400d

HoofClix wrote:

Bob,

Panning with autos is going to be the same as with horses, making sure that the camera and your upper body are solid but fluidly movable unit. Move your torso above the hips with the car, but also really concentrate on holding some part of the car very steady inside your focus target, squeezing off the shutter release. concentrate on not jerking the shutter, whichs jerks the camera. And follow through after your shutter releases.. (Same thing goes when you might be firing a pistol or a rifle, squeezing the trigger.) If you do this you will get steady subjects!

Actually, "squeezing" will make all of your shots better!

Thanks a lot Mark. I assumed it would be somewhat similar to horses. I haven't been able to try it out yet but hopefully on Sunday at the Hunter trials weather permitting.
Is it best panning standing up? The reason I ask is because the majority of my Dalston show jumping shots and the shots I took at this car rally I was squatted down below there eye level. Can I still pan in this position or would I be waisting my shots?
Regards
Bob

Jathnael

as long as you can track the subject with your camera, then go for it.

canon400d

Jathnael wrote:

as long as you can track the subject with your camera, then go for it.

Thanks ever so much Jathnael I certainly will and I will remember this post whilst I am doing it.
Regards
Bob

HoofClix

canon400d wrote:

Is it best panning standing up?

Pan while standing allows the legs to be part of the motion. Everything from the bottom of the ribs up is a single rotating-panning unit..

canon400d

HoofClix wrote:

Pan while standing allows the legs to be part of the motion. Everything from the bottom of the ribs up is a single rotating-panning unit..

Thanks Mark.
Regards
Bob