DSS #33, getting an early start

Smithy

Allright, since my #32 submission stank, let's try this again.

The theme is "Movement". Well, nothing moves me like a good ride in the mountains. I used my Film Simulation Bracketing to try and get a mix of sensitivities in the camera, and here are the 4 best of today's attempt.

Please feel free to comment and critique, it's the only way I'll ever learn anything here.










Thanks for looking, and please tell me what you love & hate about it.

ghinson

Nice early start. Of the four, I think the third one works best for me. Not totally sure this is the best expression of movement, however. The only motion-implying blur is through the wheel and on the immediate foreground. If there was some way to frame this picture with the bike in stop-action but the background blurred by motion, it would better express the movement. But I cannot immediately think of how you would do this while riding. (And I do not want to be responsible for you trying.)

Smithy

Yeah, getting these was hairy enough, and involved a tripod, bungee cords, and a bit of contortion to hit the switch when I wanted it.

lizzard_nyc

You know, you'd think that you'd see a whole lot of motion on these shots, but it's just not there except for a small area where the tire meets the gravel.

Um and I have to say SAFETY FIRST!!!

Halite

Agree with the "safety first" comment!

I like the concept, but think it needs more motion blur in the pavement and either more detail in the bike or a more interesting silhouette of the bike components. For example, where the road shows through the wheel on #3 is good, but just not enough.

rhommel

imo, just the fact the the picture was taken during a bike ride, already suggests 'movement'. The theme did not ask for a lot of movement

Smithy

Don't worry, I won't risk my own skin just to get a picture... I was more concerned for the camera (which I just got 3 weeks ago) than myself, and picked this road specifically because it's not very busy. Pics were taken anywhere between 30 and 50 mph... more speed equals more blur, of course, and I think I'll study the settings a little more and try a re-shoot. I can extend the camera out more, at a slightly higher level (up 1.5 feet), but I'll need a remote usb trigger to make it happen at that speed. I can set up one shot at speed with the 10 second timer, but I want to be able to hit the trigger multiple times without stopping first.

Thanks for the comments so far! I really appreciate them.

Smithy

Allright, I just ordered the remote trigger... we'll try this again next week with a better perspective of the bike and rider, hopefully.

richtersl

Smithy wrote:

Allright, I just ordered the remote trigger... we'll try this again next week with a better perspective of the bike and rider, hopefully.

:lurk

Can't wait to see that one.

DsrtVW

Also the slower the shutter speed the more blur you will get. Have any neutral density filter? I just went and looked at the camera you are shooting I do not know if it takes those filters. But it should have shutter priority setting. Do be safe

Smithy

I have 3 Tiffen 67mm filters - a circular polarizer, a UV filter, and a warming filter (812). I've been running with the UV and polarizer on as a default lately.

angevin1

This was the only idea I had floating around in my mind. After seeing your results, I would tend to think

1. closer to the ground might be helpful: For trippy perspective.

2. Cannot help but wonder what it might look like having a car next to you shooting your shadow scooting across the pavement (Late Sun)? Or your well defined shadow blurring across some vertical rock surfaces??

~~Just thoughts~

Smithy

angevin1 wrote:

This was the only idea I had floating around in my mind. After seeing your results, I would tend to think

1. closer to the ground might be helpful: For trippy perspective.

2. Cannot help but wonder what it might look like having a car next to you shooting your shadow scooting across the pavement (Late Sun)? Or your well defined shadow blurring across some vertical rock surfaces??

~~Just thoughts~

#1, maybe, but I think I'd try a passenger with me to hold the camera on a tripod and "fish" for the shot, which means then I wasn't the one to take it. Hard-mounting on a motorcycle means allowing for all lean angles for safe driving, and I'd hate to scrape off my rig.

#2 is easy to self-portrait, and is not all that uncommon over on the motorcycle forums. Catching your own shadow in the wheat, or on the rocks, or whatever, is a common theme from many ride reports. I'm looking for the shot that makes you say, "how the heck did he get that one?"

Robinivich

I agree with most of the comments here, a little more blur is needed, and try a time of day with a little more colour if possible, sometime earlier or later in the day, with a slanting, coloured light.

#1 is my favourite of these, because of the lean of the bike, I can imagine you starting to lean into the next bend, it implies the motion very well.

Smithy

Robinivich wrote:

I agree with most of the comments here, a little more blur is needed, and try a time of day with a little more colour if possible, sometime earlier or later in the day, with a slanting, coloured light.

#1 is my favourite of these, because of the lean of the bike, I can imagine you starting to lean into the next bend, it implies the motion very well.

Thank you for your comments... and it was getting close to sunset here, but I can wat for a little more color on the re-try. I need to figure out how to force the exposure to be slower, too, at least a little.

Robinivich

Smithy wrote:

Thank you for your comments... and it was getting close to sunset here, but I can wat for a little more color on the re-try. I need to figure out how to force the exposure to be slower, too, at least a little.

I see you had your camera set to auto-exposure for this one, the mode that will work best for you here is "S" or shutter priority auto-exposure, this way you can set how long you want the shutter open for. Your #1 picture was taken at 1/480 of a second, which is pretty fast, and explains why there's not a lot of blur, with your camera set to S, dial it to a slower speed, even as low as 1/60 or 1/30, and try a bunch of settings. Have fun!

Smithy

Robinivich wrote:

I see you had your camera set to auto-exposure for this one, the mode that will work best for you here is "S" or shutter priority auto-exposure, this way you can set how long you want the shutter open for. Your #1 picture was taken at 1/480 of a second, which is pretty fast, and explains why there's not a lot of blur, with your camera set to S, dial it to a slower speed, even as low as 1/60 or 1/30, and try a bunch of settings. Have fun!

That's what I'm on the hunt for now, exposure settings. I have some ideas for night shots, too, that would benefit from better control over this.