Running races...

TrailRunnerJim

I am taking photos at running races(trail or road races). I have a D5000 and using a AF-S DX VR 55-200mm F4-5.6G lens. Right now I am using these settings: Shutter-priority auto at 1/500, Matrix Metering, 3D tracking and focus mode at Continuous-servo AF. Are these settings a good start or should I try something else?:dunno

MXC Photos

TrailRunnerJim wrote:

I am taking photos at running races(trail or road races). I have a D5000 and using a AF-S DX VR 55-200mm F4-5.6G lens. Right now I am using these settings: Shutter-priority auto at 1/500, Matrix Metering, 3D tracking and focus mode at Continuous-servo AF. Are these settings a good start or should I try something else?

Your shutter speed should be high enough. May need to increase it some. I prefer spot-metering to matrix because I think it sort of isolates the subject in a way. I'm weird, though.

Biffbradford

I would bump that shutter speed up if you've got the light. More towards 1/1000.

time2smile

Welcome....

I looked at some of your galleries, and you have some good ones.
I am by no means qualified to CC, but what I noticed,
becareful of your backgrounds, they are a little distracting at times
try to fill the frame with the runners

If you have time to try different settings for some unique shots. Go to the next level and try panning at slower speeds to capture movement. Capture the eyes, and the expresions of what the runners are induring.


good luck..

TrailRunnerJim

Thanks time2smile, MXC Photos and Biffbradford for all the comments. I took some photos yesterday and bummping the shutter speed to 1/1000, filled the frame up and it really helped. Should have some photos up by tomorrow. I am still having depth of field problems. Sometimes the person is just not in focus. I really have to work on that.

time2smile

DOf issues, have you tried the viewnx software it can tell you were you are focusing on, it may help.

TrailRunnerJim

Here is the link funwithphotos.smugmug.com/Sports/2010-Chilly-Cheeks-72-mile to the photos I took on Sunday using some of the advice you posters gave me. I did some basic editing to them to make them look better or what I think looks better to me. Thanks for the advice and let me know what could better with them.

Gary752

Hi Jim! I took a look at your photos, and my only nit besides a few being a little soft on focus, is that just about all of them, you have the runner centered in the frame. I would leave a little room to allow the runner to run into the frame, meaning to give a little more space to camera left. Also a few where you cut off a foot. Other than that, nice job!

GaryB

TrailRunnerJim

Gary,
Thanks for taking a look. I did do some cropping - maybe to much. The soft focus and DOf are things I have some issues with. What do you do for soft focus? Do you use the 3D tracking for fast action?