Sigh. If I only knew you when I was kart racing myself. I have images of me on the kart, but none with that type of motion in them. That photog was using too high a shutter speed on almost every shot I have from him.
The second image is of my son. He started kart racing at 5 years old and has competed off and on since. I hope to take a bunch of kart pictures next year, my work load will not be as heavy on the weekends. I have put my employer on a new work schedule. I'm only going to work 40 hrs/wk!
I tried doing this with my dogs running on the beach the other week, but couldn't work out how to get the dogs in focus ? I know it sounds stupid, but because they were either running towards me to away from me, and I couldn't predict where they were going to go, i couldn't get the auto focus to focus quickly enough, and when it did focus, the dogs where long gone! (and no, i can't manual focus faster than the auto! )
Is it possible to get this kind of effect on subjects where you can't predict their flow of movement? I'm assuming that you focus on where you know the subject will be before it actually gets there, keep the shutter button half way down to the camera keeps the focus setting, then pan and take the shot when the subject comes into the original focus frame? (does that make sense?! )
Here's an example of what i did get: (as you can see, dogs are blurry, background not so blurry! what did i do wrong???!!! )
I have done it with my dogs, it is not my goal, however. And the focus is never as sharp as with a go cart or race car.
Also, I am handholding in those situations, of course I am, like last night. Those are some of the best motion shots I have gotten. They are of my grandkids, at gymnastics, lens 80-300 mostly all out, I looked and I was handholding at about 1/30th. There is blur, blur can be good, shows action. I have IS, stability, on my lens, it will not let me pan easily.
I just want photos of the kids in a difficult situation. Hey, I remembered to put it on 1600 ISO for the shots, and I remembered to put it back to 100 ISO last night. That is big for me right there.
Dogs are harder, don't know why. Maybe because they do come "at" you. I have even read that digitals focus better at subjects moving horizontally rather than towards you.
I will look to see if I have any blurred dog shots. (They have to be on smugmug or I can't get to them, yet.) Don't want to look anyway. I do know that I usually stop action with them, the blurred ones are super blurred, not really appreciated all that much by most.
So, I will look for blurred dog shots (one dog might be easier than two), please look at my gymnastic shots......... I like them, think they came out very well considering.
Today is yucky, my daughter wants to walk around the Mall in DC. I just want to drive around it. I kinda thought cars were made to keep rain out and save leg work, especially since no shot here is going to even come close to a challenge shot. I love to use my car to "see" things.
I will be at a friend's tonight, probably no computer.
dogs, no blur
I know I have some, but they are not on smugmug. They are usually taken indoors, lower light, and I am just playing with the picture taking. This was taken last spring, before dgrin, before I learned frames were not the great things I had thought. I do like this framed.
IMO, the action here, lots of dogs running the fence, but the action is shown by the one dog, Skye (my heartdog) who is on the right side and is all out running. My dogs are Katie, Summer, Skye and Merry Chapel. My daughter owns Pugs, this is Charlotte daughter, not DC.
The "real" way to blur something, particularly the background, is to use a tripod, never have one with me, certainly don't care for it with the dogs. And you have it set up to pan with the dogs, cars, what have you. My subjects, as you mentioned, they are unpredictable. You can blur the background to show motion, blur the whole subject (see Earnest Haas work) or blur a part of the subject. In the case of gymnastics just let it blur. They are all proven techniques.
Most of my blurred dogs are playing at fighting, fun to watch.
Good Luck, I looked, please look at my gymnastic shots. Others will give you detailed ideas on how to blur your dogs, this is just my experience.
Moving bikes
*** Why are my links not working below? Sharing is turned on in that gallery! ***
Ok, I practiced a lot last night. Started at 1/250, worked down to 1/125. Took about 167 photos, kept about 21 as great pans, and another 30 as decent.
*** Why are my links not working below? Sharing is turned on in that gallery! ***
Ok, I practiced a lot last night. Started at 1/250, worked down to 1/125. Took about 167 photos, kept about 21 as great pans, and another 30 as decent.
I tried doing this with my dogs running on the beach the other week, but couldn't work out how to get the dogs in focus ? Here's an example of what i did get: (as you can see, dogs are blurry, background not so blurry! what did i do wrong???!!! )
Hi, Kate, I am on a friend's computer... real fast, I want to tell you I got bunches of blurred dogs. All you need to do is take the pictures too late at night and forget to set your ISO. Will post them after I return home. Cheers.
Ginger
Have a sec so will add that I took more pictures of the dogs this morning, same place, proper settings. Those dogs were chasing a ball super fast, Corgis who do agility. Even with the setting at cloudy, ISO 200, etc. Don't know the shutter speed, yet, had it on AV, won't upload til Sunday at my own home, but even doing everything I thought was right there is still blur.
If you have a dog that fast, lol. You start following them as they begin the run, pan and shoot the whole way. That way, you hopefully get some clarity to make the blurred background and feet acceptable.
I am quite happy with the pictures I got this AM, some totally unacceptable, but enough that I like to make me very happy. Big red ball being chased by the fastest Corgis I have ever seen.
ginger (Oh, to get blur you do need a slow enough shutter speed that goes with the amt of movement. Some people use filters, density or something. I just used fast dogs. )
[QUOTE=mercphoto
Ok, I practiced a lot last night. Started at 1/250, worked down to 1/125. Took about 167 photos, kept about 21 as great pans, and another 30 as decent.[/QUOTE]
Nice work Bill. Great pans and nice wheel motion. Looks like you have it nailed.
Ok, i took about 100 shots, and this is the only one i'm satisfied with! (and its not that great)
Am I limited in my ability to take these kinds of shots because my camera will only go from f2.8 - 8? I'm assuming if I could get a smaller appature, i could decrease the shutter spd even more? The lowest speed I could get was 1/80 and it still didn't blur all that much ........ ?
Ok, i took about 100 shots, and this is the only one i'm satisfied with! (and its not that great)
Am I limited in my ability to take these kinds of shots because my camera will only go from f2.8 - 8? I'm assuming if I could get a smaller appature, i could decrease the shutter spd even more? The lowest speed I could get was 1/80 and it still didn't blur all that much ........ ?
1/80 won't blur much for me, unless I have very fast dogs, :roll , and I still haven't checked the speed I used on them.
Have you tried as it gets darker, perhaps the shutter speed will get darker then.
I need about 1/30 to get blur, or lower actually. The blur is only happening while the shutter is still open, so with the camera on a tripod and a long time, like a second or so, you will get much more blur. That would be more than would suit me as I don't use a tripod much. But it would be great for car lights, race cars and stuff, with a tripod. Then you might want to try the shutter even slower. I don't know what your camera can do, but it will show the speed according to the light and the aperture, at that time. So you might get a slower speed with less light. Of course, you do need something to photograph, car lights would be good for experimentation?
Cletus pictures
I love the expression of the lady. You can really see that she has a good time. What a great shot. The blur is perfect, and you just inspired me... to use the whirly gig... Bright colors too. Everything matches in that photograph
my first attempt at motion blur... the shutter could be open for longer to get a better blur effect... but Im happy with it for a first time (and it was shot through a glass door).
Practice. Practice. Practice.
It's akin to skeet shooting.
For motor-racing/horses here's what I do:
I would suggest simply try shooting cars on a roadway to get the lateral/horizontal panning down pat (the idea being to maintain and follow through a horizontal plane whilst maintaining accuacy with your subject)
For example, with the motoracing shots I may keep a "target/focus" on the door number/roundell and follow through whilst shooting. I do not necessarily press the shutter button more than once or twice as with practice you should be able to simply follow through with your camera and simply "pink" (as in pinking) off a shot where you want it say in either mid arc (if subject is going through a corner) or in mid plane (if subject is running left to right).
Depending on your subject (because your panning has to match the relative "speed" of your subject and maintain the same spot through the sweep to enable either some or all of the subject to remain in focus whilst the background/whatever is blurred) your shutter speed will vary between say 1/60 through 1/250. This depends on whether you have IS or not, or have an incredibly steady hand (I do and have panned as low as 1/10 - see the Cavalia shot I posted).
But once you get this technque down it's incredibly useful and can create images that are so different because other compenents of the image take on a different "look"
Andrew
Great advice! I've played with it a few times, and noticed that beyond the required steady hand, the trick is figuring out the best shutter speed. As Mac said, it really does seem to vary according to the speed of your subject.... and your focal length.
I'm still not sure if this one works or not. There's something about it that I like.
And I like the idea behind this one... my wider shots with more people ignoring the guy never quite came together. As Andy's current sig quote says, you have to organize the elements properly for the shot to work.
And I must confess that when we did the motion blur Challenge, this one was was my favorite....
... even though I listened to feedback and ended up submitting this one instead.
I'm really grateful to Andy for having made Movement a Challenge. Without his prompting, I might never have tried shooting blur. As it is, I've become quite fond of it.
Sid, I really like this one, no clue why, seems to be the opposite of what we usually try to do, you know blur the background and keep the moving object in focus.
But I really like it.
And now I like the same one you did/do for that Challenge that I had forgotten all about, smile.
I'm still not sure if this one works or not. There's something about it that I like.
...
And I must confess that when we did the motion blur Challenge, this one was was my favorite....
I'm really grateful to Andy for having made Movement a Challenge. Without his prompting, I might never have tried shooting blur. As it is, I've become quite fond of it.
The top one really does work. I think the line of the ceiling curving down from the top left and the solitude of the vehicle add a lot. Your blur shots are just plain outstanding and I think I do agree with your choice of a favorite.
Andy's challenges were/are a great idea and you are right that just the existance of the challenge lets us think more. Even though I will not be participating in the challenges dierectly I will be offering my thoughts on photos and probably asking opinions on shots of my. The dynaics leading up to the selection and voting are where I see the highest level of benefit.
Charles Richmond IT & Security Consultant
Operating System Design, Drivers, Software
Villa Del Rio II, Talamban, Pit-os, Cebu, Ph
Comments
Hutch
Is it possible to get this kind of effect on subjects where you can't predict their flow of movement? I'm assuming that you focus on where you know the subject will be before it actually gets there, keep the shutter button half way down to the camera keeps the focus setting, then pan and take the shot when the subject comes into the original focus frame? (does that make sense?!
Here's an example of what i did get: (as you can see, dogs are blurry, background not so blurry! what did i do wrong???!!!
Kate
http://www.headintheclouds.smugmug.com/
www.headinthecloudsphotography.blogspot.com
Canon EOS 30D
Sigma 10-20
Canon 75-300 f4-5.6
Canon 18-55
Canon 50 f1.8
Canon 430EX
Also, I am handholding in those situations, of course I am, like last night. Those are some of the best motion shots I have gotten. They are of my grandkids, at gymnastics, lens 80-300 mostly all out, I looked and I was handholding at about 1/30th. There is blur, blur can be good, shows action. I have IS, stability, on my lens, it will not let me pan easily.
I just want photos of the kids in a difficult situation. Hey, I remembered to put it on 1600 ISO for the shots, and I remembered to put it back to 100 ISO last night. That is big for me right there.
Dogs are harder, don't know why. Maybe because they do come "at" you. I have even read that digitals focus better at subjects moving horizontally rather than towards you.
I will look to see if I have any blurred dog shots. (They have to be on smugmug or I can't get to them, yet.) Don't want to look anyway. I do know that I usually stop action with them, the blurred ones are super blurred, not really appreciated all that much by most.
So, I will look for blurred dog shots (one dog might be easier than two), please look at my gymnastic shots......... I like them, think they came out very well considering.
Today is yucky, my daughter wants to walk around the Mall in DC. I just want to drive around it. I kinda thought cars were made to keep rain out and save leg work, especially since no shot here is going to even come close to a challenge shot. I love to use my car to "see" things.
I will be at a friend's tonight, probably no computer.
Cheerio,
ginger
I know I have some, but they are not on smugmug. They are usually taken indoors, lower light, and I am just playing with the picture taking. This was taken last spring, before dgrin, before I learned frames were not the great things I had thought. I do like this framed.
IMO, the action here, lots of dogs running the fence, but the action is shown by the one dog, Skye (my heartdog) who is on the right side and is all out running. My dogs are Katie, Summer, Skye and Merry Chapel. My daughter owns Pugs, this is Charlotte daughter, not DC.
The "real" way to blur something, particularly the background, is to use a tripod, never have one with me, certainly don't care for it with the dogs. And you have it set up to pan with the dogs, cars, what have you. My subjects, as you mentioned, they are unpredictable. You can blur the background to show motion, blur the whole subject (see Earnest Haas work) or blur a part of the subject. In the case of gymnastics just let it blur. They are all proven techniques.
Most of my blurred dogs are playing at fighting, fun to watch.
Good Luck, I looked, please look at my gymnastic shots. Others will give you detailed ideas on how to blur your dogs, this is just my experience.
ginger
*** Why are my links not working below? Sharing is turned on in that gallery! ***
Ok, I practiced a lot last night. Started at 1/250, worked down to 1/125. Took about 167 photos, kept about 21 as great pans, and another 30 as decent.
More at: http://mercphoto.smugmug.com/gallery/258270
A former sports shooter
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Much better!!!
Good work....
Do you see how the images pop a little more? In post if you up the saturation and contrast they'll really jump out at you then...
Excellent...
Andrew
Next Race - MotoGP Donington
:ivar
Ginger
Have a sec so will add that I took more pictures of the dogs this morning, same place, proper settings. Those dogs were chasing a ball super fast, Corgis who do agility. Even with the setting at cloudy, ISO 200, etc. Don't know the shutter speed, yet, had it on AV, won't upload til Sunday at my own home, but even doing everything I thought was right there is still blur.
If you have a dog that fast, lol. You start following them as they begin the run, pan and shoot the whole way. That way, you hopefully get some clarity to make the blurred background and feet acceptable.
I am quite happy with the pictures I got this AM, some totally unacceptable, but enough that I like to make me very happy. Big red ball being chased by the fastest Corgis I have ever seen.
ginger (Oh, to get blur you do need a slow enough shutter speed that goes with the amt of movement. Some people use filters, density or something. I just used fast dogs.
Ok, I practiced a lot last night. Started at 1/250, worked down to 1/125. Took about 167 photos, kept about 21 as great pans, and another 30 as decent.[/QUOTE]
Nice work Bill. Great pans and nice wheel motion. Looks like you have it nailed.
TML Photography
tmlphoto.com
Sam
(I couldnt help but be drawn back to Elrond from Lord of the Rings)
Am I limited in my ability to take these kinds of shots because my camera will only go from f2.8 - 8? I'm assuming if I could get a smaller appature, i could decrease the shutter spd even more? The lowest speed I could get was 1/80 and it still didn't blur all that much ........ ?
Kate
http://www.headintheclouds.smugmug.com/
www.headinthecloudsphotography.blogspot.com
Canon EOS 30D
Sigma 10-20
Canon 75-300 f4-5.6
Canon 18-55
Canon 50 f1.8
Canon 430EX
Have you tried as it gets darker, perhaps the shutter speed will get darker then.
I need about 1/30 to get blur, or lower actually. The blur is only happening while the shutter is still open, so with the camera on a tripod and a long time, like a second or so, you will get much more blur. That would be more than would suit me as I don't use a tripod much. But it would be great for car lights, race cars and stuff, with a tripod. Then you might want to try the shutter even slower. I don't know what your camera can do, but it will show the speed according to the light and the aperture, at that time. So you might get a slower speed with less light. Of course, you do need something to photograph, car lights would be good for experimentation?
Am going home today. See ya all,
ginger
Loved it at the beginning. Lynnsite had something similar, I thought, for the last challenge. Love them all.
ginger
The second picture RAWKS! Great blur, but what an expression on her face!
Hutch
I love the expression of the lady. You can really see that she has a good time. What a great shot. The blur is perfect, and you just inspired me... to use the whirly gig... Bright colors too. Everything matches in that photograph
http://photocatseyes.net
http://www.zazzle.com/photocatseyes
Can you see the ghost passing in front of the cross?
Nir Alon
images of my thoughts
Nir Alon
images of my thoughts
Yvette
Great advice!
Catapultam habeo. Nisi pecuniam omnem mihi dabis, ad caput tuum saxum immane mittam
http://www.mcneel.com/users/jb/foghorn/ill_shut_up.au
Catapultam habeo. Nisi pecuniam omnem mihi dabis, ad caput tuum saxum immane mittam
http://www.mcneel.com/users/jb/foghorn/ill_shut_up.au
Catapultam habeo. Nisi pecuniam omnem mihi dabis, ad caput tuum saxum immane mittam
http://www.mcneel.com/users/jb/foghorn/ill_shut_up.au
And I like the idea behind this one... my wider shots with more people ignoring the guy never quite came together. As Andy's current sig quote says, you have to organize the elements properly for the shot to work.
And I must confess that when we did the motion blur Challenge, this one was was my favorite....
... even though I listened to feedback and ended up submitting this one instead.
I'm really grateful to Andy for having made Movement a Challenge. Without his prompting, I might never have tried shooting blur. As it is, I've become quite fond of it.
Catapultam habeo. Nisi pecuniam omnem mihi dabis, ad caput tuum saxum immane mittam
http://www.mcneel.com/users/jb/foghorn/ill_shut_up.au
But I really like it.
And now I like the same one you did/do for that Challenge that I had forgotten all about, smile.
But I like the car better.
ginger
Operating System Design, Drivers, Software
Villa Del Rio II, Talamban, Pit-os, Cebu, Ph
Andy's challenges were/are a great idea and you are right that just the existance of the challenge lets us think more. Even though I will not be participating in the challenges dierectly I will be offering my thoughts on photos and probably asking opinions on shots of my. The dynaics leading up to the selection and voting are where I see the highest level of benefit.
Operating System Design, Drivers, Software
Villa Del Rio II, Talamban, Pit-os, Cebu, Ph
yes, and you'd be surprised at how many folks tell me that i faked the blur on this shot
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