First race photos.

TylerW · June 6, 2006

Two weekends ago I got my first sports photo credentials to shoot the 3rd round of AFM motorcycle club race series at Sears Point (Infineon Raceway). Now, with these photos are a lot of shoulda/woulda/couldas. I should have been shooting on a better lens, I should have used a polarizing filter, etc.

As it is, I shot these on my Canon 10d and a sigma 70-300 f/4-5.6 DG. Given the limitations of the lens, I'm actually quite pleased with what I got out of the day. But, please, give me critiques. I'll be doing a lot more of this in the future.

That's a few gems from the day. all of the rest are here:
http://exactingscience.smugmug.com/gallery/1510895/1

Critis welcome and encouraged!

Daddio · June 6, 2006

Just a few quick suggestions.

I prefer to either have the entire bike in the frame or, as an alternative, shoot very tight . Just chopping off a part of a wheel does not work for me.

You focus looks good though!

Thanks for sharing them!

zed · June 6, 2006

I'd have to agree with Daddio. Tough to fill the frame with the bike just right. I know I've chopped them too. The other thing I would suggest, is to watch your shutter speeds. I glanced through some shots on your site and some seem a bit high. Most in this post look good except for the yellow and green Kawi. Try to keep some motion in the wheels. It looks like most of your shots were in the turn 9 area. The Kawi for example, I think would have worked better shot between 1/125 and 1/250. Maybe 1/320...I know that is a pretty slow part of the track so that might be pushing it.

Nice work though, good exposure and focus. Look forward to more. Congrats on getting your first credentials. Who were you working for?

Jeff

TylerW · June 6, 2006

zed wrote:

Nice work though, good exposure and focus. Look forward to more. Congrats on getting your first credentials. Who were you working for?

Jeff

I Was just shooting as a hobbyist. Safety issues aside, AFM is pretty lax about credentials. Adhere to the dress code, check in with the corner workers when you move to a new location, and present yourself professionally and the day is yours to shoot all you like.

As for the shutter speeds, I was winding my speeds up to do too things - I wanted to make sure the frame was stable and free from frame jitter as I was panning, and I wanted to keep my aperture as open as I could to make the most of my DOF.

Definitely will need to keep the bike locked in the frame for my next outing - but to some degree I don't mind that some of the wheel is missing - perhaps its less academic, but I feel it lends a bit of creative composition. Giving some "lookspace" for the rider to move into, like I'm doing in the first shot.

Antonio Correia · June 6, 2006

Many photos have a bit truncated. I would like to see the hole machine...
The 7.th is the best for me.
All are excellent. Very good work.
But the photo number 7 ... It is not good. It is SUPER GOOD

thumb

mercphoto · June 6, 2006

I like your angles and composition. Nice work when tilting the camera. I agree to either crop tight or keep the entire bike in the frame. That is hard to learn to do and I struggled with it. I'm curious as to why you thought you should use a polarizing filter? I think I would just find it cumbersome to use in an action environment where I'm changing my camera tilt often.

TylerW · June 6, 2006

mercphoto wrote:

I like your angles and composition. Nice work when tilting the camera. I agree to either crop tight or keep the entire bike in the frame. That is hard to learn to do and I struggled with it. I'm curious as to why you thought you should use a polarizing filter? I think I would just find it cumbersome to use in an action environment where I'm changing my camera tilt often.

I've never used a polarizer before, but my ideal with using it is that I'd like to use it to manage the glare and highlights so I can keep more detail in my shadows. Also so I can get some different angles next time that have some sky in them, without the sky getting overexposed.

Antonio Correia · June 6, 2006

TylerW wrote:

I've never used a polarizer before, but my ideal with using it is that I'd like to use it to manage the glare and highlights so I can keep more detail in my shadows. Also so I can get some different angles next time that have some sky in them, without the sky getting overexposed.

I do not know much about polarizers but I know you should be aware about their use because they do not work as in film cameras.
I have had one boroght for my 16~35 and it did not worked at all...

xtnomad · June 6, 2006

Nice Shots
I like the perspective with the angles, I will try some on my next outing. I hate to agree with the whole bike in the shot but I think it looks best to me also. If you are selling the pics. see what you riders like best and go from there. The panning looks great seems you have that down, it is the hardest part with track shots. The polarizer, I would not spend the money I shot in bright sun also and found it just slowed my settings, just work it in post prosessing.

TylerW · June 6, 2006

xtnomad wrote:

I like the perspective with the angles, I will try some on my next outing. I hate to agree with the whole bike in the shot but I think it looks best to me also. If you are selling the pics. see what you riders like best and go from there. The panning looks great seems you have that down, it is the hardest part with track shots. The polarizer, I would not spend the money I shot in bright sun also and found it just slowed my settings, just work it in post prosessing.

The goal is to make sellable images to stave away some of the financial impact of ths hobby. I'm not going to try and make any money with this batch though - not until I get some better glass. That's in the works though.

I used to do panning shots at smaller track events with my Canon G3, and that's actually a lot harder to do with an LCD screen than it is to just stick your face against a viewfinder. That's what prompted the switch to a dslr. At least it got my chops down pretty well, but there's always room for improvement!

ian408 · June 6, 2006

I agree with most of what's already been said. And I'd like to add that a
bit more 'punch' to the color would be a nice addition.

mercphoto · June 7, 2006

Antonio Correia wrote:

I do not know much about polarizers but I know you should be aware about their use because they do not work as in film cameras.

Off-topic, but I believe the above is inaccurate. I see no reason for a polarizer to behave differently on film versus digital. Back to topic I also believe using a polarizer for action photography will be too much hassle. Polarizers don't tend to be something you can adjust quickly to changing conditions.

Antonio Correia · June 7, 2006

mercphoto wrote:

Off-topic, ...

I know it was off topic, but would I create one for this ?
I just wanted him not to buy a filter which would have no use ...

mercphoto · June 7, 2006

Antonio Correia wrote:

I know it was off topic, but would I create one for this ?
I just wanted him not to buy a filter which would have no use ...

Point taken. But, circular polarizers definitely DO work on digital cameras. In fact it is generally regarded as the only filter a digital photographer actually needs. All other filters can be replicated in post-processing, but circular polarizers certainly do work on digital cameras, and its effect cannot be replicated in post-processing.

Antonio Correia · June 7, 2006

mercphoto wrote:

Point taken. But, circular polarizers definitely DO work on digital cameras. In fact it is generally regarded as the only filter a digital photographer actually needs. All other filters can be replicated in post-processing, but circular polarizers certainly do work on digital cameras, and its effect cannot be replicated in post-processing.

You are probably right. I have been investigating and I decided not to buy.
Are you absolutely sure about that ?
I shoot many landscapes and could use one with benefits...
Out of point again.
Better make a thread.
Thank you.

mercphoto · June 7, 2006

Antonio Correia wrote:

Are you absolutely sure about that?

Yes.

First race photos.

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