About panning techniques...how do they do it

[Gogu]

I shoot motorcycle races and events pretty often and i love it. I'm still kinda new to sports photography so i try to improve myself regularly. I've found these pictures some time ago...since then i'm trying to figure out how do they do it? :cry:

[Gogu]

:mad:

[Desertraptor]

Geen shots would have to be from another bike mounted camera i'd think

[Gogu]

So...on the first 3 shots...how can you get such a panning effect? I find it impossibile to shoot this from a standing position. Do they make these from another car running in paralell with the subject?
And as you can see some of them are shot at a low or very low angle (in some other shots you get the impression that the camera was set on the ground almost ) . How can they do this?

Are there any special supports with which you can keep the camera fixed in a position that would otherwise be impossible to take the shot from?

And what lens do they use...they don't look like teles to me...something like moderate telephoto or even wide-angle ?

And in the last 2 photos...it is clear that they were taken from a standing position. But again that very low angle, you ca n see the asphalt. How was this photo taken? WIth that type of lens, or how do you have to position yourself to get such a shot?

MAny thanks to whoever can explain these... :cool:

[elTwitcho]

I think you're looking at shots taken with two different techniques, which might be what makes things a bit confusing.

The "panning" shots as someone mentioned were taken from another vehicle. This is pretty clear based on the second shot where the bike is coming towards the camera, "into focus". There is no way to achieve that shot to my knowledge through panning while the background streaking shows the lense is moving when the shot is taken. Only logical explanation would be a camera mounted on a vehicle or taken inside a moving vehicle.

The "cornering" shots aren't pan shots at all, look at the background. They're just regular telephoto shos with a high shutter speed to capture the action and freeze it properly.

[GMosher]

I actually find the corner shots are shot at too high of a shutter speed. There is no motion at all in the wheels, but the shots are from a good prespective, and are still dramatic becuase of the lean. Those tires appear to be slicks, so again, it would be tough to show motion in that case.

The other images are defo mounted shots. You can build those rigs or buy them pre made. Think tripod'ish' device mounted with suction cups, and shutter released with remote.

[CyberPet]

First three shots looks like it's taken from a car driving at the same speed as the motor cycle, to create the feeling of movement while the MC is in perfect focus. The other three looks like they are taken with a tele lens.

If you stand on the ground yourself and want to pan to shoot a moving object, you normally pre-focus, since most focus systems doesn't do great job to pre-focus on a moving subject that both moves in from a distance and also from side to side. Then when the object comes into view, you follow the subject in your viewfinder and squeeze the trigger when you feel it has the right composition etc.

Here's a picture of a more slow moving subject, but using the same technique as I described.

http://the-halls.se/emil/images/DSCN2354.jpg

[Gogu]

The other images are defo mounted shots. You can build those rigs or buy them pre made.
I thought something similar...can you give me a link so i can see how these thingies look ? I wanna try doing some shots like that and probably i'll need these :rolleyes:
Thanks for the comments guys! But i'd like to know how big a lens would be necesarry to produce pictures like that (the corner shots i mean). Currently my biggest one is 300mm, maybe a 500-600 would do the trick? :p

[CyberPet]

The length of the lens is more depending on the distance you'll be from the subject, wont it?

[gmen]

It's a very interesting discussion Gogu. However, I feel you should have posted text links to the images in their original context rather than posting the actual images here. It took me a moment or two to work out that they were not actually your pictures... it's ethically incorrect in my opinion.

[Bosscat]

I actually find the corner shots are shot at too high of a shutter speed. There is no motion at all in the wheels, but the shots are from a good prespective, and are still dramatic becuase of the lean. Those tires appear to be slicks, so again, it would be tough to show motion in that case.


They are not slicks, thats for sure. I can see the grooves in the DOT tires.

[Motojoe_23]

The last two, while I am not a pro photographer, I have shot for a pro a bit, and they actally appear to be shot at Barber Motorsports park in the second to last turn on the track. they are not shot from low, but rather you need to be quite tall. It is the layout of the track that causes it to look that way. if it is the corner I am thinking of I have shot there for VHS photography. It is a BEUTIFUL track.

[Tlee05]

put up ur shutter speed?... by going to TV/M and using the little black turning thing at the front then the faster the shutter speed, the less blur plus - it might go dark with a fast shutter. So put up ISO and AV brightness button.