My Panning Technique is POOP

[Allen Mead]

It's offical. I went to Classics and Retro Car show today (instead of the DTM, long story) anyway, thought I'd have another crack at panning, I still can't get a sharp car!! lol, getting better, but it's not quite there yet, think I also need a bigger lens, the 70-200 f4 is a great lens, but just not got a far enough reach, anyway enough of the babbling, here's a few pics of cars going up the strip at santa pod.

Please do give c+c. I don't tend to use a mono pod either and shooting into the sun is a right git, I also tend to use only the centre AF point. exif is intact so I'll let the pics do the talking.

#1
http://www.allen-mead.co.uk/Classic_Retro_2006/IMG_8930.jpg

#2 - Probably my best pan of the day.
http://www.allen-mead.co.uk/Classic_Retro_2006/IMG_8935.jpg

#3
http://www.allen-mead.co.uk/Classic_Retro_2006/IMG_8938.jpg

#4
http://www.allen-mead.co.uk/Classic_Retro_2006/IMG_8954.jpg

Static pics aren't too much of a prob,

#5
http://www.allen-mead.co.uk/Classic_Retro_2006/IMG_9021.jpg

The rest of the series can be found here (http://www.allen-mead.co.uk/Classic_Retro_2006/index.html) Not sorted them out properly yet, just got them uploaded.

Thanks for looking!

[greg20d]

between compression and my panning technique I only have a few that I like ..its not as easy as the guys here make it look ...lol keep practicing ...between depth of fiels and shutter speed ... i only get a few ...sigh ....

[RadAL]

look decent to me, i was expecting blurry pictures.

[Dave_G]

look decent to me, i was expecting blurry pictures.

Same!

Panning is one of those things that is easy once you have practice. And that's all it takes, practice. Tuck your elbows in and pan smoothly with whatever you're tracking and hit the button gently or the camera dips and you're out of focus.

Hell even a fat novice like me can do it

1/20s with no sign of any IS lenses, just resized and USM added.

http://images17.fotki.com/v309/photos/1/105162/3497917/IMG_0055-vi.jpg

It's even doable with a 300D (no AI Servo Focus either!) - 1/100s

http://images12.fotki.com/v211/photos/1/105162/2591051/IMG_3809ps-vi.jpg


Practice practice practice mate.

[NordieBoy]

Easier if they're actually at a tangent to you (exactly side on).
Esp with the 300D :D

What focus mode - servo AF?

[Dave_G]

What focus mode - servo AF?

Always for anything that moves

[NordieBoy]

OK then, I'll qualify that question :D
Allen, what focus mode - servo AF?




Damn people getting in the road so you can't see the person you're talking to :rolleyes:

[Allen Mead]

Thanks for the comments guys :) Servo was 'AI Servo', used to take them using 'one shot'

[Dave_G]

Practice makes perfect. In my case this is obviously nonsense!

[Allen Mead]

Lol, I think my sensor will bust taking too many pics before I get to taking 'reasonable' pans.

Dave, IMHO, you always take excellent shots!

[rbush83]

Hello
1/320 is a little fast for pans. You may want to try out 1/200 and work down from there. It just takes a lot of practice to get your keeper ratio up. Try taking some where the car is perpendicular to you, i.e. just the side of teh car is in teh shot. Keep shooting and have fun with it!

1/160th
http://www.ryanetc.com/images/wera1/1160th.jpg

[Dave_G]

Dave, IMHO, you always take excellent shots!

Thanks Allen, some people accuse me of selling myself short! lol

What I found works for me is starting at a fairly high shutter speed (say. 1/400s) and when I got shots I was happy with just start dropping the shutter down buy a stop or so each time.

Reckon I could pan all day an 1/80s and get a handful at 1/50s.

1/20s is daft. hahaha
http://images17.fotki.com/v309/photos/1/105162/3497917/IMG_0055-vi.jpg

[R Mutt]

When I first started taking pics, I posted on a different webpage regarding techniques and got this response from a guy names Darron Spohn which looking back on is still sound advice.


One thing I've discovered that helps me pan is to pick a reference point such as a rider's wrist or a car's mirror and to keep that reference point in one place in the viewfinder while panning. Keep your arms to your sides so to help support the camera vertically. Take a breath, let it out part way and stop exhaling before you squeeze the shutter button. Be smooth in everything you do. I rotate at the hips as I pan.



Try to get either the motorcycle or the car at the apex of the corner, as that is where you'll get your best action. If the rider falls of the car spins you can follow the action and get some good art. Set your aperture and shutter speed manually. Different colors and reflections will throw off your light meter.


If you're selling directly to the participants you'll want to get as many knees on the ground as possible (motorcycles) or cars leaned over with the tails kicked out. If you're selling to publications you'll want to concentrate on the leaders and on racing action with more than one car/bike in the frame.

Of course, the standard lighting rules apply. Don't use straight-on lighting from directly behind your back. Try to get some shadows to bring out details. You'll be shooting in less than optimal lighting most of the time, so you need to move around the track during the day to take best advantage of the light. Try to get motorcycles leaning into the sun, and cars turning into the sun.