Bike racing. First attempt at panning.

[shakin360]

Few pictures I shot today at a local event called "food, folks, & spokes". They have a bunch of different vendors there and have bike racing around the downtown area.

http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a137/actke/bikeweb.jpg

My first attempts at panning.

http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a137/actke/bike2web.jpg

http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a137/actke/bike3web.jpg

http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a137/actke/bike4web.jpg

[Pete]

The last shot is definitely the best for me, especially how you've picked out one rider in the middle and focused on him/her - makes the picture a story.

I also like the third, except for the pink pedestrian...

[narlus]

i like 'em. i think you did a nice job.

[chancheehow]

NICE!!!!!!!!!

[Amorous]

Background on the first one is a bit distracting. Instead of f/4.5, if you had used f/2.8, you could have got a better picture that had very good isolation from the background. The other shots are very nice.

[superdiver]

These turned out great...good job!

[erdavis]

These are great for a first attempt at panning. NICE!

[DxHatchback]

panning with bicycles is pretty tough, but it looks like you pulled it off pretty well

[Nidz]

Hey I think you did pretty well for your first try. Keep up the good work there.

[BIG H]

I've been working on panning shots too - but need ALOT more practice. I like #2 and #3. What kind of shutter speeds are you trying out?

[shakin360]

I've been working on panning shots too - but need ALOT more practice. I like #2 and #3. What kind of shutter speeds are you trying out?

For 2 & 3 I was using 1/100 shutter speed,~f/5, ISO 100. Using my 85 f/1.8 lens.

[Big WIll]

Good panning shame about some poor background! i know this cannot really be helped!
Keep it up!

[shakin360]

One more!

http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a137/actke/bike5web.jpg

[Nick C.]

First attempt at panning? Your just showing off. :)

Nicely done, I think they're all great shots!

[shakin360]

First attempt at panning? Your just showing off. :)

Nicely done, I think they're all great shots!

It was, I swear!

My wife kept asking why I kept turning my body (follwing the riders) when everyone drove by. She said I looked funny.

[Big Hands]

If some blur of the spokes was the first priority of your shots, then congrats on getting the desired effect. You have some nice shots there.

The problem for me is, although it's better than a total stop motion shot like this:

http://photos.imageevent.com/johansen01/letsgoracin/ucsbcycling21206/IMG_5375b.jpg

it shows the motion of the wheels, but doesn't really convey the speed at which they are travelling. Here is an example that shows both the motion of the wheels AND the speed at which he is travelling:

http://photos.imageevent.com/johansen01/letsgoracin/barrywolfe2006/Wolfe%20010a.jpg

And another that goes even further by showing the motion of the wheels, the speed at which he is travelling AND some motion of the rider's legs:

http://photos.imageevent.com/johansen01/letsgoracin/barrywolfe2006/Wolfe%20005a.jpg

A few suggestions if I may. Don't worry so much about the aperture settings as you do about about shutter speed and how close you are to the subjects (which determines the speed at which you are able to 'pan' the camera). I shoot in Tv Mode because shutter speed trumps other setting priorities when panning.

You can still get blurred and streaked backgrounds at f/11, in fact it makes it easier to reduce shutter speed by using smaller apertures. I have a number of nice pans from my EF-S 17-85 f/4-5.6 and many of my pans are taken as small as f/16 to f/22. So your kit lens may actually work well for this, as will any of the lenses you have.

I rarely exceed 1/80 when panning cycling and can get as low as 1/30. I do fire in bursts as the keeper rate for panning is not especially high and you can fire a five shot burst and everything was right in only one of them as far as getting the rider in focus. It's funny how sometimes one rider will be in focus with no blurring and another right next to them will be blurred regardless of focus:

This was taken at 1/30th sec. @ f/16 so there should be plenty of DOF

http://photos.imageevent.com/johansen01/letsgoracin/barrywolfe2006/Wolfe%20024a.jpg

Just a few suggestions , take 'em or leave 'em.

Regards,
Jeff

[INF SQD LDR]

Very nice shots. I've raced there before myself and that is a nice fast course.

[sm1rf]

Background on the first one is a bit distracting. Instead of f/4.5, if you had used f/2.8, you could have got a better picture that had very good isolation from the background. The other shots are very nice.

agree, would've given more impact