First attempt at motorsport pics

[stiscooby]

Last weekend at the BTCC event at Silverstone I used my 350D camera for the first time with my recently purchased 70-300mm IS lens.

I’m a beginner at this photo lark so this was the first time I have ever had a go at motorsport/panning etc. I went with what most people seem to use and had the camera in “Shutter Priority” mode (well apart from the last two car pics where I didn’t realise I had hit the dial and set it to “Aperture Priority”:oops: ). The pics are as they came out of the camera, apart from a resize & crop for a couple to get rid of the top of a fence, and a bit of “auto levels” in Photoshop for the Porsche pics (I wasn’t in a very good position and the sun was pretty much hitting me head on).

The couple of the BTCC cars aren't really too great as I was up in a stand at the time!


I was just after some comments really (don’t be too harsh :D ) and maybe any pointers that would help me in the future?

Thanks ;)

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y112/stiscooby/IMG_0846.jpg (shame about the other guys head!)

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y112/stiscooby/IMG_0867.jpg

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y112/stiscooby/IMG_0856.jpg

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y112/stiscooby/IMG_0906.jpg

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y112/stiscooby/IMG_0900.jpg

[Dave_G]

the first Porsche is right on the money

[Kevin]

Nice work for your first attempt. I do agree with Dave, the Porsche shot is right-on.

[petrolhead]

Great shots for a first attempt. I am still practising.

The first porsche is cock on

[andrewc]

First Porsche one is great. The second Porsche and the two BTCC cars suffer from too fast a shutter speed 1/400s but you've already realised the problem with Aperture Priorty mode.

The portrait would have benefited from holding the camera vertically in the classic portrait style, which would have helped with the framing and including more of the baseball cap. Ugly brute though - is that Matt Neal?

[PeteDyer]

Bit of a trend here, beautiful Porsche shot mate

[stiscooby]

Thanks for your comments guys ;)

Yes that is Matt Neal, I didn't even think about holding the camera up the other way at the time, I was concentrating more on battling my way through the scrum of people at the time so had to take a few quick shots before I got barged out of the way :lol:

On my next outing I will try to keep the shutter speed lower, as I managed to do on the first Porsche pic, I think I had it set to 200…. Is this speed generally ok or can I go even slower?

[andrewc]

For a pan like the Porsche, with practise you can get really really slow pans, whether its justified is a matter for debate, but about 1/60s is consistently achievable.

For a 3/4 shot, then maybe 1/250.

Unfortunatley motorsport in the UK hibernates shortly so you won't get too much practise in until Spring...

[stiscooby]

Yes thats the problem now, most motorsport in the UK is coming to an end for the year.

Thanks for you comments on the shutter speeds ;)

[cA70]

the first Porsche is right on the money

+1!