Tips for motorsport photography - Laguna Seca

[rudrasen]

Hi Folks,
I am off to the races !! The HONDA SUPERBIKE CLASSIC at Laguna Seca Raceway. I am riding there with my 10D :)
I would appreciate any tips or advice on shooting the fact action. I will practise my "panning" as the motorcycles zip past on the track.

(I know , I know , but I don't have a telephoto. )
So I going see what I can do with my 28-135 IS & my nifty fifty (50mm f/1.8)
One thing i read in my lens manual , was to turn of the IS for fast action photos. Any other general advice welcome.


Finally let me know if you want to meet up there at the track. 8)

[Mark Kemp]

Shooting bikes with the 28 -135, depends how close you can get to the track. Unless you are fairly close the bike will be quite small in the frame so you may have to go for a big crop and enlargement when you print.

The first thing is position, scout the track first and pick one or two good spots. Try to get a clear view with an uncluttered background. Bends are often easier as the bikes are slower and the leaning makes a good pic as well. Try to get the sun behind you, so that the bikes are well lit, on the 'down sun' side the shadows can go pretty black in the engine and underneath.

Panning is a good technique, I usually use 1/180 down to 1/60 (TV mode) adjust the ISO to give you say f4.5, 5.6 or 8 at the chosen speed. The slower the shutter the more blurred the background will be but the more you risk the bike being blurred too. Keep practising and the number of blur free bikes should improve. The trick is to pick up the bike before you want the shot, turn smoothly keeping the bike in the same place in the viewfinder (like under a focus spot) squeeze the button and keep turning until the bike is past. Oh yes and you are right turn IS off on the 28-135. It doesn't have panning mode IS. Also use Servo Autofocus not one shot.

The other option is to freeze the action, no blur or motion in the wheels at all. This is also good at bends, head on so you can't see the static wheels so much and especially if you are lucky enough to get an overtake on the bend. Shutter speeds should be higher, 1/250, 1/500 or faster, which will naturally give you smaller apertures f8 or f11 is often about right. Just focus a spot of track near the point you want the bikes in your picture before they arrive. This gives the autofocus least distance to travel, When the bikes arrive frame them up, let autofocus do its work and press the button. Also servo autofocus by the way. You can also use single shot focus on a spot on the track, hold the shiutter button halfwayand try to press the button as the bike passes that spot, this can be a good test of your reactions.

Two last pieces of advice. Don't just stick to what I or anyone else says here, try things out you will either find out why they don't work, find out what worked for you or discover a great new trick, in which case tell us! And finally you will inevitably get loads of duds with blurry or out of focus bikes or part of the bike chopped off. These are what the erase button is for - nobody gets this right all the time and the really good ones are very rare.

[rudrasen]

Thanks Mark,
that is a great advice. I will try it out today.
This forum is full of knowledgeable people!

-Rudra

[Mark Kemp]

No Problem,

I am just an amateur motorsports photographer, there are some pros around too, so perhaps they will be able to help as well.

In any case good luck, have a great day and don't forget to post the best ones in the critique section so we can all see.

[Belmondo]

I don't know if it's still possible to get up near the Corkscrew or not, but from the infield side you can get some good 'head-on' shots as the cars drop down in the short chute between turns 8 and 8A if you can get a position there. I haven't been to Laguna Seca for several years now, so I don't know if all the 'neat spots' are still accessible or not.

I used to drive that track at Porsche Club events (time trials, etc.). It's a fun place.

[SWPhotoImaging]

I'm with Belmondo. The Corkscrew is the best place for good pics at Laguna Seca. Standing near the bottom, you can catch a driver/rider leaning left and diving as they crest the hill, then quickly flipping to a right-hander, then a left. There's a reason that the sports networks set up their video cameras there.

Also, if the event is being filmed for TV, they often use helicopters, and when the pack comes over the hill, with the helicopter streaking sideways above them, cameraman hanging out the side, THAT makes for some impressive pictures.

Good luck!