Rolling shots..

[John Thawley]

Since a shot on another post generated quite a bit of interest and discussion, I thought I'd put up a few more rolling car-to-car shots.

http://gallery.johnthawley.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=108064&g2_serialNumber=1

http://gallery.johnthawley.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=108066&g2_serialNumber=2

http://gallery.johnthawley.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=108058&g2_serialNumber=1

http://gallery.johnthawley.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=108060&g2_serialNumber=1

http://gallery.johnthawley.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=108062&g2_serialNumber=1

http://gallery.johnthawley.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=108056&g2_serialNumber=1

http://gallery.johnthawley.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=73704&g2_serialNumber=2

[tomd]

Very nice shots. I like the car to car affect.
What kind of car is that in shot #5?

[John Thawley]

Very nice shots. I like the car to car affect.
What kind of car is that in shot #5?

Bugatti Veyron

[totalphoto]

I would clean your camera before taking more AWSOME shots like that! Love them all, nice work!

[totalphoto]

John will you cover the American Le Mans at Mosport? My friend called me tonite to plan that trip.

[John Thawley]

I would clean your camera before taking more AWSOME shots like that! Love them all, nice work!

:) Why? Do you see sensor dust?

Sure, I'll be in Mosport.

JT

[totalphoto]

#1-2-3 on the right, #2 top left and right. Bottom 4 are good.

[totalphoto]

Maybe we will see you there? I will keep in touch!

[John Thawley]

LOL - That's what the spotting tool is for. Believe me, I could spend more time chasing sensor dust than most people spend shooting. I took a brand new camera out of a box at the Gran Am Miller race last year... with self cleaning sensor... you guessed it... sensor dust first time out.

The problem with these shots is magnified due to shooting so slow and banging up against f/22 on the aperture... that small of an aperture shows EVERYTHING. You just learn to live with it and do the best you can. If an image is going out, you spot them out.

I'll be at Mosport... pretty heavy work load this year though. I'm slammed... which is a good thing. :)

JT

[totalphoto]

Too funny!
Take care...
Leon

[pitslave]

Nice pictures!

[matthew h]

great pics - number 3 for me

[photonick]

Wow, what a great opportunity to have these machines working for you :D. Great shots! No 4 is my pick of the bunch. What is it? Not something we see in UK!

[jakedoguk]

photo nick thats the Bugatti Veyron one was written off in an accident in chertsey Surrey last year photos are the bbc web site link http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/in_pictures/6423241.stm

[photonick]

photo nick thats the Bugatti Veyron one was written off in an accident in chertsey Surrey last year photos are the bbc web site link http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/in_pictures/6423241.stm

No, thats 5 :p

[neil_g]

cool shots..

a bit random but i once had a magazine 'togger hanging out of the boot (trunk) of my car at a track day.

[pitslave]

Wow, what a great opportunity to have these machines working for you :D. Great shots! No 4 is my pick of the bunch. What is it? Not something we see in UK!

I believe its a Z06 Corvette. http://lgmotorsports.com/mambo/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=12&Itemid=29

[jakedoguk]

opps i'm bad cant,t count

[throw_n_gas]

JT,

I noticed the shutter speed to be between 1/40 and 1/60 @ Tv. Do you change the shutter speed to match the speed of the car(s) or is the 1/40-1/60 the sweet spot for most rolling shots? I read (somewhere, maybe here) that rule of thumb was shutter speed=MPH example 1/40 = 40 mph of car(s)

I know these are real tough shots to nail.


Thanks for taking the time to share your work. Great shots as always!

Rick

[keegsmeister]

JT,

I noticed the shutter speed to be between 1/40 and 1/60 @ Tv. Do you change the shutter speed to match the speed of the car(s) or is the 1/40-1/60 the sweet spot for most rolling shots? I read (somewhere, maybe here) that rule of thumb was shutter speed=MPH example 1/40 = 40 mph of car(s)

I know these are real tough shots to nail.


Thanks for taking the time to share your work. Great shots as always!

Rick

Interesting point Rick, I'd like to know that too.

Could I ask a newb question John, did you use a second car to take these shots? If so, were you glancing out a sunroof/out a window/using a rig?

I'd appreciate your comment on this :)

Thanks,
Keegan

[John Thawley]

JT,

I noticed the shutter speed to be between 1/40 and 1/60 @ Tv. Do you change the shutter speed to match the speed of the car(s) or is the 1/40-1/60 the sweet spot for most rolling shots? I read (somewhere, maybe here) that rule of thumb was shutter speed=MPH example 1/40 = 40 mph of car(s)

I know these are real tough shots to nail.


Thanks for taking the time to share your work. Great shots as always!

Rick

I may have said that on a post at some time. It does seem to follow suit. But, in reality, you're trying to get as slow a shutter speed as you can to get more blur... but... in essence, this is a still shot... not a pan shot. You have to try and hold the camera still. Well, believe me... a moving vehicle as your base platform gives new meaning to the term "tremble." So... you're really running a risk going under 1/40th. So, by increasing the speed of both vehicles, you can squeeze out a little quicker shutter and still get blur. Track features make a difference too. If you can pick up trees overhead... or the gator strip curb... you can emphasize it a bit. Notice the ground closest to the camera shows more blur? So, that's why you'll want to shoot as wide as you can and really have the race car pull up. I've actually touched the car at speed while doing this. :)

So, yes... a good starting point is try to match shutter and speed... typically race cars don't do well under 60mph. Street cars you can shoot slower.. but race cars will overheat.

Lastly, the slower shutter also will produce a smaller aperture. If you top out at f/22, you need to watch for blown highlights.

Best advice... shoot a lot. Don't stop... get as many frames as you can. I regret in the last session I did, I forgot to use the new "live view" feature. With the big viewing screen and shooting at 17mm, I think I could have manage a bit more variety in the compositions. Often I'll hang the camera low and shoot blind... checking the preview now and then. So, next time I'll definitely use "live view."

Thanks,

JT

[John Thawley]

Interesting point Rick, I'd like to know that too.

Could I ask a newb question John, did you use a second car to take these shots? If so, were you glancing out a sunroof/out a window/using a rig?

I'd appreciate your comment on this :)

Thanks,
Keegan

Keegan: These are done as what we call car-to-car. I'm in a chase vehicle... while the driver of the race car follows in a predetermined manner. I'm lying on my stomach in a van or SUV.

Rig shots are completely different. With a rig shot, you'll mount the camera to an extended structure that sticks out about 8ft or so and is actually attached to the car. Typically... from the bottom. You Photoshop out the "rig" later. The difference with a rig shot is you're not doing anything at speed. You're using an extremely slow exposure and simply rolling the car a few feet. Maybe even towing the car with a golf cart. The blur is created by the camera's movement over a 1 second exposure or something to that effect.

John

[throw_n_gas]

I may have said that on a post at some time. It does seem to follow suit. But, in reality, you're trying to get as slow a shutter speed as you can to get more blur... but... in essence, this is a still shot... not a pan shot. You have to try and hold the camera still. Well, believe me... a moving vehicle as your base platform gives new meaning to the term "tremble." So... you're really running a risk going under 1/40th. So, by increasing the speed of both vehicles, you can squeeze out a little quicker shutter and still get blur. Track features make a difference too. If you can pick up trees overhead... or the gator strip curb... you can emphasize it a bit. Notice the ground closest to the camera shows more blur? So, that's why you'll want to shoot as wide as you can and really have the race car pull up. I've actually touched the car at speed while doing this. :)

So, yes... a good starting point is try to match shutter and speed... typically race cars don't do well under 60mph. Street cars you can shoot slower.. but race cars will overheat.

Lastly, the slower shutter also will produce a smaller aperture. If you top out at f/22, you need to watch for blown highlights.

Best advice... shoot a lot. Don't stop... get as many frames as you can. I regret in the last session I did, I forgot to use the new "live view" feature. With the big viewing screen and shooting at 17mm, I think I could have manage a bit more variety in the compositions. Often I'll hang the camera low and shoot blind... checking the preview now and then. So, next time I'll definitely use "live view."

Thanks,

JT


JT,

Thanks for taking the time to share your techniques. A great read.

Rick

[John Hudson]

The third shot is amazing. A great sense of speed and fine background.
John.

[Tifosi2k2]

John,

Very nice. I really need to try something like this some day.

That third shot... of the Mazda LMP... was that at Mid-Ohio? Looks like turn 10-ish...?

-Chris

[ungwaha]

John,

Very nice. I really need to try something like this some day.

That third shot... of the Mazda LMP... was that at Mid-Ohio? Looks like turn 10-ish...?

-Chris

I was thinking Roebling Road in Savanaha, GA turn 6 into 7.

[John Thawley]

John,

Very nice. I really need to try something like this some day.

That third shot... of the Mazda LMP... was that at Mid-Ohio? Looks like turn 10-ish...?

-Chris

It was a tire test at Mid-Ohio.

JT

[Sonic Infidel]

Those are fantastic! I wish I knew someone with a nice car so I could try my hand at this technique.

Keep up the good work, and thanks for sharing!

[imager993]

I wish I knew someone with a nice car so I could try my hand at this technique.

Practice with a normal car so that when you do have the chance to work with a nice car, your technique will be better. Same thing with panning. Practice on a busy street so that when you get to the race track or get a shoot with a nice car, you will already be one step ahead. :)