how to shoot a bike race???

[buddhamonk]

My brother was racing today and I wanted to take good pictures but ended up with this stuff....

how do you focus: I initially used AI servo with center point focus but then decided to use "one shot"

should I even use center point?

also how do you achieve this effect -

http://photos.oregonvelo.com/p/mhcc080men/mhcc08stg028829

the biker is frozen but nothing else. I guess you have to span but how do you then keep the biker in focus? do you have to use manual focus?

All the help possible is appreciated because my brother races every week for the rest of the summer so I'll get plenty of practice.

1.
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y290/Buddhamonk1/nonovelo/nonovelo-4.jpg

2.
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y290/Buddhamonk1/nonovelo/nonovelo-18.jpg

3.
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y290/Buddhamonk1/nonovelo/nonovelo-8.jpg

4.
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y290/Buddhamonk1/nonovelo/nonovelo-33.jpg

5.
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y290/Buddhamonk1/nonovelo/nonovelo-6.jpg

[buddhamonk]

a bit of explanation - I was shooting mostly 1/100, f/2 with my nifty fifty 50mmf/1.8
I lowered the aperture to get the fastest shutter speed possible - I guess that means focus would be a problem but should be able to get a sharper image. Am I wrong? should I lower shutter speed to get the panning effect and increase aperture to achieve better focus?

also how would you crop this picture - I know that sign is UGLY! but if the orange sign wasn't there - how would you crop it to get the best effect...
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y290/Buddhamonk1/nonovelo/nonovelo-15.jpg

[buddhamonk]

losers walk....better luck next time

same goes for me with those pictures so I was walking behind him...=(

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y290/Buddhamonk1/nonovelo/nonovelo-32.jpg

[Shutterbug Doug]

Use AIservo and centerpoint to focus and try to get in interesting positions. Don't think you'll be able to pull of much with the kit lens though.

http://i255.photobucket.com/albums/hh124/DKCPhoto/sample%20photos/BMC_1024.jpg

http://i255.photobucket.com/albums/hh124/DKCPhoto/sample%20photos/Symmetric1024.jpg

[buddhamonk]

I want to avoid the "frozen" looks

how do I do that? lower shutter speed, increase aperture and pan the subject?

I was using my 50mm f/1.8

[Shutterbug Doug]

Crop it up something like this. Use the clone stamp tool in Photoshop to get rid of the orange sign. You could add the post back to the other sign or stamp it out too.
http://i255.photobucket.com/albums/hh124/DKCPhoto/sample%20photos/nonovelo-1.jpg

[Shutterbug Doug]

Yeah, lower shutter speed and pan. Probably to 200 or lower.

[buddhamonk]

Thanks! I'll clone it out

but I was wondering in terms of composition - would you include the left side of the road to give the perspective of the turn. would you leave much of the asphalt below - or not leave any and show more of the surroundings? in the crop you showed the suject looks too centered and seems like he's going straight even though he's leaning to the right - does that make any sense?

[buddhamonk]

Use AIservo and centerpoint to focus and try to get in interesting positions. Don't think you'll be able to pull of much with the kit lens though.

http://i255.photobucket.com/albums/hh124/DKCPhoto/sample%20photos/BMC_1024.jpg

http://i255.photobucket.com/albums/hh124/DKCPhoto/sample%20photos/Symmetric1024.jpg

do you actually get really close fo the ground to take these?

[Shutterbug Doug]

I was laying down on the ground....like this guy.
http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c288/DChellew/Tour%20de%20Georgia%202008/Livephototip.jpg

[buddhamonk]

I'll give that a try next week

how about a crop like that...
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y290/Buddhamonk1/nonovelo-15.jpg

[Shutterbug Doug]

Yeah, the crop makes sense but to leave too much space violates the rule of thirds. http://digital-photography-school.com/blog/rule-of-thirds/
You'd need a shot that has him closer to the edge of the road to really pull that off in my opinion. There's not really enough stuff of interest surrounding him for it to look right to me. But photography is an art and we all have our "styles"...lol

[Shutterbug Doug]

That's not terribly bad and you did a great job stamping the sign! if there were another rider in a chase position behind him it would look better to me...but as I said, styles are different.

[Shutterbug Doug]

For best effect while laying down try to be in a turn where there's a good lean to the rider.
I hate posting bad shots but you can at least see the effect it gives here.
http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c288/DChellew/Tour%20de%20Georgia%202008/TourdeGeorgia2007800x600.jpg

[buddhamonk]

Thanks a lot for all your help! I'll post more pictures next week - likely will look better next time.

[Shutterbug Doug]

Good luck and can't wait to see them!
Just 2 more tips...
1. Don't try and pan from the ground position...you can't twist that way.
2. Watch your background areas and try to pick areas where there are no orange signs! LOL
Oh and 3. Have fun!

[buddhamonk]

Allright - panning is tougher than I thought, especially trying to focus on the right person

here goes....


http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y290/Buddhamonk1/nonovelo/velo-1copy.jpg

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y290/Buddhamonk1/nonovelo/velo-3copy.jpg

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y290/Buddhamonk1/nonovelo/velo-4copycopy.jpg


uh-oh too much
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y290/Buddhamonk1/nonovelo/velo-2copy.jpg

[Shutterbug Doug]

Actually the first 3 look good. Subject in focus, the 3rd one has good composition although the back of the bike in front of your subject is a little annoying, it's a bike race. They're not going to get out of your way and make the picture any better!
Nice shots! You may want to use a higher shutter speed than the 1/50 and 1/40. Shutter speeds of 100 to 125 should provide enough blur and help keep the subject in focus a little better and avoid hand blurs from him. Your technique is improving!
Keep shooting!

[buddhamonk]

Thanks Doug

I really didn't know how high of a shutter speed I could use. I'll try 1/100 next time. There were at least 20 picture where someone else was in perfect focus - that's frustrating.

Thanks for all your help

[buddhamonk]

by the way - no orange signs this time but now I realise I also have to watch for people...lol

[Shutterbug Doug]

Blurred spectators aren't near as distracting though!