Back in the action - Rally Pics

[KennyG]

Well, after a day pottering around the AutoSport show it was back in the good old English weather to do some rally photography. Cold, foggy, damp and no light worth speaking of made it interesting. I was having to use flash by mid-afternoon and the rally was going on into the dark so you get the idea.

Anyway, here is a sample of some of today's pictures:

http://www.motorpix.co.uk/images36/jf-01.jpg

http://www.motorpix.co.uk/images36/jf-03.jpg

http://www.motorpix.co.uk/images36/jf-06.jpg

http://www.motorpix.co.uk/images36/jf-12.jpg

[Moppie]

Love the escort photo!
There's a car that nows how to lift a wheel, and is always photogenic.
Its quite an odd experiance the first time they lift a wheel though, the steering goes light, but theres still feedback comeing in from the other wheel.

[iwatkins]

Was this the Frosty at Croft Ken ?

Those are nice shots, even with no light.

Got to agree with Moppie, the 'scort is always good to see. Scoobs and Evos get a bit boring after a while :)

Cheers

Ian

[quickben]

I like Escorts too. This was taken at a local rally last september. It's held in park that is so small you'd wonder why they bother. The fastest pilots get round in 35-36 seconds !

Taken with 10D/28-75 XrDi (I was too close to use 100-400L)

Can't figure out why the front is blurred and the back isn't ?

[quickben]

"Boring" Evo V from the same event

[KennyG]

Front to rear sharpness differences when panning are normally due to taking the shot on an angle and down to the relative difference in speed between the two. Another cause is one end of the car lifting/moving relative to the other.

It was the Jack Frost Rally and as usual it had a very big turnout of entrants. Not a big crowd to watch though, probably because of the heavy freezing mist which turned into rain towards the end.


Here are a couple more for you. The Escorts about outnumbered the Scoobs, but not by much.

http://www.motorpix.co.uk/misc/jf-31.jpg

http://www.motorpix.co.uk/misc/jf-32.jpg

[c0ntr0lz]

awesome as always Kenny!!!
you always come through with some great shots.
how much many pix do you take at one rally course?

[PhotosGuy]

Great available darkness shots!
Can't figure out why the front is blurred and the back isn't ? The focal plane shutter is a moving slit that moves across the sensor. So different parts of the sensor 'see' different things.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v218/PhotosGuy/Car%20Stuff/Racing_Art_001.jpg

[KennyG]

For a race meetingI take around 1,500 shots per day, and for a rally about 400. Keeper rate is above 90%, which is a problem in some respects as just when you think you have found the right shot there is a another that is just that bit better.

Coming back to the in/out of focus for pan shots. Think about it as the relative speed to tracks on a disc if you are in the centre, and what would be the effect if you focussed on just one. I did some in-depth work on tracking moving targets a few years ago and set up a couple of test rigs, using a 1N HS to take the pictures and far too much film. I learned a lot about AI servo, which is much better than it has ever been with the new firmware for the 1D MK-II.

[quickben]

So it isn't a focus problem ? I thought it might have been because I had the lens wide open. Both of those shots were taken with the Tamron, so I didn't have IS to help me.

How do you overcome this when panning then ?

[KennyG]

The easy answer is to be square on to the subject when panning. Other than that, just keep the DOF wide enough to make sure you get the full length of the car in it, and even be prepared to take the shutter up a notch. You can use the ISO to help balance shutter and aperture.

You can also get vertical movement at one end of the car and not the other due to track defects, a vibrating spoiler or insecure front lip, none of which you can do anything to cure unless you take the shutter speed way up, at which there is little point in taking that type of shot.

[Ian_H]

Nice pics as always Ken, sorry I didn't get a chance to have a chat on Saturday., I kept moving trying to keep warm:cry: Anyway here are a few of my shots from the day all shot with 1DMKII and 70-200L f2.8is

The winner in his ex-works Nissan Sunny GtiR


The superb second place MG ZR S1600


The immaculate ex Lyndon Barton MG 6R4


and finally young Mr Petch in his dad's Impreza






Cheers
Ian

[KennyG]

Hi Ian,

I have sent off the pics of young Petch to his dad, as well as a shot of the Higgins Hyundai from the Auotosport show. SGP is getting everywhere. You may notice he even sponsors young Mr Bardy.

I had my heat packs to keep me warm, and I needed them. Photographer's best friend those things, and you can use them to keep the batteries warm. Like boil-in-a-bag dinners with 10,000 recharges. If you are interested they are from RepeatHeat.

I notice you settled on ISO320 as well. What a horrible day for lighting.

What happened to the 6R4? He was there one minute and never seen again. The MG cheated, he had an extra tyre for a while. :)

[Ian_H]

I am definately going to invest in some hand warmers in the near future where did you get yours from the http://www.repeatheat.co.uk/ website doesn't seem to be working.
The 6R4 had gearbox problems and decided to give it up before damaging the box any more.
I have heard rumors that the winter rallycross on the 30th may be cancelled due to lack of enteries hope the rumors are untrue.


Cheers
Ian