Racing Photography Tips

[superstar]

Hello,

I am new to sports photography (besides taking pictures with my old Pentax Optio S) and since I recently acquired a Rebel 300d, I have some questions as to how y'all shoot.

Do you set your cameras to burst mode and just fire away or do you pan the cars and shoot one at a time?

Any shutter speed/aperture settings you can recommend in full daylight?

Do you use any filters?

Also, do you shoot jpeg since it writes faster than RAW?

I am an avid reader of car mags like Road & Track, Automobile, & C&D etc... and like the way their pictures look where you can sense movement, but the photos are for the most part in focus.

I plan on purchasing either a 70-200 F4L or 100-300 F4.5-5.6 USM in order to get closer to the action. Also, I plan on perching next to turns 6 & 7 for the Formula 1 race at Indy this year. These are fairly slow corners, so the cars will not be going mach 2.

Any advice will help,
Thanks,
Richard

[IndyJeff]

Superstar I don't think you will getting much in the way of any shots in turns 6 or 7. I don't think there is a spectator area good for shooting in those turns. However, turn 8 at the end of the long starightaway can provide some good action. As the cars are slowing down you can get some good glowing brake rotors and on occasion a little smokin tires as they lock em up.

Turn 9 can be great for some head on shots but you need at least a 400.


As for settings, depends on what your wanting. Slower shutters will give you that blurred background but, with cars moving pretty slow thru the turns you may have to be shooting very slow. Remember the slower your shutter the harder it will be to get a good crisp, sharp image of the car itself.

As to the burst or single frame shooting, depends on you. If you fire off one shot at a time, better make sure your right on it. If you blast it, you will have a better chance of getting the shot you are looking for.

As the time gets near, shoot me a PM and maybe we can hook up one day while your here.

Jeff

[superstar]

Jeff,

Thanks. I got some good candid shots at turn 8 two years ago during practice. Got a great one of Shumi spinning off the track. (Right after the Shell logo on the ground.)

I plan on taking most my good shots during practice or qualifying since the crowd is much thinner.
I will shoot you a PM when we get closer. Maybe our groups can hang out. I come with like 16+ F1 fanatics (ages like 30-55+). It is our annual mecca.

Thanks, Richard

[Cadwell]

Hello,

I am new to sports photography (besides taking pictures with my old Pentax Optio S) and since I recently acquired a Rebel 300d, I have some questions as to how y'all shoot.

Do you set your cameras to burst mode and just fire away or do you pan the cars and shoot one at a time?

Any shutter speed/aperture settings you can recommend in full daylight?

Do you use any filters?

Also, do you shoot jpeg since it writes faster than RAW?

I am an avid reader of car mags like Road & Track, Automobile, & C&D etc... and like the way their pictures look where you can sense movement, but the photos are for the most part in focus.

I plan on purchasing either a 70-200 F4L or 100-300 F4.5-5.6 USM in order to get closer to the action. Also, I plan on perching next to turns 6 & 7 for the Formula 1 race at Indy this year. These are fairly slow corners, so the cars will not be going mach 2.

Any advice will help,
Thanks,
Richard

Hi Richard,

To answer your questions,

I use the camera in "single shot" mode, either for panning or head on shots.

Settings I usually use are 1/320th + f/8 for head on or angled shots, 1/160th for pans. For F1 cars on a really fast straight I might go up to 1/400th for head on stuff (again trying to keep about f/8 so adjusting ISO as needed). Much faster and the cars tend to look "parked" on the circuit.

Normally no filters but sometimes I have slapped on a polarizer. Not to cancel reflections but just to lower light levels by a couple of stops on a very bright day (rare this side of the pond).

I always shoot RAW, but JPEG has it's place and certainly with the 300D the write speed advantage would be helpful.

Good luck.