1st time panning - suggestions?

[kawboy613]

Any comments, suggestions, advice would be nice (remember, I'm a 1st timer, so be as open, suggestive, or brutal as you feel necessary.)

20D /lens, 28-80 f3.5-5.6 II / 1/80sec / ISO 200 /

No processing as I don't have any software yet, images are resized or cropped in "paint"... JPG images (sorry).


Pic #1 is 42mm @ f18 resized

Pic #2 is 42mm @ f11 resized

[kawboy613]

Pic #3 - 42mm @ f16 cropped

Pic #4 - 50mm @ f16 resized and cropped

[Robert_Lay]

I think it is only in that last frame that the subject is sufficiently sharp. I don't think 1/80" exposure is fast enough to stop the action. In other words, the panning is only going to get you within a certain window - the shutter speed has to bring about the rest of the freezing of motion.

It looks to me as if you were using smaller apertures than you needed for depth of field and that your ISO settings were too conservative. By using a larger aperture and higher ISO setting you will have a much greater flexibility in shutter speeds. I would suggest getting up to 1/500" would be a better shutter speed for this kind of shooting.

[PCthug]

Firstly shoot in shutter priority mode (TV), and learn with a fast shutter speed until you learn how to pan.

Keep your feet still, and twist your body. Start in a twisted stance to your right then as you twist and shoot, your body will be almost straight as you press the button, keep following through to your left.
Use Servo assist and multi shot. This will use the centre focus point, but will also use others if the subject moves into one of them. If you take 3 shots your first will be just prior to being straight, the second you will be straight and the third just beyond this point. Hope that makes sense.

You can also prefocus manually on a point where you know the bike is going to go and lock it, and shoot it the same panning technique as above.

This was prefocused. Not really panning, but you have to learn and start some where.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v391/PCthug/motorbike/IMG_7641.jpg

As you get better at framing and panning, slow the shutter speed to about 1/200, this will give movement to the wheels. Any faster than this and you will freeze the background, losing all sense of speed. Any slower, and it will be difficult to get teh subject sharp.

I am still not very good myself, but still practice when and where i can...

http://photos-g.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc1/hs212.snc1/7929_128615876523_598356523_2514791_6175026_n.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v391/PCthug/motorbike/_MG_2037.jpg

[Mu Eugene]

I am still not very good myself, but still practice when and where i can...


Care to elaborate? They look great to me and the tips you share are indispensable.

Thank you.

[kawboy613]

I don't think 1/80" exposure is fast enough to stop the action.

I wasn't trying to stop the action, but rather imply it. (thought thats what panning was for, implying motion) But maybe 1/80 was a little too extreme for a beginner. And shotting in Tv mode at that speed, kept my aperature setting higher. I wasn't too concerned with DOF as I was more trying to imply the motion. Try to learn something different everytime I take my camera out. Unfortunately traffic was VERY light yesterday morning, so I didn't have any cars coming by to test my shutter speed setting with before my biker friends got to where i was located and waiting. was more of just a first time "trial and error" learning experience.

Firstly shoot in shutter priority mode (AV), and learn with a fast shutter speed until you learn how to pan.


shutter priority mode is (Tv) isn't it? I was using servo assist i think, Al Servo? wasn't standing, but kneeling off the edge of the road in the grass and starting multi shots from twisted right to following through to twisted left. so i shouldn't have my focus point directly set on the center, ok.

Thanks to both of you for the tips, I'll definately be out practicing more when i can! But maybe with a 1/200 shutteror higher as suggested.

[ryant35]

I wasn't trying to stop the action, but rather imply it. (thought thats what panning was for, implying motion) But maybe 1/80 was a little too extreme for a beginner. And shotting in Tv mode at that speed, kept my aperature setting higher. I wasn't too concerned with DOF as I was more trying to imply the motion. Try to learn something different everytime I take my camera out. Unfortunately traffic was VERY light yesterday morning, so I didn't have any cars coming by to test my shutter speed setting with before my biker friends got to where i was located and waiting. was more of just a first time "trial and error" learning experience.



shutter priority mode is (Tv) isn't it? I was using servo assist i think, Al Servo? wasn't standing, but kneeling off the edge of the road in the grass and starting multi shots from twisted right to following through to twisted left. so i shouldn't have my focus point directly set on the center, ok.

I would also start with standing because you can twist more on your feet than on your knees.

Thanks to both of you for the tips, I'll definately be out practicing more when i can! But maybe with a 1/200 shutteror higher as suggested.

1/80sec isn't an impossible shutter speed to pan at, but a bit slow if you are new at it.

My usual shutter speed for races is 1/250 and and slow down to 1/40 if I find a good spot for slow panning. I shoot off road racing so any slower than 1/250 is tough unless the track are really smooth.

1/200-1/250 is a great place to start, shoot a few frames and chimp on your LCD. Zoom in and check to see if your subject is sharp and than your background is blurry enough. Shooting racers with sponsor stickers & text make it really easy to check for sharpness. Also bikes are harder than cars since they are faster and smaller, so if you have the option to practice on cars it would help build confidence.

[GorgeShooter]

Firstly shoot in shutter priority mode (AV)

I assume you meant Tv

[kawboy613]

What do you mean "chimp on your LCD" ?

Also bikes are harder than cars since they are faster and smaller, so if you have the option to practice on cars it would help build confidence.

I was thinking about trying this, but didn't want some random passerby to call the police on me for taking pics of passing cars, lol... not sure if that would be a problem or not ?

I plan on over the winter, working on panning as much as I can, cars on the streets, birds in air, local MX offroad parks, etc. As next season a friend of mine who owns his own motorcycle drag racing performance shop wants me to start photographing his and his sons drag races (also he is trying to help me get started with getting my name known as a photographer at the track...)


Any good suggestions as far as lens's I should be saving $$$ for, for near track side photography. I'm guessing 24-70L and 70-200L are going to be my better choices to cover a good range, Any primes? Or is it just mostly personal preference...

[ryant35]

What do you mean "chimp on your LCD" ?



I was thinking about trying this, but didn't want some random passerby to call the police on me for taking pics of passing cars, lol... not sure if that would be a problem or not ?

I plan on over the winter, working on panning as much as I can, cars on the streets, birds in air, local MX offroad parks, etc. As next season a friend of mine who owns his own motorcycle drag racing performance shop wants me to start photographing his and his sons drag races (also he is trying to help me get started with getting my name known as a photographer at the track...)


Any good suggestions as far as lens's I should be saving $$$ for, for near track side photography. I'm guessing 24-70L and 70-200L are going to be my better choices to cover a good range, Any primes? Or is it just mostly personal preference...

Chimping= reviewing your shots on your LCD. It's not 100% accurate, but it will atleast let you know if you are getting sharp shots.

The 70-200 is the workhorse for motorsports photography, if you can't afford it try renting one for a weekend and try to schedule some track visits.

[PCthug]

YES, i meant TV and not AV :oops:

I started out using my 18-200 Sigma, the bought a 100-400L. A 70-200 will be great, especially if you can get the 2.8 version ;)

AI servo uses the centre point to focus in automatic selection, but will use the other points if the subject moves into one of them from the centre.

I say i am not too good, as i have about 10% that are keepers and the rest go in the recycling bin.