Blurry shot

[timjeburton]

OK, this is only my third post here :), so here goes:

The back of this car is reasonably (ie, comparitively) sharp, but the front is noticably blurred. Does this detract from the shot? IMHO I think it's fine but it would have worked better if the driver's helmet had been sharper.

[Meerkat17]

Tim, I think in my opinion that we can all go through life saying "it would have been better if".

I feel that its a good panned shot which captures the movement of the car nicely the DOF and blur of the pan work well.

Nice capture
Regards

[SpencerK Mom]

I think it's amazing that you got it as sharp as you did and I love the motion feel.

[PhotosGuy]

Good try! Pans are tough, & yours seems just a bit uneven.
A good pan depends on the speed of the car AND your distance from the car AND the focal length of your lens.

Stand with your feet in a line parallel with the direction that the car is traveling. You want a line drawn perpendicular to your shoulders to intersect the point where you anticipate taking the pic. Turning at the waist, start your pan WAY early, snap the shot when it's in front of you, AND continue the pan WAY to the side. This insures that the pan is smooth & steady when you take the shot. (If the people to the side don't get out of your way, then you aren't following through enough!) :D

Here's a "bad pan" that I lucked out on! ;) Actually I was panning for the helmet. It was shot with film & the difference in speed/angle of the car as it went past + the focal plane shutter made the effect.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v218/PhotosGuy/Samples%20-%20Rides/F1-Blur-06.jpg

[timjeburton]

Thanks people, it's nice to have some feedback and opinion. I ask my friends and family what they think and they all go "oh, that's nice" and go back to whatever they're doing! (Not really photographic types)