Tips on Drag Racing

[navymom]

Hi! I am going to the NHRA Drag Racing this weekend and need some advise on what lens to use and what ISO. I have a Canon Rebel XSI and I have the following lens: Canon EFS 18-55, Canon 75-300 and a Tamaron AF 70-200 F/2.8. Can anyone give me some good pointers?

thanks

[Nmura]

Your 70-200 and 18-55 should be all you need. I usually capture the Pro Stock, Funny Car, and Top Fuel class going down the strip using my 70-200. Although these cars go between 200 - 300+ mph the idea is not to "freeze" your shot using a high shutter speed, i.e 1/1000+. What you want to do is pan your shots.
I'll set my camera on TV mode using shutter speeds between 1/160 - 1/200 and also activate the AI Servo mode. Center focus on one of two cars (you need to choose). Determine at what point on the track you feel most comfortable talking the shot as the cars race down and keep that in mind. As the cars stage at the starting line, starting focusing. Follow the cars going down the track keeping focus on the car. At the point where you feel most comfortable, squeeze the shutter button AND continue to follow the cars with the camera. The follow thru after you take shot is most important in getting a good photo. You photos will have the feel of motion, but it does take practice. I go to the races once a year, so about a week prior I practice taking panning shots of cars going down the freeway to get the feel of following a car. You can always dial up the shutter speed to 1/1000+ and you will have a lot of keepers, but I perfer the feel of motion.
You can switch to 18-55 when you walk around the pits. Have fun and don't forget your ear plugs.

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4050/4367490913_56e5ef3a65_o.jpg

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4071/4367489633_f9a8b6650e_o.jpg

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4071/4367489155_845398da2e_o.jpg

[navymom]

Hey Thank You so Much! The Pictures are great and The Copart Dragster is what I am going for. I work for Copart and it is one of our employee race days. Except, I am going for the whole weekend.. I love Drag Racing! I just bought the Tamron and really didn't know if that would be a good choice on lens for the race.. Have a great weekend

[PhotosGuy]

Good advice. Here's more reading for when you have time: Motorsport Shooting Tips, Tutorials and Advice (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?p=2830870)

[snyderman]

Definitely try for some different vantage points. Where I shot a top-level NHRA event, I could get behind the starting line in the staging area--great for stills and getting the driver and crew stuff going on. Another spot is about 100' from the starting line, up a few rows and off at about a 30 degree angle. Great starting line shots can be had from there.

The shots that Nmura posted are about as nice as it gets! I tried some of those with the slower shutter speeds but the cars go from 0 to 200+ mph very quickly so it's difficult (for me, anyway!) to get those panning shots down cold.

[DC Fan]

Two types of shots. Pit activities, for which a wide-to-telephoto lens is useful.

http://www.kevinlillard.com/racing/20100424a0030.jpg

Then there's track action, for which a long lens is best unless you can get trackside.

http://www.kevinlillard.com/racing/20100424a0007.jpg

In this case, both images came from the versatile Tamron 18-200mm lens. It helped that the launch shot was right next to the start line, where 87mm was enough. Further back, 200-400mm will be more useful.

[jasonleehl]

Thanks for sharing. I have been invited to shoot some drifting cars lately and thinking about the technique to do so! I explore what you shared.

[jimeez2010]

Your 70-200 and 18-55 should be all you need. I usually capture the Pro Stock, Funny Car, and Top Fuel class going down the strip using my 70-200. Although these cars go between 200 - 300+ mph the idea is not to "freeze" your shot using a high shutter speed, i.e 1/1000+. What you want to do is pan your shots.
I'll set my camera on TV mode using shutter speeds between 1/160 - 1/200 and also activate the AI Servo mode. Center focus on one of two cars (you need to choose). Determine at what point on the track you feel most comfortable talking the shot as the cars race down and keep that in mind. As the cars stage at the starting line, starting focusing. Follow the cars going down the track keeping focus on the car. At the point where you feel most comfortable, squeeze the shutter button AND continue to follow the cars with the camera. The follow thru after you take shot is most important in getting a good photo. You photos will have the feel of motion, but it does take practice. I go to the races once a year, so about a week prior I practice taking panning shots of cars going down the freeway to get the feel of following a car. You can always dial up the shutter speed to 1/1000+ and you will have a lot of keepers, but I perfer the feel of motion.
You can switch to 18-55 when you walk around the pits. Have fun and don't forget your ear plugs.

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4050/4367490913_56e5ef3a65_o.jpg

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4071/4367489633_f9a8b6650e_o.jpg

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4071/4367489155_845398da2e_o.jpg

Awesome piks! I shoot a lot of Drag Racing too. Although I get some great shots, I get more than a few out of focus :/ I use mainly use my 70-200 2.8 L depending on how close I can get to the track. Yesterday I was trackside using my 24-70 2.8 L but experienced blurryness on some shots. I know with the 70-200 you dont use the image stabilizer to pan with. I shot with my 7D in TV mode, 250-400 shutter speed, auto ISO, AI servo, Single point AF, high speed continous burst, and used my 580ex II speedlite at times. Where do you focus on the car? Should I be bursting while panning? Also I love using AV mode with like 8-10 fstop to get incredible background blur but a lot are out of focus! I've had the 7D for awhile but the lens are couple months old. I had a rebel and always shot in auto so this is a quantam leap for me. I have the right equipment but not the knowledge and most track photogs aren't very forthcoming on pointers. Can't figure out how to post some piks as large as I'm commenting on either,lol Thanks guys!