Exposure challenges for motorsport photographers (3 pics)

High-intensity driving lights are great when you are behind the wheel, but when a pair of them come straight at you from a corner they can play total havoc with the shot exposure (and WB). This is made even worse when you are having to add say a third of a stop for everyone else is the field due to lighting conditions. There are two answers to this, sneak into the paddock and paint out the lights, or change the exposure metering.

The following refers to the 1D and the MK-II should be the same. The 10D does not have the same sort of spot metering and getting it right is more of a challenge. All shots are taken in RAW mode.

Here are three shots to demonstrate the effect. The first one's exposure has been effected by the lights. The second is using C1 to correct the problem of the first shot. The third is changing the metering to Spot and then meter off the top edge of the windshield (no other adjustments).

Exposure effected by the lights. The WB is also effected by the color tint of the lights.

Byte size: ZERO | Content warning: NOT AN IMAGE

Byte size: ZERO | Content warning: NOT AN IMAGE

Byte size: ZERO | Content warning: NOT AN IMAGE

I'm speaking from a completely naive position, having never photographed motorsports, so bear with me, but why not go full manual? Unless the overall lighting conditions are changing constantly (e.g. sun darting in and out of clouds, or shooting in sun and shade), can't you just set and forget? The wide dynamic range (isn't it something like 11 stops?) of the Mk-II should keep you pretty much covered.

Same thing also applies with WB. Why not do a custom WB once?

I isn't practical to shoot totally manual, motorsport is generally shot in Tv mode. You are following the action and you can move from shadow to full sun in a short sweep of the lens. It isn't like photographing a landscape or taking a portrait where you point the lens in one direction and it stays there. Also, you have to realise that you are tracking cars are travelling at speeds well in excess of 120mph and you just don't have time to adjust your settings on the fly or you could miss important shots.

Where those shots were taken from I have over 200 degrees of availaible shooting space. So, depending on the time of day and where the sun is I can go from shooting directly into the sun to shooting with it behind me. I have no doubt that other action sports photographers can experience similar problems with issues like floodlighting.

I shoot RAW so WB isn't that big of an issue. I do take regular WB shots with my Expodisc and use that as a reference. Unfortunately, not everyone does that and I was giving them a heads-up about the effect of these HID or Xenon lights. It is worse for those using a 10D/300D with the lack of true spot metering.

Are you sure you didn't overdo it just a touch Kenny? To my eye the middle and last shots are a tiny bit light and washed out, especially where the sun is strongest on the top of the car bodies. I wonder if they would look a little better about 2/3rd of the way from shot 1 to shot 2. I tend to go for a slightly saturated and contrasty look with my own motorsport images, mainly to give a bit of punch. Anyway it could just be my eye, you are the pro, so please take it as a bit of constructive criticism, they are good shots in any case.

Kenny,

That is quite interesting to see, especially with regards to the colour shifts.

I've found a very similar thing when shooting metallic painted cars (silver is the worst) from the side (panning shots) with the sun behind you. You just catch it at that point of the sun reflecting straight back at you and it causes the shot to be mega underexposed and with blue/green metallic cars, I always find a big colour shift, but that is an easy fix when developing from RAW.

Anyway, you are going about it the wrong way. You need yourself a nice little rifle to go with you other gear. Just shoot out their lights on the first lap and viola, no more problems.

I'm aiming at Shelsley this weekend, probably Sunday morning, if you are down this way.

Cheers

Ian

Actually, I like the first shot best... the stronger colours make up for the slightly dark lower part of the car.

Just my 2 cents worth,
Andy

I like the first best, also. But on second thought, I don't really think you can compare one against three, since they're two different photos.