Panning bicycling shots - need some help

I admit that I don't go out everyday and do this kind of shooting, but I have done it enough that I was surprised by the poor results that I got. The shots below are among the best I got this morning and they are pretty poor. Will you please help me and give some suggestions? I was using either my Tokina 11-16 or my Canon 17-55. Shots with the Tokina were awful and I only saved maybe 5 of them. Some shots are handheld and some are with a monopod. With some of the shots the focus is different within the same subject - like the head is somewhat clear, but the rest isn't. I must have taken 500 shots or so and the keeper rate was like 1%. Exif is included.

It looks like your shutter speed is low enough to capture the body motion during the exposure. That's why the body is blurry and the legs mostly. It looks like your panning technique is decent, but it's the shaking of the cyclists that is killing it for you. I don't have experience in this sport so I can't recommend any better settings other than raising your shutter speed.

Thanks brandon. They were not going all that fast and I worry that a faster shutter speed won't blur the background.

I should add that I was using AI Servo and hi speed burst mode.

Stefan A wrote in post #10191346
Will you please help me and give some suggestions?

Part of the trick is to match shutter speed to the target's pace across the frame. Another part is to develop a smooth panning motion: it doesn't hurt to move the entire upper body, swiveling hips and waist. Examples:

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It seems that there's a very shallow DOF... Increase your aperture.

Your panning technique seems to be really good though.

My aperture on those shots are f/14 or smaller. A few went to f/22.

Hmm, weird, probably just your shutter speed then, 1/20 is a bit slow.

1/20th is slower than you need. I shoot lots of cycling and got lots of practice today. 1/125th will just get the wheels in blur and I never got below 1/50th, usually staying between 1/100th and 1/60th. I have ton of examples which I will post in a few days.

Yeah - I guess I will have to try again one day with faster shutter speed.

Stefan

Biffbradford wrote in post #10192882
1/20th is slower than you need. I shoot lots of cycling and got lots of practice today. 1/125th will just get the wheels in blur and I never got below 1/50th, usually staying between 1/100th and 1/60th.

I totally agree
Start with 1/100-1/125 and when you get sharp shots, go bit slower and practice again as long as you get sharp shots. IMO there is no need to go under 1/50-1/60 unless you want to experiment with crazy slow speeds. Keeper rate is much lower but when it works, you´ll be a happy man