Racing Photography

YourName · 21-02-2009 11:31pm #1

I am heading off to do a bit of racing photography tomorrow at a car race, I couldn't find anything when I searched the forums here for tips on how to best photograph an event like this and didn't yield any results.

I plan on doing a lot more of this photography, with the bike racing season starting off soon enough, but tomorrow will be my first time trying it out.

So anyone have any tips on how best to do it, what should I be looking at settings-wise, I have a D60, and I understand I have to use high shutter speeds and all that, but how could I best catch the sense of motion as well.

I am sure a lot of you will have a bit of experience with this after the Rally Championship, so help out a newbie here.

Thanks,
mcgowaner

Borderfox · 22-02-2009 1:09am

Position yourself well and try dropping your shutter speed down as low as you can 1/50th and follow the cars with the camera and shoot away. Wide angles held down low near static cars works well too

ThOnda · 22-02-2009 1:33am

Stay dry and warm. Charge your batteries and format your cards in camera.
Try to find good spot that will allow you to see the car before it enters the spot of exposure. Take control shots without a car and with marshals' car to check the exposure. For frozen shots, you have to have shutter speed ten times higher than the speed of car - if it is in bend and the car is doing 50 kmph, the shutter speed must be above 1/500. You can/should go lower for panning.

Borderfox · 22-02-2009 1:44am

I have some shots here http://pix.ie/keithjack/album/326523

1/50th of a second

Ricky91t · 22-02-2009 2:00am

Nice shot Keith!

Depending on what boke racing you're covering if i were you i'd email them and ask for a press pass,it usually means a pleeding email but if you get one it really pays off,I've went to the same road race twice first as a spectator with a camera and second as a photographer and the image difference was great as you get into places where other can't go.

Also that can be used for car racing and would be handy as they'd let you onto the more dangerous bends where spectators are considered at a risk but as a photographer you understand the risks.Don't be afraid to experiment with your setting at first to see what effects you can get.I think as you want to get into this try and talk to other photographers there and ask them for tips as i'm sure they'd be happy to help

Also is it a rally or a trackday?

ThOnda · 22-02-2009 2:12am

There should be a rallyecross tomorrow in Mondello, but I have got a message that there will be only a few cars. The mood was supposed to be very sad and depressive last time.

YourName · 22-02-2009 7:16pm

Thanks for all the comments everyone, they were really helpful I was down at Mondello today and didn't seem to get on too bad, so I am going to try and keep going to small events to make sure that I get a good bit of practice.

Would you guys use a tripod of just handheld for this sort of stuff???

Any more help is appreciated, still learning here ! ! !

Ricky91t · 22-02-2009 7:33pm

Any sample shots to upload?

What lens are you using?
Monopod would be better than a tripod imo

canon5571 · 31-03-2009 3:47pm

Hello all!
Sorry mcgowaner I dont mean to hijack your thread but I am in the same situation, the only thing is I am completely green to SLR photography.
I have a D40 but I am unsure how to use it to its full potential. I have used it once at a rally, and to the untrained eye the pictures dont look to bad, but a pro would probaly see a lot of faults in them. I was planning to go to the Midlands Stages Rally this weekend and give it another shot.
Would ye mind if I uploaded some of my previous efforts and ye might be able to give me a few pointers and advice??
BTW Borderfox, savage pic

Ricky91t · 31-03-2009 4:43pm

canon5571 wrote: »

Hello all!
Sorry mcgowaner I dont mean to hijack your thread but I am in the same situation, the only thing is I am completely green to SLR photography.
I have a D40 but I am unsure how to use it to its full potential. I have used it once at a rally, and to the untrained eye the pictures dont look to bad, but a pro would probaly see a lot of faults in them. I was planning to go to the Midlands Stages Rally this weekend and give it another shot.
Would ye mind if I uploaded some of my previous efforts and ye might be able to give me a few pointers and advice??
BTW Borderfox, savage pic

Yeah go on upload them,I'll give you some help anyway

canon5571 · 31-03-2009 6:48pm

Cheers Ricky!
I'l get some up shortly.

canon5571 · 31-03-2009 7:12pm

canon5571 wrote: »

Hello all!
Sorry mcgowaner I dont mean to hijack your thread but I am in the same situation, the only thing is I am completely green to SLR photography.
I have a D40 but I am unsure how to use it to its full potential. I have used it once at a rally, and to the untrained eye the pictures dont look to bad, but a pro would probaly see a lot of faults in them. I was planning to go to the Midlands Stages Rally this weekend and give it another shot.
Would ye mind if I uploaded some of my previous efforts and ye might be able to give me a few pointers and advice??
BTW Borderfox, savage pic

Well here is my previous attempts, please give me an honest opinion on the photos and what settings I can use to improve them.

I only have the standard 18-55mm lens so some of these are very distant.

challengemaster · 31-03-2009 7:24pm

Need to get closer then if all you have is the 18-55...

.Longshanks. · 31-03-2009 8:31pm

Im half thinking of heading to mondello on saturday for a few snaps. Its motorbike racing & I know nothing about this motorsport but the action pics on flickr look great!

ajsp. · 31-03-2009 8:37pm

challengemaster wrote: »

Need to get closer then if all you have is the 18-55...

I agree. I also think there's to many things in the front of shot, fences and signs etc. that just distracted me from the subject IMO

challengemaster · 31-03-2009 8:41pm

Longshanks100 wrote: »

Im half thinking of heading to mondello on saturday for a few snaps. Its motorbike racing & I know nothing about this motorsport but the action pics on flickr look great!

If you're heading to mondello for pictures, make sure you can get inside the fencing... won't be worth your while otherwise

.Longshanks. · 31-03-2009 8:45pm

challengemaster wrote: »

If you're heading to mondello for pictures, make sure you can get inside the fencing... won't be worth your while otherwise

Thanks for that.
Never been before - is this as straight forward as it sounds or do you need a pass?

eeyore2502 · 31-03-2009 8:53pm

I also went up to the WRC and found it hard to get any way near the road! I have a 70-300 on my camera so it wasn't too bad. It was my first time at anything like this and I thoughly enjoyed it and can't wait to get to another rally soon.

challengemaster · 31-03-2009 8:53pm

It really depends on the event... If it's something just hosted by mondello - you could try calling them and asking, if its being hosted by an outside organisation, you may need to get a pass or have some form of affiliation to get in....

Oh, and if you do get in.... you need a high vis vest....Warm, waterproof jacket + high vis vest are essentials over here though!...

Best positions I found were in the rescue vehicle area on the first hairpin, and beside the flagman box on the hill beside turn 2, that said, they weren't running a full circuit the days I was up there due to flooding on the course.

.Longshanks. · 31-03-2009 8:56pm

Thanks - i'll give them a ring tomorrow to see what the craic is...

ajsp. · 31-03-2009 9:26pm

I had to do a project for college about fast moving sport so I went to Watergrasshill karting track. I asked before I went snapping and it was fine once I stayed off the track and signed the insurance form.
It was good for learning because there was no crowds and I had the run of the place

YourName · 31-03-2009 11:23pm

Longshanks100 wrote: »

Thanks - i'll give them a ring tomorrow to see what the craic is...

Let us know how you get on mate, might head up myself . . . .

canon5571 · 31-03-2009 11:41pm

ajsp. wrote: »

I agree. I also think there's to many things in the front of shot, fences and signs etc. that just distracted me from the subject IMO

Cheers for the comments everyone.
Ya I know the distractions are a problem alrite, but in rallying especially, unless you have a press pass your viewing positions can sometimes be limited depending on the terrain.

ajsp. · 01-04-2009 12:07am

canon5571 wrote: »

Cheers for the comments everyone.
Ya I know the distractions are a problem alrite, but in rallying especially, unless you have a press pass your viewing positions can sometimes be limited depending on the terrain.

True,It can be a problem at such events. If you were willing to walk a few feilds and found a safe spot I wonder would the marshalls leave you alone?

canon5571 · 01-04-2009 1:57am

ajsp. wrote: »

True,It can be a problem at such events. If you were willing to walk a few feilds and found a safe spot I wonder would the marshalls leave you alone?

I suppose if you were out of sight of the marshalls and once you didnt stand in a danegorous spot, for your own sake, it might be worth it. Anything to get a good shot:D

mrmac · 01-04-2009 6:53am

I think your locations are good, and you've a good eye for where to be to get a decent shot, BUT due to your restriction with the 18-55 it's very difficult to compose your picture, i.e. distance from car and distractions.
e.g. in shot 2, you've got the car right on the apex of the corner, nice, but the overall picture is way to busy, even the telegraph pole coming up from the bale is distracting. If you were more to your right, a bit closer and a bit lower, I think it would have cut out most of the distractions on the left hand side.

In your last two shots, you can see how panning with the car can add drama and a sense of speed (I like the blurring of the wheels!). Again it's the composition that lets them down. You knew where the car was going to be, you knew where you were going to take the picture, yet there's some kind of pole thing in you're shot.
As already suggested, try to frame your shot well in advance, see if there's any distractions in the way, and move position if you have to.

Don't want to put you off, as I think you've a decent eye, all you need is practice!
(Easier said than done, I know, I know....

)

canon5571 · 02-04-2009 1:47am

mrmac wrote: »

I think your locations are good, and you've a good eye for where to be to get a decent shot, BUT due to your restriction with the 18-55 it's very difficult to compose your picture, i.e. distance from car and distractions.
e.g. in shot 2, you've got the car right on the apex of the corner, nice, but the overall picture is way to busy, even the telegraph pole coming up from the bale is distracting. If you were more to your right, a bit closer and a bit lower, I think it would have cut out most of the distractions on the left hand side.

In your last two shots, you can see how panning with the car can add drama and a sense of speed (I like the blurring of the wheels!). Again it's the composition that lets them down. You knew where the car was going to be, you knew where you were going to take the picture, yet there's some kind of pole thing in you're shot.
As already suggested, try to frame your shot well in advance, see if there's any distractions in the way, and move position if you have to.

Don't want to put you off, as I think you've a decent eye, all you need is practice!
(Easier said than done, I know, I know.... )

Thanks for the words of encouragement! Ya there is an awful lot to take in alright, to many distractions. As regards picture quality what do you reckon?(these are probaly not the best shots to judge in that regard, because the weather was awful:mad:)

Racing Photography

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