Photographing motor sport - static and moving

[Ruggerbugger]

I'm going to the Autosport International show on Saturday. As the day includes races in the morning and, of course, many stands to visit during the day, I was wondering if anyone has any specific advice or techniques to try in both situations.

Undoubtedly there will also be dolly birds (highly trained sales and presentation assistants), which will be nice

[IBM]

Most difficult shot with moving vehicles is to pan your camera tracking the subject, so that the subject is pin sharp, while the background is totaly blurred. Always gives really good effects, but you might use half your card trying to get one decent shot.

[Ruggerbugger]

Good thing I bought 2 2GB cards a few weeks ago.

thanks

[Workaholic]

One thing that you need to bare in mind is to change your photo setting.

Use Sports rather than landscape or auto, and try and kjeep flash off, the charge time is usually enough to make you miss the shot.

[Bobster]

motor sports 1/250 or lower, you need to watch that you don't freeze the wheels..

[Rhyth]

Continuous AF, a tripod/monopod, A Zoom lens with "Image Stabilisation", battery grip (extra batts). Have fun fella! Look forward to le pix

[Ruggerbugger]

That's a shopping list Rhyth!! I only have my S9600 and my tripod is 1.3m tall! If I don't take my flash gun I'll have an extra set, can't decide if I'll need it or not.

Thanks for the tech tips guys

(that's a beautiful shot Bob)

[Ruggerbugger]

motor sports 1/250 or lower, you need to watch that you don't freeze the wheels..

Just to be clear, I'm looking for 250 on my LCD right?

[this_is_gav]

Oops, double post.

[this_is_gav]

Continuous AF, a tripod/monopod, A Zoom lens with "Image Stabilisation", battery grip (extra batts). Have fun fella! Look forward to le pix

IS is a bit wasted on motorsport - such shutter speeds ought to negate the need for it. It's going to take some pretty funky conditions to require IS, something not even the famously fickle Knockhill has thrown up yet for me.

For moving shots you want to blur the background as much as you can while keeping the subject in pin-sharp focus. Something like F2.8 while panning should be nice with the exposure to compensate, though I've never attempted motorsport indoors (Autosport was rather uninspiring the last time I went ).

[Rhyth]

IS is a bit wasted on motorsport - such shutter speeds ought to negate the need for it. It's going to take some pretty funky conditions to require IS, something not even the famously fickle Knockhill has thrown up yet for me.

Why, were only talking around 1/250 shutter and under, which isn't enough to negate camera shake especially at the telephoto end of a zoom handheld, although I admit, if your using a tripod and panning every shot then it won't be as much an issue. Still, IS is most certainly used by the pro's in sports/wildlife for sure. I'm sure we'd all love a lens with Image Stabilisation and a fast f/2.8 aperture throughout the zoom range but alas tis a pretty price indeed.

[this_is_gav]

At the speeds you're moving the camera (assuming panning) IS isn't going to save you. Unless you're standing a good way away, handheld or not, then I doubt there'll be much difference.

[Bobster]

Continuous AF, a tripod/monopod, A Zoom lens with "Image Stabilisation", battery grip (extra batts). Have fun fella! Look forward to le pix

damn only have 1 of those when i shoot motorsport and thats a battery grip..

[Saracen]

damn only have 1 of those when i shoot motorsport and thats a battery grip..

Ah, but you're missing half the fun if you don't have the pleasure of lugging the tripod around, getting people constantly trip over it ... and then being told by stewards that it's a health and safety risk and that you can't use it anyway. Anyone would think that the objective was actually to take pictures.

[Bobster]

Just to be clear, I'm looking for 250 on my LCD right?

page 44 of your manual

[Ruggerbugger]

page 44 of your manual

<hunts for manual>

What's a manual anyway? That come with two X chromosomes?

Thanks again for the tips guys, hopefully I can get some halfway decent pics from ROW X!