Cars + dirt = surprisingly fun

I tok a trip down to the York Autograss club today to practice my panning shots and it was surprisingly good fun. Loads of people with barbecues and folding chairs watching a bunch of utter lunatics racing round a dirt track at high speed. Redneck heaven :D

As for the shots, I got some ones I'm pretty happy with. I learnt that safety fences are NOT your friend (the number of shots with a fencepost in just the wrong place, oh my), panning shots of cars sliding round corners are HARD (front and back end moving at different speeds) and the roast beef sandwiches (sliced off the joint right there) are fabulous.

This one was taken at a high shutter speed (had to make sure I got some good ones :D) and I'd like some advice about the composition. Generally I know moving subjects should be towards the opposite side of the frame from the direction in which they're moving, does the cloud of dust justify having it over to the right or should it be over on the left? I can't make my mind up.
http://www.yorkshiregeek.co.uk/image...neringvaux.jpg

A dune buggy type thing honking round a corner.

http://www.yorkshiregeek.co.uk/image...ebuggy_y88.jpg

And another one, not sure about this one.

http://www.yorkshiregeek.co.uk/image...ebuggy_y32.jpg

Another one getting a great start (Mr. Safety Fence is not my friend here).

http://www.yorkshiregeek.co.uk/image.../dunestart.jpg

A mini, just for luck :)

http://www.yorkshiregeek.co.uk/image...grass/mini.jpg

This one is one that was sliding too fast, the front is sharp but the rear end was swinging out too much.

http://www.yorkshiregeek.co.uk/image...eringfocus.jpg

I had fun and would welcome any comments anyone has. I'm sorry if I'm boring people with all these pics every weekend, it's just I'm having a ball with my new hobby. I'm even getting a tan! :woowoo:

i think 1, 2 and 4 are great. 4 is really nice and sharp with good colours. I don't think the fence is too much of a problem, inevitable really.

Great shots >< Damn exam I cant go anywhere. I would like some space to the left, they feel a bit confined :P

I love number 4 even with the fence in it. All good though IMO

nice panning there mate :) easier than horses eh!

good shots :thumbsup:

some wicked shots there mate - got me in the mood for some racing now

What camera were they taken with? I want a really high speed shutter one for similar car shots

Thanks guys :)

Yes you're right noah, definitely easier than horses (although I've done some reading up on horse shooting technique and may be up for another go soon).

360bhp: They were taken with the Nikon D50, however only the top one was taken at a high shutter speed (1/1000s). The others were either 1/100s (may not seem that slow but using the 1/focal length rule of thumb that's less than a quarter of the recommended handheld speed for a 35mm equivalent focal length of 450mm) or slower and panned.

If you want the full details then the exif data is intact; for instance, the bottom one is 1/50s at 270mm, f32, exposure comp -5. That sun was BRIGHT :D

excellent shots...really like the feeling of speed you've caught, and you can probably clone out that safety fence in that start shot. as a touch-up note have you tried a slight levels/curves adjustment on those? looks like you could bring the contrast up a smidge and it would get rid of the slightly hazey look in them.
great captures though, must have been fun!

Thanks bud, think I'm going to shell out for a d50 soon

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Originally Posted by shiato storm

looks like you could bring the contrast up a smidge and it would get rid of the slightly hazey look in them.

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Will give it a go, thanks for the tip.

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great captures though, must have been fun!

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Thanks, it was :)

I like em :). Regards to composition; my photography teacher always said if it works it works, 'rules' are guides and should only be reguarded as such.... meh, i think it works mate, so if your happy too..... :)

PS: I'm a poo photographer so don't listen to me