for those of you who > me

[got traction]

i have a 'shot' at the end of the month. i am suppost to do pictures at the track for a guy who is putting a portfolio together for more sponsors. any tips? i've done pictures at the track before, but nothing like this. what lense should i use? tripod? any tips/tricks would be extreemly helpful.

shooting with rebel xti w/
70-300mm
18-55mm
11-18mm

 

[got traction]

27 views, no input?

 

[oddeb707]

no photo exp. but try to get some hotties in the pics and......bump for nor cal

 

[Astheros]

with those lenses....use fast shutter speeds to minimize blurryness. i would think that track shoots would require an IS lense for better pictures. seems like u have all the basic lenses so i would suggest to spend a good time post editing those pics.

 

[Genuine Rolla]

You'll also have to get used to panning.

Faster shutter speed for sure...keep an eye on how they are coming out.

 

[fliposopher]

get a ball head with your tripod. i recommend manfrotto/bogen

 

[89SiGUYrex]

70-300 imo. i used mine at the track with low light and backlighting from the sun(FTL!) handheld and got a couple of alright shots. still am not used to this lens but i guess its ok

<214mm

<149mm

<70mm

<100mm

ps- i cropped on all of these so if you use the lens to have a tighter shot the better the quality.

 

[LowNotSlow]

What kind of track? Drag, circle, auto-x, road.

I'm guessing drag. I'm going to say the opposite of what everybody here has said.

Go lower shutter speed, close up the aperture and get good at panning. These cars are going in a straight line so completely freezing them is going to make for a boring photo. Lowering the shutter speed means a blurred background and a greater sense of speed. Closing up the aperture means a wider depth of field and panning keeps the subject from being blurred.

 

[89SiGUYrex]

well if i dropped my aperture down and panned it would have been cool. i was in a pissed off mood though because my car broke so i wasn't focused on photography.

 

[got traction]

this is about the extent of my drag strip photo skills

 

[LowNotSlow]

that's a good shot. A local short track pays me to shoot for them and send them out to media outlets.



Looking at the photo now I can tell this guy was understeering like a b***h. This corner is about 55mph for the late models, proving that speed blur isn't a matter of all out speed, just settings. Settings were:

Shutter: 60
Ap: 18-20 (can't remember)
ISO: 125 (it was bright and sunny)
Lens: Nikkor 80-200 2.8
Body: Nikon D1X (dear lord this thing is old now)

PS> If drivers know you have shots of their car in action they'll buy prints off you, $$$.
PPS> Use the heaviest lens you have for pan shots, it will make you smoother.

 

[got traction]

i tried some panning today at the ama races..tell me what you think. this was with 70-300

1.

2.

 

[ryanM]

those look really good

 

[96swpdEK]

^^ that second picture is f**kin sick!!

contemplating whether or not to set it as a desktop background actually lol

 

[got traction]

^^ that second picture is f**kin sick!!

contemplating whether or not to set it as a desktop background actually lol

i took 572 pictures in the 4 hours i was there just need to crop some of them and ill post em up. seemed like i was getting 1 good shot for every 3 or 4 i took

 

[89SiGUYrex]

thats a good keeper rate. my only nitpick about the second picture is how the tire is cutoff but that is a new p.o.v. and angle i have seen for that type of shot

 

[got traction]

thats a good keeper rate. my only nitpick about the second picture is how the tire is cutoff but that is a new p.o.v. and angle i have seen for that type of shot

yea it really bothers me, but i liked the way the angle was so i decided to keep it. it was hard to keep him in frame when they're doing 60-70mph through that turn. also, what kinda iso should i be shooting with? i dont think i've ever changed it from 400. im still a n00b do this

 

[96 DX Hatch]

I'd drop the ISO to as low as you can.


They look good

 

[got traction]

I'd drop the ISO to as low as you can.


They look good

i can drop the iso down to 100, would that be better?

 

[LowNotSlow]

Those shots look good. I wouldn't mess with your ISO since you're not getting any noise. The shots are well exposed and you got the effect so stick with what you were using.