Your favourite motorsports events

[dhr90]

Great shots. Very nice panning on the 1st and 3rd picture. Well done.

Thanks! The third is a heavy crop as I was in the region of 50 metres away at that point, very happy with what I got from standing by there, think both of those are around 1/40th of a second shutter speed, just let the camera sort the aperture and ISO out for itself

Hi Matthew.
Lovely shots, congrats on great panning at about 1/2 what I can manage, all of mine are 1/80th or above, then most of those are trash, sharp one end or the other, but not end to end or just blurred all over and I was using a gimbal! Oh well guess I'll have to try harder! :-\
Edit, I just noticed the 3rd car in the dust storm of the slide, great catch btw.

Cheers, Graham.

Again, thanks! I know how you feel, of the 700 or so I came home with (deleted loads that were obviously useless trackside) I'm down to about 20 keepers. There would have been more, but duplicates at just a slightly different angle, but of the same car etc got binned.

I'm really struggling getting them sharp end to end at those slow shutter speeds, its just getting the camera to acquire and maintain focus which is the problem.

Haven't tried a gimbal myself, its just a front/back tilt head on a monopod for most of those shots which I've locked in place. Been tempted to try a tripod to completely eliminate up/down movements on my end, but the weight is putting me off given I walk a couple of laps every day. Not to mention struggling to find space to set it up, and I suspect setting it up to be perfectly parallel with the track would get annoying.

 

[Roo]

Great images Matthew and Visby!

There's nothing wrong with your panning Matthew and the other shots in the album are also very good. As the shutterspeed gets slower it not just your own technique but any movement in the car will show up - you just have to look at some of the super-slo mo replays to see how much they do move in different planes while travelling at speed. At a recent airshow I was shooting old warbirds taking off at 1/60th and one I thought I got perfectly but when I looked at it at home I could see the vibration in the wing.

When I looked at Nigel Harniman's action shots in that link, I noticed how he used the background and foreground elements in his composition, switching between the cars and the crowd as his subject and that he wasn't afraid to use a wider angle lens or a different shutter speed. At the GP this year I was feeling a bit of the sameness in my shots so I tried a few different things - different lenses/focal lengths, change my perspective on subjects etc, different pp. And I'm still looking for different angles/perspectives/techniques. ;D

 

[Click]

I really like the 2nd and 3rd shot. Well done, Roo.

 

[Roo]

I really like the 2nd and 3rd shot. Well done, Roo.

Thanks Click. Those were actually shots that I'd passed over initially but decided to try out the Nik software on them when it became free.

 

[dhr90]

Thanks Roo. I usually avoid shooting cars on in/out laps because they are swerving all over the place and making life too damn difficult for us 'togs. Last few events I have been to i only had my 70-200, and the 2 pancakes with me to save on weight (although the STM motors aren't quite up to focusing fast enough much of the time), may have to switch back to the 24-105 or 12-24 for a while.

Not to mention, the skies weren't nearly as nice as your first shot, really like the first and second shots!

 

[Valvebounce]

Hi Roo.
Thanks for the link, I have had a look at this a couple of times now, and there are some very nice shots there, but on the whole I was not that taken by the "artistic shots" I guess that is why he is famous and I am not! ;D There were a couple of shots there that I tried to get, the Daffodils being one that I failed miserably at so I might try his angle on that.
Thanks for sharing it anyway.

Cheers, Graham.

I thought I'd share this with you Graham as you asked for any tips to improve. While the images you shared are spot on and your panning technique is excellent, maybe there's a style in this guy's gallery you'd like to try. These were also taken at Goodwood but the obvious bonus that this guy seems to have is virtually unlimited access and that shows in the variety of his images.

http://petrolicious.com/just-because-another-beautiful-gallery-of-the-goodwood-member-s-meeting

 

[dslrdummy]

Here are a selected few from the Aus GP.

I noticed in a lot of the track photos, the wheels were frozen. Do you mind sharing your settings?

I was shooting with a 1DX, 400mm 2.8, the settings in the images are all a bit mixed but shooting in these ranges..
Manual, F 2.8 to F4 (I have a few at 5.6) shutter from 800s to 2500s, Auto ISO.

Great shots. Just out of interest, how did you manage to get your 400mm and 1DX in? I was worried about my 300 f/2.8.

 

[Roo]

Here are a selected few from the Aus GP.

I noticed in a lot of the track photos, the wheels were frozen. Do you mind sharing your settings?

I was shooting with a 1DX, 400mm 2.8, the settings in the images are all a bit mixed but shooting in these ranges..
Manual, F 2.8 to F4 (I have a few at 5.6) shutter from 800s to 2500s, Auto ISO.

Great shots. Just out of interest, how did you manage to get your 400mm and 1DX in? I was worried about my 300 f/2.8.

They have relaxed the entry requirements at the Australian GP in the last couple of years. They used to restrict it to non professional gear and no longer than 300mm focal length but last year the lens restriction was changed to 400mm physical length.

 

[dslrdummy]

Here are a selected few from the Aus GP.

I noticed in a lot of the track photos, the wheels were frozen. Do you mind sharing your settings?

I was shooting with a 1DX, 400mm 2.8, the settings in the images are all a bit mixed but shooting in these ranges..
Manual, F 2.8 to F4 (I have a few at 5.6) shutter from 800s to 2500s, Auto ISO.

Great shots. Just out of interest, how did you manage to get your 400mm and 1DX in? I was worried about my 300 f/2.8.

They have relaxed the entry requirements at the Australian GP in the last couple of years. They used to restrict it to non professional gear and no longer than 300mm focal length but last year the lens restriction was changed to 400mm physical length.

That's good to know, thanks.

 

[Roo]

Phillip Island yesterday for the latest round of the V8Supercars championship. Not sure there has ever been a more picturesque backdrop for a race track. I didn't get around the whole track but there is hardly a bad spot for a spectator or ,even better, a photographer ie no large catch fences to impede the shots

 

[d]

Hey Roo, nice shots! Yes, Phillip Island is a scenic spot - pity about all the noise when there's racing going on! ;D

I've only been to the track once, for the MotoGP a few years back when Stoner was at his peak. I don't shoot motorsport, but took the 300mm 2.8 lens along I had at the time to see what it was like trying to track bikes down the straight. Good fun, actually!

Cheers,
d.

 

[Valvebounce]

Hi Roo.
Lovely shots, great panning, stunning looking backdrop. Well done.

Cheers, Graham.

Phillip Island yesterday for the latest round of the V8Supercars championship. Not sure there has ever been a more picturesque backdrop for a race track. I didn't get around the whole track but there is hardly a bad spot for a spectator or ,even better, a photographer ie no large catch fences to impede the shots

 

[wsmith96]

I had to the opportunity to see my first MotoGP at the Circuit of the Americas track in Austin. I don't shoot motorsports, and know nothing about motorcycle racing, but I brought along my 6D and 100-400 mk II to work on my panning shots. These were from the grandstands - not lucky enough to have trackside access. The last one is from the observation tower at the track.

COTA 4_2016 (299 of 496) by Wesley Smith, on Flickr

COTA 4_2016 (194 of 496) by Wesley Smith, on Flickr

COTA 4_2016 (389 of 496) by Wesley Smith, on Flickr

COTA 4_2016 (386 of 496) by Wesley Smith, on Flickr

I didn't think that I did too bad for my skill level, and I would like to invite any criticism. The race was a lot of fun and I'll be going back the next time it comes through Austin.

 

[Click]

Very nice shot, Wesley.

 

[wsmith96]

Very nice shot, Wesley.

Thanks Click!

 

[Roo]

Nice shot of Stoner d! I was lucky enough to using a 200-400 for most of my shots but also had the 16-35 and 70-200. The other beauty of the Island is the trackside parking = I could lock stuff away when I walked around the track.

Some very good shots from Texas Wesley. I particularly like the one from the tower. For non motorsports shooters both of you have done a good job

Thanks for the compliment Graham!

 

[Mickat]

Good shots there Roo, much better shooting there than through fence at the F1.
I've been to Phillip Island while on holidays one year but not for a race but would like to go to one . My partner and I did the go karts and a tour of the venue. We were lucky enough to see HRT doing a promo day for their sponsors so it was good to see at least something go round.
We did find out that Garth Tander did break the noise restrictions that day which the guy giving the tour said they cop a fine for.
What did you think of the 200-400mm?

 

[Roo]

Good shots there Roo, much better shooting there than through fence at the F1.
I've been to Phillip Island while on holidays one year but not for a race but would like to go to one . My partner and I did the go karts and a tour of the venue. We were lucky enough to see HRT doing a promo day for their sponsors so it was good to see at least something go round.
We did find out that Garth Tander did break the noise restrictions that day which the guy giving the tour said they cop a fine for.
What did you think of the 200-400mm?

Thanks Mickat. First time shooting at the Island and loved it. I may have to go back for the MotoGP. The 200-400 is excellent although it's a bit of a beast - first time I have spent on a monopod for an extended period. Most of the day I was at f8 so it was no dramas going all the way from 200-560 without too much adjustment to settings.

 

[TheJock]

There has been some outstanding images on here recently, very well done to everyone who took the time to share, you’ve inspired me!!
I just read the news that the Aussie V8’s are adding the Dubai Autodrome to their calendar for 2017/18!!!!!!!!!!!! I simply CANNOT wait to attend that race, last time they were at Yas Island in Abu Dhabi on their own, previously they where one of the support races at the F1, I was working on recovery at a twisty part of the track and me and my mate sat and watched them all swing SO wide that every single car scrapped along the barrier and lost their wing mirrors, we witnessed the wing mirrors flying through the air! it was one of my most cherished memories from all the motorsports I have watched over the years!! Did I mention that I can’t wait to see them again

 

[Roo]

There has been some outstanding images on here recently, very well done to everyone who took the time to share, you’ve inspired me!!
I just read the news that the Aussie V8’s are adding the Dubai Autodrome to their calendar for 2017/18!!!!!!!!!!!! I simply CANNOT wait to attend that race, last time they were at Yas Island in Abu Dhabi on their own, previously they where one of the support races at the F1, I was working on recovery at a twisty part of the track and me and my mate sat and watched them all swing SO wide that every single car scrapped along the barrier and lost their wing mirrors, we witnessed the wing mirrors flying through the air! it was one of my most cherished memories from all the motorsports I have watched over the years!! Did I mention that I can’t wait to see them again

It will be interesting to see that race go ahead Stewart. As for the wing mirrors, they are seen as an expendable outer marker especially at tracks like Adelaide, Albert Park...well anywhere there is a wall close to the corner exit. If they haven't damaged a mirror then they haven't gone hard enough ;D The V8 utes series is on another level of insanity lol