gokarts/motorsports...new one on me!

morgan · 8 Feb 2006 at 08:32

Saturday i've been asked to take some shots of an indoor karting race. completely new to me as I am normally just weddings/portraiture.

I've never done any kind of motorspots, but I'm really looking forward to it.

I really need some tips on panning? shooting styles and technical tips if possible.

One of the main questions I have is regarding focussing techniques. Is the rule of thumb to prefocus on a point, switch to manual focus, then when the subject is on the point take the shot? or do pople now use AI servo?

I'm also a little concearned about lighting. As I say it is an indoor event. I am condidering something like ISO1600, 1/125 for panning shots and keeping around the F2.8-4 range.

I was also thinking about setting up my 420EX as a slave on a tripod away from me to get some decent lighting.

I have the folowing tools at my disposal:

20D, 70-200L F2.8 IS, 24-70 F2.8, 10-22 F3.5/4.5, 85 F1.8, 580EX, 420EX.

I'm thinking that about having the 70-200 on most of the time, 580 on the camera with a lightsphere II diffuser and the 420 with a stofen and tripod mounted.

does this sound wise or am I well off the mark? As I say this is new territory to me so any input would be really appreciated

thanks

morgan · 8 Feb 2006 at 10:13

ahh ok cool. good thinking on the flash.

didnt think about the IS mode - I just keep it on mode 1 all of the time.

what would happen if i used mode 1 for panning?

morgan · 8 Feb 2006 at 14:24

would it make the shot look different then if i didnt turn it off?

morgan · 8 Feb 2006 at 20:00

cheers for your input guys...yep tripod was for the 420

morgan · 9 Feb 2006 at 09:18

sweet

iso1600 it is then!

I may try some flash stuff in the 2nd race...bit of 2nd curtain sync. I'll also try to post some pics (as crap as they may be) after the weekend.

great shot sdk btw.

morgan · 12 Feb 2006 at 18:57

well.....

all went good i think. had a great time shooting. light wasnt too hot, although it was indoors there was more light than i thought there would be but i was still set to iso1600 most of the time.

I didnt use the flash in the end - no need. used the 70-200 most, with ai servo focus. had real fun practicing panning...harder than it looks. spectators areas was a bit limited..couldnt get down low due to a wall, but good view over a few corners

overall had a ball shooting something new

anyway, shots here:

http://www.michaelelder.f2s.com/temp/karen/

thanks again for everyones advice. really helped me out.

morgan · 13 Feb 2006 at 09:26

MrSix said:
Great job!

These photos have a really nice feel to them, did you do any post processing work on them, or are they straight from the camera?

What camera was it too, a 20D? The noise levels are barely noticable.

cheers for the comments guys.

I made a standard action which was noiseware (no shapening). then duplicate layer (softlight 10% opacity) to pop out the definition a little, followed by a 20% smartsharpen. then the image processor did the resize.

Zheka said:
Great photos, looks like a lot of fun
I also like how you show them in your gallery.

the gallery is a bog standard one from bridge > tools> photoshop> web gallery. makes it all for you automatically.

sisnt really have much time to work on the images sepeately so i just did a batch on the actions and resize and then used the gallery. bit lazy really i guess....

overall really enjoyed it - eve thouh my good to bad shot ratio was terrible it really made me want to shoot some more motorsports stuff.....

morgan · 13 Feb 2006 at 09:29

rG-tom said:
depending on how steady a hand you have you can get cracking shots at seriously low shutter speeds here's one i did earlier, manual focus @ 1/6th of a second, 135mm, no IS (30 year old lens )

Tom.

awesome shot.....have to practice my panning a little more to get down to 1/6 though I think!