Motocross advice

I've only attended one such event, in a hilly field in the middle of Wales, and a couple of things spring to mind....

- It can get very dusty (or it was when I attended in June), so be careful with your gear and especially take care if zooming lenses in and out if there is dust/grit on the barrel.

- As well as dust you can also get a fair bit of shrapnel flying about. I took quite a thump to the chest, which if it had hit my lens would surely have gone right through any filter and probably destroyed the front objective. At the very least make sure to use a lens hood to reduce the risk of harm from all directions and basically be careful. If you're getting hit by lumps of stone and rock then so, potentially, is your gear.


Shrapnel (some of it pretty chunky)....

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- Getting in close with a shorter lens is probably going to make for more dramatic shots, but also put you closer to the firing line. I used a 100-400 on my 1D3 and found all focal lengths to be useful, but the closer the better, if it's safe.

Try this Google image search to see how others do it....

http://www.google.co.uk/search?q=mo...ct=mode&cd=2&ved=0CCkQ_AUoAQ&biw=1280&bih=687
 
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My advice for any action sports photography is to make sure you get the subject in context, show where they are taking off from and or landing, not just a guy in the sky!
 
Watch your backgrounds (easier said than done)
Slow shutter rarely works well, except perhaps while in the air
Try about 1/500 for a balance of wheel motion and freezing rest of bike/rider/dirt

Oh and look for fresh piles of kicked up dirt on the floor, which will tell you where you probably will get plastered - not that anywhere is safe really!
 
Thanks some great advice and appreciate it.

Must admit shrapnel wasn't something I'd considered though quite obvious. My lens collection is small right now, 17-40L f4 and 70-200L 2.8, so unless I see a chance to use it will most likely be using the 70-200.

Might treat myself to a neoprene cover for the lens to hopefully keep most of the dust away.

Any thoughts on whether to use a UV or polarising filter? My intention was UV but am considering the polarising as outside. Is that a mistake?

Many thanks
 
On the polarising front, depends if your lens rotates as it focuses, if it does I wouldn't bother with the polariser as you need to adjust it for each shot. If the lens doesn't rotate just set it up for the shot then snap away.
 
Don't worry too much about the dust - depending on the weather you might need to give everything a clean, but don't sweat it, it all cleans up just fine.

Camera gear isn't nearly as delicate and precious as some would like to make out!
 
desantnik said:
Don't worry too much about the dust - depending on the weather you might need to give everything a clean, but don't sweat it, it all cleans up just fine.

Camera gear isn't nearly as delicate and precious as some would like to make out!
Click to expand...

desantnik said:
Watch your backgrounds (easier said than done)
Slow shutter rarely works well, except perhaps while in the air
Try about 1/500 for a balance of wheel motion and freezing rest of bike/rider/dirt

Oh and look for fresh piles of kicked up dirt on the floor, which will tell you where you probably will get plastered - not that anywhere is safe really!
Click to expand...

This is the truth! ^^^^

desantnik in future I may just address my queries to you as you are repeatedly spot on. ;)

Really do appreciate it as enabled me to approach the day with a bit more direction. In the end myself and a mate, bar lunch and even then dropping the burgers for shooting, shot almost continually from 10am until 4:30pm. I need a monopod!

I’ve not done much but Sunday at the MX was easily the most enjoyable photography I have ever done. Suffered from constantly trying to use f2.8 because I had it but despite that am moderately happy.

Hopefully will get a few shots up here later tonight.

Cheers
 
Glad you had fun! TP is a good source of help...many on here helped me over the years, I just share the love :-)

Looking forward to seeing what you came up with.

MX rocks!
 
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