Shutterspeeds for panning shots (bikes)

LCPete

LCPete

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Hi
I'm going to the Thundersprint tommorrow and am going to try for some panning shots of the action
Its short circit bike racing
I will be using the 40Dwith 100-400L
I'm guessing shutter speeds of 125 at F5.6 will give a nice blurred background and will probably be in the grandstand area shooting at 200mm focal length
Is this about the right starting point shutterspeed ?
I've not done much motorsport but hope to get some bike action shots
Pete
 
LCPete said:
Hi
I'm going to the Thundersprint tommorrow and am going to try for some panning shots of the action
Its short circit bike racing
I will be using the 40Dwith 100-400L
I'm guessing shutter speeds of 125 at F5.6 will give a nice blurred background and will probably be in the grandstand area shooting at 200mm focal length
Is this about the right starting point shutterspeed ?
I've not done much motorsport but hope to get some bike action shots
Pete
Click to expand...

hi pete..

just set the camera to shutter priority and 1/125th[sometimes as low as 1/100th] and let the aperture take care of itself,as when panning,the BG is going to be blurred anyway.this is a shot taken at 1/125th at thruxton a few weeks back,and the wheel spokes are only just visible,so a slower speed would have probably been better...

DSC03435.jpg


hope this helps :thumbs:
 
Sounds like a good starting point. You need enough speed to freeze the bike as they vibrate and you can lose some sharpness. The longer the lens/distance from subject the better for the blurred background. Think about waving a stick about, the end is moving a lot faster than your arm, the longer the stick the faster the end moves. so the longer the focal length the better the blur whilst allowing a fast enough shutter to freeze the bike.
Remember to allow 'room' in front of the bike in the frame. If this makes sense? ie. back wheel against the frame edge is OK but the front wheel against the edge of the frame makes them look like they have ran into a wall, except for tight crops of course.
Good luck, hope the sun comes out for you.
 
And while I type there appears a good example of the last point
 
Thanks mark and Malc:)
Great shot Mark
I will be a fair distance from the bikes, good point about the composition Malc
Am hoping to get some wheelie shots too will post pics:)
 
malc has given some excellent advice,pete...and with your 100-400,you shouldn't have any problems.i wouldn't try to crop to tight when taking the shots[in camera],as you can always crop in photoshop later to frame the shot the way you like.the above shot was taken with a 70-200 @100mm,with minimal cropping.
 
Went today had a great day :)
managed a few shots it was difficult to get a good angle for panning shots there was high fencing all round but got 2 I'm happy with will post them in the motorsport section:)
125 was just the right speed to blur the wheels:)
Pete
 
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