Fast action

Yamaha_gurl · Aug 30, 2007

I have been trying to get some good pics of my bf at the local track, motorcycle track days. My camera is a Kodak Z740 5.0 pixels and 10x zoom. I know NOTHING about photography. I usually put the camera on the mode that takes 4 pics in a row, and usually 1 turns out ok. Any tips? My camera does have a manual feature, but I know nothing about it, help please! Also, my camera eats batteries like crazy are there any re- cahrgable batteries that last a long time?

Thanks!

Big Mike · Aug 30, 2007

Welcome to the forum.

I'd say you are doing a pretty good job, considering that the type of camera you are using probably isn't suited to this type of shooting.

Jon, The Elder · Aug 30, 2007

Jeez........I'm with Big Mike. You are doing very well with that little picture-takin'-box.

Shot #1 & #2 are worth hangin' on the wall.

The good and bad of learning to use your cameras manual settings.......

The good is that you would improve quality and get more of what your camera can produce, by fine tuning the settings yourself.

The "bad" is that it will take time to learn just what different settings will do. And, for a while your 'keeper-rate" may drop down a bit.

The time and work you invest, will pay for itself many times over, as you progress.

You have a good 'eye' for your subject. If you are this good with a P&S, you have a real future in photography. Action sports ain't easy.

Yamaha_gurl · Aug 30, 2007

Wow, thanks for the great comments! I have been reading on this forum and found some good tips...gonna try them out this weekend!

Stratman · Aug 31, 2007

If your camera uses "AA" batteries, i would recommend Sanyo Eneloops. They are rechargeable, so they will save you money that way, plus they will last MUCH longer than regular Alkaline batteries, and another benefit of them is, you are not throwing them away after they discharge, so you are going "green" too... I have 2 sets for my K110D DSLR, and can get 400 shots per set out of them on average, sometimes more if i resist the urge to look at the shots in the LCD :lol:

Not sure where you live, but if you're in the U S, Circuit City carries them. Buy one set with the charger, then a second set so you have plenty of power to spare !! I did that, and it was about $40.00 total for 8 batteries, and the charger.

HatMan · Sep 1, 2007

Hi!

You absolutely have to ditch the alkaline or lithium photo batteries you are using and switch to NiMH rechargeables.

I spend a lot of time at the local racetrack shooting bikes as well. With my K100D and a set of 2500 mAH Sanyo batteries, they last the whole day (9am-6pm) and usually over 1000 photos.

You can buy a set of 4 batteries and a 1 hour charger at Costco for about $25 CDN. I carry 3 sets, because I always seem to forget to charge them because they last so long!

BTW, the shots have a lot of potential. If you can control your aperture I would suggest closing it as much as possible to increase the depth of field so the entire bike is in focus. Bikes are a very difficult subject to shoot... Out of my 1000+ photos I am usually happy with fewer than 300-400 of them. Although they can be intimidating at first, the manual settings in your camera will become your best friend...

Here is an example of what I am talking about:

This photo is actually a very good friend of mine who got me into shooting these insane racers. I have been at this for 2 solid years and am still awed by some of the other proshots I see out there in the magazines.

Finally, the art of panning is truly that. It takes a lot of patience and even more bad shots...

Like I said, your shots have a lot of potential, so keep up the great work!!!

Regards,

Mike McCarthy
McCarthyPhotographic.com

hacksaw35 · Sep 1, 2007

Just a thought, but isn't this wrong??? It's the opposite right?

HatMan said:
If you can control your apeture I would suggest opening it as much as possible to increase the depth of field so the entire bike is in focus.

Heck · Sep 1, 2007

Not for nothing but with getting shots like that with that camera your very lucky or very good! I tried showing my friend how to do panning shots at the local auto cross with his camera that was just like yours. I tell you I wanted to smash it cuz it was making me look bad lol. Then I new that spending the money for my d40x kit was not so bad after all. It does make it a bit easy to learn.

Nice shots by the way.

HatMan · Sep 1, 2007

hacksaw35 said:
Just a thought, but isn't this wrong??? It's the opposite right?

Yes. I thought about that a few minutes later and got off on a tangent and forgot to go back and edit my original post... Fixed and Oops!

Yamaha_gurl · Oct 5, 2007

Sorry to bring this back from the dead, but I need more ideas

I shoot some of my pics from the side of the bike:

Then there are the behind ones:

And the fronts:

I know I could try laying down or trying to stand on something to make it more interesting...whatcha think? Anything else I could try as for composition maybe? Please take in mind I am so NEW to taking pics

TIA

Big Mike · Oct 5, 2007

As they are whizzing by you at high speed...I would think that your options are pretty limited.

Maybe have a look at related magazines and see what they are doing...not necessarily to copy them, but just to get some ideas.

I think you are doing a pretty good job of it.

Hill202 · Oct 5, 2007

Yamaha_gurl said:
Wow, thanks for the great comments! I have been reading on this forum and found some good tips...gonna try them out this weekend!

Your pictures are great. I've been reading here also but my pictures are not as good as yours. I guess I've been reading the wrong threads.

Mike_E · Oct 5, 2007

Hi, have you looked into a tripod? That will help to get all the sharpness that your camera will give.

There used to be an old photojournalist saying about how they got their shots that went "F8 and be there". Ask your boyfriend where the most action on the track is and then stake out your spot and hang there. The more you move around the less time you are prepared to shoot unless you are really experienced.