Not brilliant, but I had a go with panning today.

kundalini · Mar 22, 2008

It's hard to get these, so my hat's off to those that get it right.

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

The last two included because I thought the starbursts were cool to catch in the mirror.

Suggestions on how to improve is much appreciated.

Thanks for looking.

Harmony · Mar 22, 2008

I can't tell you how to improve because I don't have the hang of panning (yet! At least, that's what I keep telling myself).

However, 4 is really cool.

kundalini · Mar 23, 2008

Thanks Harmony.

Yeah, I'm gonna keep trying. That really is a technique where practice, practice and more practice is required.

The majority came out like this:

:lmao::lmao::lmao:

MissMia · Mar 23, 2008

Good work - panning is tough - keep working on it. I really like #5 with the flare and #1 because of the expression on his face.

The R6 is a hot bike! Be glad he wasn't going 160 mph!

abraxas · Mar 23, 2008

kundalini said:
Thanks Harmony.

Yeah, I'm gonna keep trying. That really is a technique where practice, practice and more practice is required.

The majority came out like this:

...

:lmao::lmao::lmao:

I can appreciate that. Your 'majority' looks like my best chasing a roadrunner the other day. Good work. Keep it up.

Phranquey · Mar 23, 2008

#3 did come out pretty good. What shutter speed & which of your lenses are you using?

kundalini · Mar 23, 2008

MissMia said:
Good work - panning is tough - keep working on it. I really like #5 with the flare and #1 because of the expression on his face.

The R6 is a hot bike! Be glad he wasn't going 160 mph!

I have no doubt that he has seen the extremes of performance . This is my oldest son and to be sure, the nut doesn't fall far from the tree.

abraxas said:
I can appreciate that. Your 'majority' looks like my best chasing a roadrunner the other day. Good work. Keep it up.

Well, VIR (Virginia International Raceway) will be opening their season soon and I suspect that I will be venturing a few times this year. This isn't my forte, but my ole man loves the races and I might just tag along. He is getting on in years don'tcha know. He has to be, checked the calendar, and I turned fifty this year.

Phranquey said:
#3 did come out pretty good. What shutter speed & which of your lenses are you using?

I set the camera is Tv priority at 1/80 and ISO 200. It came back at f/13. Lens was Nikkor 70-200mm @ focal length 110mm. That image was cropped because I did not have all the front tire in frame. I liked the result and thank you for your comment.

Village Idiot · Mar 23, 2008

kundalini said:
I set the camera is Tv priority at 1/80 and ISO 200. It came back at f/13. Lens was Nikkor 70-200mm @ focal length 110mm. That image was cropped because I did not have all the front tire in frame. I liked the result and thank you for your comment.

The link to my first attempt at panning today:
http://www.thephotoforum.com/forum/showthread.php?t=116581

You want manual. Slight varitions in exposure shouldn't be really noticable over a distance of 5-20 feet.

I was shooting at 1/100 and f/9. I'd try to shoot at 1/160 so I wouldn't get so much motion blur. My best suggestion for the actual technique is to us an AI servo mode that keeps focusing and doesn't focus an lock. If the Nikon 70-200 AF's as fast as the Canon's 70-200, then it will really help. Start tracking your target from way before the position you're going to shoot at. Make sure you support your lens from vertical movement as well as possible (monopod can really help here), then fire in high burst mode when you're target reaches where you want to start firing at. Make sure you don't get jumpy at this point. Pick a place on your target and track it and don't jump when then camera starts firing. I usually pick the person's helmet and keep it on that as when they're tucked and leaned off the bike for a turn, you can gaurantee that they're not going to look off in another direction until they're through the turn.

If you can make it to a track where you can practice, then this is the best. With the exception of breaks between the groups, I was getting at least one bike coming by every 15-30 seconds.

EDIT: I don't know if your Nikon is capable of this, but if you can assign a button to AF rather than having a half shutter press AF and splitting it so one button AF's and the half shutter press just meters, then that may help you as well. I tried it today and it really helped.

kundalini · Mar 23, 2008

Village Idiot said:
The link to my first attempt at panning today:
http://www.thephotoforum.com/forum/showthread.php?t=116581

You want manual. Slight varitions in exposure shouldn't be really noticable over a distance of 5-20 feet.

I was shooting at 1/100 and f/9. I'd try to shoot at 1/160 so I wouldn't get so much motion blur. My best suggestion for the actual technique is to us an AI servo mode that keeps focusing and doesn't focus an lock. If the Nikon 70-200 AF's as fast as the Canon's 70-200, then it will really help. Start tracking your target from way before the position you're going to shoot at. Make sure you support your lens from vertical movement as well as possible (monopod can really help here), then fire in high burst mode when you're target reaches where you want to start firing at. Make sure you don't get jumpy at this point. Pick a place on your target and track it and don't jump when then camera starts firing. I usually pick the person's helmet and keep it on that as when they're tucked and leaned off the bike for a turn, you can gaurantee that they're not going to look off in another direction until they're through the turn.

If you can make it to a track where you can practice, then this is the best. With the exception of breaks between the groups, I was getting at least one bike coming by every 15-30 seconds.

EDIT: I don't know if your Nikon is capable of this, but if you can assign a button to AF rather than having a half shutter press AF and splitting it so one button AF's and the half shutter press just meters, then that may help you as well. I tried it today and it really helped.