Horse racing photography at night with no flash- A starting point ?

[Tailgunner]

I just don't see how it's going to work panning horses at night.

Pretty much exactly the same as during the day - what's not to get?

Ok

Anyhow, I've only seen photos from our local track but it looks like lighting should't be an issue panning or otherwise.

 

[Solarflare]

Hello.. I am new to photography and I am trying to get some good shots of horse racing at night without a flash so the horses aren't spooked and the flash would matter as the horses are a little ways away.
My camera is a Nikon D100, Phoenix 28-300mm f/4.0-6.3AF zoom lens, No flash.
[...] I would like at least a good starting point suggestion for the gear I am working with.

Oh, thats easy !

(1) Action photography at low light is the most hardware demanding kind of photography there is. ALL bad conditions are stacked. Even worse you want to do it at range, too, so you'll be using the extra dark end of your zoom. Professionals get gear for tens of thousands of dollars for tasks like that.

(2) Your gear is pretty much the WORST gear possible. One of the first digital DSLRs ever, those had horrid High ISO, and a very dark lens, and its a nonbrand superzoom, probably with slow AF and low IQ too. I have trouble of thinking of worse photography DSLR hardware than that.

In short: you're screwed. You can try panning, as mentioned in this thread, but thats it.

 

[hamlet]

Low light photography is definitely not easy. Some sleight of hand is definitely required.

 

[TheFantasticG]

Hello.. I am new to photography and I am trying to get some good shots of horse racing at night without a flash so the horses aren't spooked and the flash would matter as the horses are a little ways away. My camera is a Nikon D100, Phoenix 28-300mm f/4.0-6.3AF zoom lens, No flash. There are lights there, I just can't get the right combination of settings for enough light in and shutter speed fast enough that the horses aran't blurry. Any info will help. I would like at least a good starting point suggestion for the gear I am working with. Thanks

Given your username are you trying to shoot at the track on the north side by Beltway 8??

 

[bribrius]

half the fun is in the trying...