Track day!

minicoop1985 · May 1, 2016

Went to the track today. Got my panning therapy in. Have a favorite/least favorite? Lemme know what you guys think!

Chris by Michael Long, on Flickr

GTRs by Michael Long, on Flickr

Firebird by Michael Long, on Flickr

Viper by Michael Long, on Flickr

Camaro ZL-1 by Michael Long, on Flickr

jcdeboever · May 1, 2016

Nice. Wish I was the one driving the Firebird.

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Derrel · May 1, 2016

Lovely sunstar on the rear window of the first car. M<y favorite is the #65 car. What do I think? Mostly too much top space, too much that's visually competing with the car and track in most of these; the Firebird, the 33 car...the parking area and the green porta potty. Porta potty...no...that's just not a good vantage point to set up, same with shot #1, with the bleachers on the grassy knoll (OMG--was that a shot? Or just a backfire?), the grassy knoll and the empty bleachers distract from the car. On the other hand--if say, this was a race, and there were 150 people in those bleachers--then yes, that might have actually worked great. Lots of people in different, colored, bright shirts makes for a good streaky backdrop effect; horizontal aluminum bleachers on plain, green grass is not good, and the sky is the nail in the coffin.

THe way I see it, a panning shot needs the kind of background that LOOKS GOOD SMEARED, and of this set, the #65 car and the white outbuildings work the best...not a great shot, but better than some of the other backdrops.

The #43 car, for example--a GOOD, and LOGICAL background, and a decent place to set the camera up! Needs more contrast IMHO, but not a bad shot. Again, that area is a good example of the kind of backdrop that WILL/.COULD/SHOULD look good when shown smeared, or streaky; the exact opposite is the red car, with those annoying signs and that big $ sign...that just robs all attention from the car.

limr · May 1, 2016

Derrel said:
Lovely sunstar on the rear window of the first car. M<y favorite is the #65 car. What do I think? Mostly too much top space, too much that's visually competing with the car and track in most of these; the Firebird, the 33 car...the parking area and the green porta potty. Porta potty...no...that's just not a good vantage point to set up, same with shot #1, with the bleachers on the grassy knoll (OMG--was that a shot? Or just a backfire?), the grassy knoll and the empty bleachers distract from the car. On the other hand--if say, this was a race, and there were 150 people in those bleachers--then yes, that might have actually worked great. Lots of people in different, colored, bright shirts makes for a good streaky backdrop effect; horizontal aluminum bleachers on plain, green grass is not good, and the sky is the nail in the coffin.

THe way I see it, a panning shot needs the kind of background that LOOKS GOOD SMEARED, and of this set, the #65 car and the white outbuildings work the best...not a great shot, but better than some of the other backdrops.

The #43 car, for example--a GOOD, and LOGICAL background, and a decent place to set the camera up! Needs more contrast IMHO, but not a bad shot. Again, that area is a good example of the kind of backdrop that WILL/.COULD/SHOULD look good when shown smeared, or streaky; the exact opposite is the red car, with those annoying signs and that big $ sign...that just robs all attention from the car.

What he said, almost exactly

minicoop1985 · May 2, 2016

I got rid of the porta potty in that one shot. I'm TRYING to replace it in Flickr, but noooooooooooooo Flickr isn't working for me right now.

I thought leaving some space would be a good thing, showing motion. Maybe, maybe not, I suppose. I was trying to avoid cropping down in post to maximize the apparent sharpness of the car.

In other news, I love my 70-200 and my new monopod with ball head.

minicoop1985 · May 2, 2016

Firebird by Michael Long, on Flickr

Got rid of that god awful porta crapper.

Wanted to add this one.

Viper by Michael Long, on Flickr

If you look at 100%, you can read the Viper on the calipers. Incredible.

minicoop1985 · May 2, 2016

And just for giggles...

Grand Marquis by Michael Long, on Flickr

Shutter speed was too fast (not enough blur), but hey. It's a Grand Marquis on a race track. Who would've thought?