Willow Springs Raceway

[bhop]

A couple shots from a track day this past weekend.

D300 + Sigma 70-200

edit: If you want to see the rest (disclaimer, the site owner seems to have done some additional processing to my pics, vignetting or something):
http://wiredonhonda.com/photos/xtreemetrackeventsmarch/


Evolution by bhop, on Flickr


Fast! by bhop, on Flickr


R8 by bhop, on Flickr

 

[AceCo55]

Very nice work. I love the composition and POV of #3. The colour and repeating parallel lines works for me.
#2 would be next pick ... 1/60th so damn fine skill here.

Enjoyed these - thanks for posting.

 

[matthewo]

Very nice. You could try to bring the shaddows out a little bit more. The r8 seems a little dark, as with the bumper and lower areas on #2
But that also might just be my phone screen

 

[bhop]

Very nice. You could try to bring the shaddows out a little bit more. The r8 seems a little dark, as with the bumper and lower areas on #2
But that also might just be my phone screen

Nah, you're right, it's a little dark. Unfortunately the way this track's set up, most of the spectator spots are on the opposite side of the sun unless it's late in the day.

... 1/60th so damn fine skill here.

Enjoyed these - thanks for posting.

Thanks. 1/60th.. heh.. towards the end of the day, I didn't need any more shots so I decided to play around some and see how low I could go with lack of VR.

 

[matthewo]

You got skills if thats a sigma hsm ii. Im having trouble with it at low shutter speeds when im standing, not sitting. It may also not be locking focus perfectly.

I dont know i just am not in love with my sigma 70-200. I get good pictures most of the time, but some just come out horrid. I think its a fickle beast

 

[bhop]

You got skills if thats a sigma hsm ii. Im having trouble with it at low shutter speeds when im standing, not sitting. It may also not be locking focus perfectly.

I dont know i just am not in love with my sigma 70-200. I get good pictures most of the time, but some just come out horrid. I think its a fickle beast

What works best for panning racing for me is setting the focus in advance to the racing line on the track, then set it to manual focus to lock it in. Since the lower shutter speeds means the aperture will be small, the depth of field, and the cars usually driving the same line, keeps them mostly in focus. The tricky part is the panning itself. You have to move your whole body, not just your arms to match the speed of the subject, (i use mostly my legs and waist) and 'follow through' kinda like a golf swing to get a smooth shot. (or what I think it is anyway, I don't play golf) Start tracking the subject before you're ready to shoot and keep moving after you've 'fired'. That's what seems to work for me. Smoothness is the key.

I'm with you about not loving the Sigma, too many oof shots in my batch and the way the focus hunts sometimes pushed me over the edge. My used Nikon 70-200 VRI should be arriving tomorrow. :mrgreen:

 

[doubleoh7]

Just a suggestion. Try using flash at 250 (fastest sync for most flash / body combos). Your second and third shot seemed to be shooting toward the sun. Flash will bring out the shadows and the 250 shutter speed even with flash will still show great motion when you pan.

 

[bhop]

Just a suggestion. Try using flash at 250 (fastest sync for most flash / body combos). Your second and third shot seemed to be shooting toward the sun. Flash will bring out the shadows and the 250 shutter speed even with flash will still show great motion when you pan.

Thanks, but you realize i'm probably between 50 to 100 yards away from these cars? There's no way the flash would affect it at that range in bright sunlight... at least, I have my doubts, i've never tried it from that distance.

 

[SCraig]

Just a suggestion. Try using flash at 250 (fastest sync for most flash / body combos). Your second and third shot seemed to be shooting toward the sun. Flash will bring out the shadows and the 250 shutter speed even with flash will still show great motion when you pan.

Thanks, but you realize i'm probably between 50 to 100 yards away from these cars? There's no way the flash would affect it at that range in bright sunlight... at least, I have my doubts, i've never tried it from that distance.

Yeah, and drivers just abso-freakin-lutely LOVE it when you fire a flash in their face.

I agree that they are very good panning shots. Quite a bit underexposed on the subject but good on the track and background. If you want to reverse that situation where the subject is properly exposed and the track overexposed use spot or center-weighted metering. Matrix metering is averaging the entire frame which is part of the cause of the underexposure on the cars. Personally I prefer center-weighted for races because spot is too sensitive on white or black paint and a lot of racecars (and bikes!) are white or black.

 

[bhop]

...use spot or center-weighted metering...

I'll give that a try next time.

 

[brian_f2.8]

i have ran into this at lime rock in ct. i dont shoot at that time of the day when its sunny out. if its an over cast day, sure. try from different angles if its sunny.

flashes are not allowed, not even at night(endurance racing). you really have to pick your shots.