Richard in NC
07-25-2009, 06:20 AM
I attended a Richard Petty Driving Experience at Lowes Motor Speedway the other day. Of course I took lots of pictures. Its the perfect opportunity to discuss motion blur.
The goal is to get a picture of a moving vehicle. The object should be as sharp as possible but if the background is blurred, you get the sense of speed. The key is to smoothly pan the object during the shot. Without panning, you get this:
http://bimmerdrivers.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=2810&stc=1&d=1248527787
I should use a tripod or monopod but have learned to use my body as the tripod and pan the camera around me. To switch to a tripod now would be to learn a whole new motion (moving yourself and rotating the camera around the tripod versus simply rotating the shoulders and moving the camera through an arc). Plus I have the flexibility to raise and lower the camera through the motion.
Another key is to have a few seconds of the car coming into the shot to start the pan, allow for the focus to settle, and take the shot(s) where you want them. Any DSLR will get you results but faster FPS, faster lenses (lower f#), and faster focus really pay off here.
You then need to experiment with shutter speed to get the correct amount of blur. Note more motion blur may also result in a lower hit ratio (fewer tack sharp photos). Even with perfect panning, the car may hit a bump and bounce during the shot. I was shooting cars going 120mph-150mph from a good distance. I started with program mode & ISO 200, giving me 1/320 sec shutter. That was a bit too fast of a shutter even though the car moved 6 inches during the shot. Not much blur here, but not that sharp either. I wanted more blur and would have to risk fewer hits.
http://bimmerdrivers.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=2811&stc=1&d=1248527787
Shutter priority was then used and I forced 1/160 sec. Plenty of blur but not sharp enough. I then settled on 1/200 sec at ISO 100. My f2.8 lens easily handled that, giving me f5.6. a lesser lens might need ISO 200 or a slower shutter at that much zoom. Here is the end result. Note the first 2 are full images reduced to 1200. This is a crop left at 2700 wide so you can see the 100% view sharpness.
http://bimmerdrivers.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=2812&stc=1&d=1248527787
Bottom line: A successful motion blur shot involves camera holding techniques, planning for the shot, and understanding the effects of shutter speed, f stop, and ISO settings to get the shot you want. Good equipment helps as well. Its why pros invest in $5000 lenses on $5000 cameras. Maybee one day for me.....
The goal is to get a picture of a moving vehicle. The object should be as sharp as possible but if the background is blurred, you get the sense of speed. The key is to smoothly pan the object during the shot. Without panning, you get this:
http://bimmerdrivers.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=2810&stc=1&d=1248527787
I should use a tripod or monopod but have learned to use my body as the tripod and pan the camera around me. To switch to a tripod now would be to learn a whole new motion (moving yourself and rotating the camera around the tripod versus simply rotating the shoulders and moving the camera through an arc). Plus I have the flexibility to raise and lower the camera through the motion.
Another key is to have a few seconds of the car coming into the shot to start the pan, allow for the focus to settle, and take the shot(s) where you want them. Any DSLR will get you results but faster FPS, faster lenses (lower f#), and faster focus really pay off here.
You then need to experiment with shutter speed to get the correct amount of blur. Note more motion blur may also result in a lower hit ratio (fewer tack sharp photos). Even with perfect panning, the car may hit a bump and bounce during the shot. I was shooting cars going 120mph-150mph from a good distance. I started with program mode & ISO 200, giving me 1/320 sec shutter. That was a bit too fast of a shutter even though the car moved 6 inches during the shot. Not much blur here, but not that sharp either. I wanted more blur and would have to risk fewer hits.
http://bimmerdrivers.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=2811&stc=1&d=1248527787
Shutter priority was then used and I forced 1/160 sec. Plenty of blur but not sharp enough. I then settled on 1/200 sec at ISO 100. My f2.8 lens easily handled that, giving me f5.6. a lesser lens might need ISO 200 or a slower shutter at that much zoom. Here is the end result. Note the first 2 are full images reduced to 1200. This is a crop left at 2700 wide so you can see the 100% view sharpness.
http://bimmerdrivers.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=2812&stc=1&d=1248527787
Bottom line: A successful motion blur shot involves camera holding techniques, planning for the shot, and understanding the effects of shutter speed, f stop, and ISO settings to get the shot you want. Good equipment helps as well. Its why pros invest in $5000 lenses on $5000 cameras. Maybee one day for me.....