Panning Shots - these any good?

[Mad Dave]

Hi Guys,

A few shots that I took at the Castle Combe Superbike Grand National.

Large file sizes, but I reckon theyre worth it

www.davidhambly.co.uk/bikes/superbikes1_s.jpg

www.davidhambly.co.uk/bikes/superbikes2_s.jpg

www.davidhambly.co.uk/bikes/superbikes3_s.jpg

www.davidhambly.co.uk/bikes/superbikes5_s.jpg

www.davidhambly.co.uk/bikes/superbikes6_s.jpg

www.davidhambly.co.uk/bikes/superbikes7_s.jpg


There was a lot of really poor shots too - I ended up with lots of blurry shots

Let me know what you think guys

Dave

[murph7355]

Nice pics.

Some would benefit a little cropping I think.

Also, have they been through photoshop or similar? The colours look a bit out to me. What sort of camera/lens was it?

[simpo two]

murph7355 said:

Also, have they been through photoshop or similar? The colours look a bit out to me. What sort of camera/lens was it?

I guessed they were slide scans?

[Mad Dave]

Hi guys,

Just normal old Superia 200/400, prints scanned in at 300dpi on an old flatbed scanner! They havent been through Photoshop aside from a bit of cropping - as you say, I could crop them further, but I quite like the composition of them as they are. My favourite is the Virgin bike - technically it could do with some more cropped off the left hand side, but I quite like it blasting into the frame

Camera - Nikon F70 with Sigma 70-300 APO Macro lens. No filters, 1/250 (ish) shutter speed.

[simpo two]

Mad Dave said:

prints scanned in at 300dpi on an old flatbed scanner!

Yep, that's it: they're two generations down. Apart from that, they look fine in every other respect to me.

Mad Dave said:

Camera - Nikon F70

Nice to meet another F70 owner - all ya have to do now is swap the 'F' for a 'D'

[bilko]

Good pictures, i agree with you about including the scenery as it gives a better sense of action imo.
Would love to have seen one from the front comming up a hill or something.

[nighthawk]

They look great to me m8

I struggled at donnington park during the last BTCC round.
i think i was a little too far away and haven't quite mastered manual focusing with panning yet









comments welcomed,

[Mad Dave]

They look good mate- sod manual focussing. I have a manual focus camera and its nice to get back to basics sometimes, but for panning shots you cant beat AF - my Nikon continually refocusses as the subject gets closer! Its not really lazy - just means I can concentrate on composition etc rather than focussing.

Nice shots though mate.

[EmmaP]

These pictures are great Mad Dave. I'm very impressed. You have managed to keep the focus purely on the bike and rider through careful and skilful use of panning. The colours look fine to me. My monitor is correctly calibrated and the whites are indeed white. I think the strangeness is due to the charactersitics of Fuji Superior. Fuji is reknowned for producing very punchy colours, with reds and greens being particularly vibrant. Not especially naturalistic, but great for commercial applications.

[Mad Dave]

Thanks Emma - glad you like them Theyre the good ones, I got lots of blurry shots too. Most of those ones are from the last film I shot, so my success rate evidently improved throughout the day - it was my first attempt at panning.

[Mad Dave]

bilko said:

Good pictures, i agree with you about including the scenery as it gives a better sense of action imo. Would love to have seen one from the front comming up a hill or something.

I know exactly what you mean - sadly castle combe is pretty flat and it was so busy on the day that I had a hell of a job fighting my way to the front to get the shots. I had to set up camp 45minutes before each race just to make sure I have a decent spot!

[fergusd]

One of my attempts that I like . . .

Camera on auto focus/exposure with only some exposure changes to slow the shutter speed . . . taken from the side of the track with only an 18-70 lens . . . quite pleased with the result . . .

www.woolymonkey.co.uk/images/overtake.php

I was panning for the Blue car (which a couple of us built for the guy racing it) . . . and was pleased with the sharp blue car and non sharp car he was tying to overtake . . . on the kerbs ;-) . . . ultimately he got past ;-)

The full res images look much sharper . . . not sure what's wrong with my jpeg conversion tonight . . .

Fd

[JamesS2]

Rubbish.



Ello Dave! Long bloody time!

Where you been these past few years?

Im getting married next year!

[Mad Dave]

James Hans? It has been a long bloody time mate! Married? You? When on earth did you learn to pull birds?

Give me a call mate - same mobile number.