[MRHPhoto]

My friend and his father are total gear heads and they live less than say 10 miles from a relatively well known track in the area called Road America up in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin. For Christmas my friend may be getting to do 40 or so laps around the track balls out/as fast as he feels he can in either his and his father's Mustang Mach 1, or his fathers replica Shelby Cobra he's been building over the years. They are wondering if it's possible for me to come up for the day and shoot them driving around the track and I'm wondering if anyone has some tips for this.

I would assume that unless I want to convey a sense of speed I should shoot at faster shutter speeds and higher ISO's, but that if I want motion I should pick up an ND filter of a few stops or stop down the Aperture and use a sturdy tripod. At the moment my gear consists of my K-5, Kit 18-55 lens that I never carry anymore, Tamron 10-24mm, DA*55mm, and DA*60-250mm, and DGB4 grip (+1 promaster battery). I'm not looking to purchase or rent any other lenses (partially because I only know 1 pentax dealer in the area that carries DSLR/lenses and it's in the wrong direction and they don't do rentals). I'm wondering more along the lines of how to creatively shoot this. They are going to pay me since It's a 2 hour drive for me to get up there (first paying job woo!) so I don't want to disappoint. Things I'm looking at are a new tripod (mine is older than I am, heavy, and just annoying) and possibly a few more extra batteries.

This isn't set it stone but he is looking at October 19th. Anyone have any suggestions :S ?

[JinDesu]

Practice panning. That's how you convey the speed.

[MRHPhoto]

Practice panning. That's how you convey the speed.

That's why I'm looking at a better tripod. Something heftier and better built but still lighter weight to minimize camera shake that's got a much smoother pan than I currently have -.-

[JinDesu]

One thing is that a ballhead may be better for panning, as it'll give you the vertical dimensions to work with (unless you somehow get your tripod head to line up with the track elevations).

If the tripod has a bottom hook, it's meant for hanging your bag for added weight support. That might be a good solution as well. But nice thick sturdy legs are good.

[MRHPhoto]

One thing is that a ballhead may be better for panning, as it'll give you the vertical dimensions to work with (unless you somehow get your tripod head to line up with the track elevations).

If the tripod has a bottom hook, it's meant for hanging your bag for added weight support. That might be a good solution as well. But nice thick sturdy legs are good.

As an oddity, what about a monopod?

[JinDesu]

As an oddity, what about a monopod?

I haven't tried panning with a monopod, sorry I can't help advise there. Maybe another user can...

[interested_observer]

... in addition to practice, practice, practice, you can search the web for....

• How to shoot race cars at a track,
• search google for race car images at a track,
• google the track's name for pictures posted on the web,
• Go to stock photo sites and get some ideas.

in order to get some additional ideas. Also, you can...

• shoot down low to the ground,
• shoot at a regular tripod height,
• shoot from a corner the straight away coming both at you and away from you
• shoot from straight away going into and out of a corner
• shoot from the pits - coming in and going out
• shoot from the stands
• is there a "track control tower" to shoot from?
• how about where they end the race with the checkered flag? The driver getting the checkered flag?

Also, do they have some ideas of pictures that they have seen and want to get? Is it just going to be 40 laps straight or possibly 4 set of 5 lap groups, or???? I ask that so that perhaps you may be able to dump the images to a laptop and everybody can look a them and say "like this but with ....". Also, if with stops, you can get some of the pit entrance and exits, etc.

Can you get a layout of the track as soon as possible and get a look at the layout? Go to google maps and get an overhead of the track. Also, folks may have posted images of the track there, thus giving you possible shot ideas. For, each of your lenses, think things through as to what shots, each lens would excel at - make a list and check it twice.

When you find a image on the web that gives you an idea, pull a copy and put in into a word file in a table. Group all the images together that are associated with each vantage point on the track, so that you have a shot list to check off so that you will not forget any.

Call the track and ask what positions at the track have other gotten good shots from?

What time of day? Shoot the preparation as well.

[hks_kansei]

Now here's a thread I can chime in on!

At a racetrack I wouldn't bother with a tripod, you won't have the flexibility you need. A Monopod however is almost an absolute must!


As said above, practice panning. Just stand out front of your house and practice with the cars driving past until you think you're able to smoothly do it. (and always remember to continue the pan after the shutter has released)


I tended to always use shutter priority, depth of fiel isn't as important to blur the background because when you pan the photos the BG is going to be moving anyway. It's a matter of taste as to how much blur you want, but personally I tended to keep the shutter below 1/250, preferably 1/125 or 1/90. (with a 70-210mm lens)

Again, personal preference, but I never used autofocus, and if I did, I NEVER used AFC.

Unlike most situations, being a ractrack you'll always know roughly where the car is going to be, plan where you want to have the car in the frame and focus on the bitumen at that point in the track. This means you don;t need to worry about waiting for AF lock, you can simply follow the car in the viewfinder and click the shutter once it reaches your desired point.






As for composition, play around, don't fall into the trap of getting nothing but side on panning shots all day. Shoot from the side, the front, try a few angles.
I tended to really like the ones hard under brakes just at the point of turn-in to a corner.

Stay off the straights, they're generally harder to pan easily (speed) and there's not as much interest there. Corners are where more interesting images happen, these are where you can get some exciting shots showing weight transfer, slides, and the inevitable off track excursions.



Motorsport photography is really good fun, and depending on the track many have extremely good photo locations. (many will probably have tall camera stands, and photo bunkers within the track itself. If you're able to, the bunkers mean you can get quite close and get some brilliant shots)




So yeah, there's a few tips from me.
The main thing is practice, I'm still not amazing at it, but I like to think I've got a few decent shots over the years!

[Lowell Goudge]

I assume since this is an event on a track with their "street Cars" that there is limited other traffic on the course at the time.

I also assume they have no real intent on damaging the vehicles.

As such, I would consider setting up at the exit of the turns, and shooting as they are applying power.

others have commented you do not need AF for this, and I would agree.

as for needing a ND filter to slow things down, I would disagree, I think the cars will be moving enough that any panning at low ISO will result in sufficient blur of background or things like the spokes in the wheels.

Also, you are not assured sunshine are you.

If you are shooting Manual focus, there are lots of lens options, but it depends what you have in your kit Most AF lenses although capable of MF are not really designed ergonomically for it. some have focus collars in difficult to use places, others have very short focus throws, making accurate focus difficult to the point that AF even with flaws is better.

A monopod is a good idea, because it helps with stability especially in panning shots.

what I can't advise on is shooting distance. I do not know what the safety crew will allow relative to approaching the track, etc. so I can't tell you what you will need for lenses, but likely take your whole kit. You might actualy benefit in something a little longer too,

If it were me, I would go with my Sigma 70-200/2.8 and both 1.4x and 2x TCs, but you don't have that in your bag, but perhaps if you have access to a PKA compatible 1.4 x teleconverter or the SMC-F 1,7x AF converter, to use on your lens you would be OK to cover all possibilities.

AF actually might not be an issue, even AF-C but you will need to figure that out, at the track. Use the other cars on the track to play with a little and even consider trying to shoot with your lenses on a freeway ramp somewhere it one is approachable near where you live. it will give you an idea of shooting angle, speed and what works and doesn't

[JimJohnson]

+1 for hks_kansei

I'll add that if you are not panning your shots, it is best to photograph a moving subject when it is either coming directly at the lens or directly away from the lens. For all shots, whenever possible, pre-focus manually to a spot and wait for the car to almost reach that spot and trip the shutter. I say almost reach because there is lag time for the mirror to flip up and the shutter to open. You can avoid the lag time using Live View, but then you have to contend with trying to see the LCD in bright light.

[Lowell Goudge]

just a quick aside, and this might be a difference between shooting a race, and shooting when someone has test time on a track. If this were a race, then I would agree with hks_kansei and shoot coming into the corner, that is where everything happens in a race.

But, this is not a race, it is basically during what I would call either hot laps or open practice. the difference is hot laps may be on the track alone, practice is with other cars, but not going hard at it. As a result, and considering your friends are driving things they don't wish to damage, i would expect that it is more likely you will get the best shots with them coming out of the turn, and power on. (hopefully wheels spinning in a power drift, with lots of tire smoke)

just a difference of opinion

[andre-mz5]

The lenses you mention are more than sufficient for that shoot. The 60-250 and 55 can be used to shoot the car(s) passing at the circuit, the 10-24 can be used to take make pictures in the paddock if you're allowed to go there.
Since you have a K5 you could even use the AF-C (K5 is the first Pentax where AF-C is usefull) and also try to make some pre-focus shots. For sports/action I frequently use the TAv mode since it allows me to control shutter speed (panning) and aperture to blur the background.
Depending on how fast the cars will go I think you could use shutterspeed between 1/125 and 1/500 for panning and don't forget : practice !!

.

[MRHPhoto]

Well I talked to him again today and it's been postponed until next april. Thanks for the tips all, I'll have to make sure I work on this stuff before next year. I may still go up there the week after that because they have some cool country roads that would work really well with the october color changes. Just for kicks, here are the 2 cars they are looking at.

Mustang Mach 1 (I think it's a 2002?)





And his dad's Superformance Shelby Cobra



Apologies for the lighting but we couldn't take them out of the garage and it was a particularly bright day.

[andre-mz5]

Well you now have plenty of time to practice and increase your photography skills
That Shelby Cobra looks great, can't wait to see some action shots.
The exif showed 10 & 15 mm so these pictures show why you need the 10-24 in the paddock.

[ASheffield]

Allow the motion to be captured. I did this using my Blackberry at a demolition derby and I was very happy with the results. If I were painting or drawing a moving car I would show the motion.