Another shot from the Rallyx.

[Chad Truss]

Ok, you probably saw my thread about my first attempt at shooting motorsports. I think that even though I made some camera settings errors my experience was a success overall. I'm positive that these are not the greatest photos, but I wanted to get some eyes on them and get some input on what I may have done right, and what needs work.

Here are two panning shots.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3616/3346493923_a9991ec58c_o.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3645/3347332444_dbd91017fa_o.jpg


And here are two different crops on a still I shot at the event.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3334/3345194689_7e6ff91866_o.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3557/3346897458_9b52dab425_o.jpg



Again, I am looking for some input on what was done well and what these lack or how I could improve them. Any input you have would be great!

Thank you in advance.

[Steve Stein]

Look a tad underexposed to me. Of the two crop shots, I like #1 best, but somewhere in-between might be a bit better. #2 the car is pretty far into the frame but the cones at the top draws your eye away from the car. #1 crop I would bring the car a little more into the frame like you did on the second one, but just not as far. Just about the bottom of the lowest right hand cone might do the trick.

[Bill Jurasz]

To me I like #2 best. Those orange cones to me add a bit to the environment the car was shot in. Its not just a shot in the woods, but rather an event with a marked course. Number 1 feels top-heavy to me. By that I mean the car should be lower in the frame.

The mud images are good. What was your shutter speed? When I was shooting MX I found that a fast shutter made the individual mud particles stand out, especially if hit with a burst of flash (mud has lots of water in it, and water reflects).

[Jeff Kapic]

The first two panning shots look fine from a technical stand point. Without know what other angles and backgrounds were available, it's hard to comment on that. Of the last two shots, I like the composition of the 2nd one the best for the same reasons Bill mentioned. I like that I can see where the car is coming from in this one. The first shows where the car is going, but it is not as interesting as where it is coming from.

[Chad Truss]

Thank you for the input. I really enjoyed shooting this kind of event and I would like to improve.

Bill - The still shot was shot at 1/4000 sec, f4.0 with my 50mm lens. I never thought about using the flash, that is a great idea! And the spray was really just that because this wasn't chunky mud, it was more of a puddle so that is brown water and not globs of dirt.

Of those two crops with the still shot, the one with the car at the top was my first attempt. I cropped it that way because I thought the reflection in the mud was a good use of the dead space. The second crop was designed more to focus on the car and the spray, I didn't really plan on what the dead space was for. I do like how you put it where the secons one shows where the car was coming from though.

I wanted to get onto the infield and shoot some pics, but I didn't have a spotter. And since I was just working with a field and a track marked with cones, most of the panning shots don't have much going on around the car.

Now to explain the first panning shot.....

I placed the car higher in the frame on that shot because that row of weeds in front of the car was way more interesting that the empty field behind it. My original crop of that first pan I placed the car even higher up and further to the right and THAT was way to close to the corner. This crop was my attempt to bring it into the frame better. I can try some other crops, but I don't know what I can do with it.

[Bill Jurasz]

Now to explain the first panning shot.....

I placed the car higher in the frame on that shot because that row of weeds in front of the car was way more interesting that the empty field behind it.
That's a good idea, and there is probably a way to pull that off. I just don't think it quite "worked" in this shot. But it shows you were thinking and paying attention! :)

[John Thawley]

Now to explain the first panning shot.....

I placed the car higher in the frame on that shot because that row of weeds in front of the car was way more interesting that the empty field behind it. My original crop of that first pan I placed the car even higher up and further to the right and THAT was way to close to the corner. This crop was my attempt to bring it into the frame better. I can try some other crops, but I don't know what I can do with it.

Next time try crouching down..... it's ok with the car up there... but would be better if you were kind of looking up' The weeds in front are fine.

[Chad Truss]

Thank you again for the input.

I am going to try and make it to more of these events. I had a blast.

[Dave Verna]

I dont think they are as bad as you initially thought !
Nice work!