Photography Homework

[Norry1]

I just got back in from my morning ride when my partner (Wendy) tells me to get back out and ride up and down the road while she does her Photography homework - taking shots of moving objects and blurring the background. Here is the result:

We're off to Warwick races soon to take some moving shots there.

Not bad I reckon.

Martin

 

[rualexander]

Yeah, good photo!

 

[Carlton Flier]

Yes thats a great photo

 

[Goldie]

That's really great. Whenever I'm really flying, and enjoying myself on my bike - for instance when I'm doing a quick descent and the bike's rolling well - I often wish there was someone to capture it on camera, so I can use it the results to try and get me out when I'm feeling lazy! Conversely of course, I'm totally grateful that there's no photographic record of me panting up hills in bottom gear, wheezing like a broken pair of bellows...

Your bike looks lovely as well - the chrome forks look mint. What are you riding?

 

[Norry1]

Your bike looks lovely as well - the chrome forks look mint. What are you riding?

It is a 1980's Raleigh (we think Ace) which I recently bought off ebay and had converted to fixed. I like its simplicity and the respray the guy did on it.

Martin

 

[Alembicbassman]

Try shooting a little more face on and in the drops pushing hard out of the saddle (the classic sprint finish stance)

Google the term 'Zoom Burst' this technique allows you to create motion without actually having to move quickly.

It allows more time to compose the shot.

 

[DCCD]

You've grasped the technique, but I think you can still go a bit slower on the shutter speed and home in on the moving subject more to get rid of the background. Keep up the good work

 

[DTD]

Nice one.

What photography course is your partner doing?

 

[Norry1]

Nice one.

What photography course is your partner doing?

She is doing the "Photography - Intro to Digital Capture & Editing" course at Evening Class. She seems to be outgrowing it though sorry about the bold, can't seem to turn it off!

Martin

 

[Norm]

You've grasped the technique, but I think you can still go a bit slower on the shutter speed and home in on the moving subject more to get rid of the background. Keep up the good work

Whilst there's a part of me that agrees you can never get too close to the subject, I quite like the space in front of the cyclist, creating movement as it gives him somewhere to go.

I agree that the shutter speed should be slower, to really emphasise the movement and get rid of background clutter like whatever is under that car port behind the cyclist. I also think that the cyclist's face and jacket are way too over-exposed, taking two stops off the exposure would also remove the background from the focus even further.

And I know it's picky and it might just be me but I'd remove the bottles and holder, the pack and the glasses.

I'm not sure that zoom burst is required for a moving object. It can add a sense of dynamic to still photos (see a couple of mine below) but you should be able to generate that from a moving cyclist without "cheats" which don't really tie back to the original brief of moving objects and a blurred background.

 

[som3blok3]

You've grasped the technique, but I think you can still go a bit slower on the shutter speed and home in on the moving subject more to get rid of the background. Keep up the good work

+1

A monopod makes it soooo much easier, it is a hard technique to master though.

I did a few at 'Wings and Wheels' last year.

 

[crisscross]

If this is Wendy's first attempt at panning it is pretty darn impressive.

When I became a photographer, hundreds of years ago, my then boss gave me some good advice which was to get the background right before the subject - wherever possible.

The shot of you would have been better against a backdrop that wasn't so busy and with a lot of contrast.

The joy of digital cameras is that as long as the model ( I use the term loosely!) is willing to keep on pedalling -you can keep on shooting and checking the results.

You don't even need to be going fast for a pan shot - as long as the rider isn't bobbing up and down - just experiment with shutter speeds / focal length of lens etc.

I always leave space in front of the subject as the eye/ brain likes to know which direction the model is moving into.

Agree about the monopod too.

Hope I'm better at taking pics than talking about them!

 

[Matty]

Agree with previous posts - great photo.