# Panning at the race track..



## mnmcote (Sep 3, 2014)

I was experimenting with panning at a local race track and after multiple attempts I finally began to get the timing down some with the street stock division. I found myself capturing the effect better during the Late Model Sportsman main event. However, I believe the shutter speed and/or the speed of my panning may have still been off because many of the shots captured the implied motion but the car was blurred...

So I'll keep practicing.. I can see from other posts here that many of you have this technique mastered. Any tips for a novice? Much appreciated..


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## Braineack (Sep 3, 2014)

keep at it: http://www.thephotoforum.com/forum/...lery/344457-motorsport-panning-ss-motion.html

fwiw, I would have binned both those shots.  The first the subject is cropped and it's blurry.  The second is blurry as well.


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## lambertpix (Sep 3, 2014)

mnmcote said:


> View attachment 83553View attachment 83554
> 
> I was experimenting with panning at a local race track and after multiple attempts I finally began to get the timing down some with the street stock division. I found myself capturing the effect better during the Late Model Sportsman main event. However, I believe the shutter speed and/or the speed of my panning may have still been off because many of the shots captured the implied motion but the car was blurred...
> 
> So I'll keep practicing.. I can see from other posts here that many of you have this technique mastered. Any tips for a novice? Much appreciated..





Braineack said:


> keep at it: http://www.thephotoforum.com/forum/...lery/344457-motorsport-panning-ss-motion.html
> 
> fwiw, I would have binned both those shots.  The first the subject is cropped and it's blurry.  The second is blurry as well.



As far as when to bin, unless there's something really spectacular going on in the photo, I want to see the car sharp, sharp, sharp.  Like, I'll get most shots pretty clear, and then there's maybe one out of five or ten that just pop.  I sometimes joke that I want to see what brand of brakes they're using, but that really depends on the design of the wheel (and in this case, the calipers, which don't have any branding on them).  Certainly, if there are drivers' names, sponsor decals, etc., on the side, those need to be very clear.



IMG_1600.jpg by lambertpix, on Flickr

Tips?  I'm not a shooter, but to the best of my knowledge, panning is a lot like following a moving target with a rifle.  Plan where you're going to shoot (like, right in front of you is always good), start your movement well before you shoot, and follow through well after you shoot.  When I started doing these, I'd fire shots at 8fps all the way across the sweep, which turned out to actually be counterproductive.  Now, I typically pop one or two shots right in the center of the sweep -- again, more if I see something noteworthy.

I've tried panning freehand and w/ a monopod, and I prefer to pan freehand.  This might speak more to my bad monopod form than anything else, but I found that my sweep tended to bow or dip in ways I didn't like when I used the 'pod.  Stance -- feet under your shoulders, elbows out.  Again, this is contrary to how you'd normally hold a telephoto lens, but I've found that by keeping my elbows out, I get a smoother panning motion.  Another benefit -- if you're standing next to a fence, you're less likely to hit the fence w/ your elbows as you pan.  Keep the lower half of your body still and your arms rigid with respect to the camera and rotate at the waist.  As you gain experience, you'll actually be able to tell when you nailed a shot before you even look at it because you'll see your focus point locked with the subject as it moves through your shot.

Finally, check your lens to see if it's got a "panning" mode for IS (Canon).  I don't know if Nikon (or anyone else) does this for their VR, but on lenses that are so-equipped, it makes a difference.


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## petrochemist (Sep 3, 2014)

Braineack said:


> keep at it: http://www.thephotoforum.com/forum/...lery/344457-motorsport-panning-ss-motion.html
> 
> fwiw, I would have binned both those shots.  The first the subject is cropped and it's blurry.  The second is blurry as well.



They're not bad for early efforts, though I find American stock cars a bit boring for subjects. I much prefer a more exotic body, boats or bikes...


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## mnmcote (Sep 3, 2014)

Braineack said:


> keep at it: http://www.thephotoforum.com/forum/...lery/344457-motorsport-panning-ss-motion.html
> 
> fwiw, I would have binned both those shots.  The first the subject is cropped and it's blurry.  The second is blurry as well.



The first shot isn't cropped. I clipped the front of the car out of the frame when I snapped the shot. And yes, they are blurred. I'm gonna keep working on the technique...


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## Roba (Sep 3, 2014)

With panning its practice practice practice!!
It doesn't have to be cars, kids on pushbikes, people running, even your dog running around in the back yard all helps.


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## West - (Sep 17, 2014)

You should post your exif data.


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## pdq5oh (Sep 18, 2014)

lambertpix gives some very good tips. Something I do is use a single focus point and shift it right or left, depending on the direction of the car. One moving left to right; I shift the point right, then focus on the front wheel and use that as a point of reference as I pan. Keep swinging with the subject well after pressing the shutter button. Be smooth pressing the shutter button so u don't jerk the camera during exposure. Panning takes practice, but easily gives the best, most interesting results.


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## midgeman (Sep 22, 2014)

A lot of people like the entire subject to be sharp, but I think that is also preference. Depending on the shutter speed and relation of the subject to the camera, it is sometimes impossible. All that matters to me is if the focal point is sharp - the nose of the car or the helmet of the driver, etc.


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## Aakajx (Oct 19, 2014)

So these aren't the best photos of panning I know..

But I think you really need to try to have fun with it and practice as much as you can to master it.  

I always practice when they have the practice laps lol


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