# Still Car, Moving Background.



## Xmetal (Mar 6, 2005)

Now I know there won't be many people on the board that won't try this type of photography and i'm not saying "rush out and try it now!!". i'm posting for the curious and inquisitive members who just like to know how stuff works. 

So now I ask you this...

Have you ever been browsing through an Automotive publication, Newspaper, webpage or other form of media and seen a picture where the car appears to be moving at a million miles an hour?

Examples:












That should do it...

Now it's rather simple but still complex and time consuming to do, The time consuming part is planning and setting up the shot and the complex part is timing the shot perfectly and positioning the camera in the right position. 

The 1st shot you saw was done using a tripod and shock-cord...






The Camera used was a Canon Powershot S45 and was set for a 5 second Exposure @ F8.0, No filters were used and it would've been taken around 7pm  Daylight savings time.

Taking the shot is the other thing that would baffle any 'normal' person that just happens to be wandering past.  

The Proceedure for taking a shot is (assuming you've already set up the rig to hold the camera in place):

1. set the shutter release timer for a 10-second delay

2. Start the car. (leave the drivers door open)

3. Release the shutter (starting 10 second delay till initial shutter release)

4. You now have 10 seconds to run back, jump in the car and drive around in a circle at about the speed of a brisk walk or even jogging pace.

5. Once the camera has taken the shot, brng the car to a steady halt.

6. Turn the car off for safety reasons (engine off, in gear/park, handbrake on)

7. go to 'preview' mode on the camera and examine your handywork! 


There might be a few little fiddly bits i've left off here and there but with a bit of practice in the field and some common sense; it'll all work out. 

This photo technique is not only limited to cars: It can also be used on motorcycles and other forms of transport. 


I hope this thread has de-mistifiyed one of the many grey areas of photography for everyone here that takes their time to read it and if you feel that something has been left out, just post it up. 



_Disclaimer: This post was written purely for reading purposes and if anything in this post is attempted it should be done in a controlled environment and not on public roads. Damage or loss of equipment while attempting this technique is your fault and not mine so don't try and pin it on me when your camera hits the tarmac. _


----------



## dalebe (Mar 6, 2005)

very clever,nice shots.


----------



## Unimaxium (Mar 6, 2005)

It might help a lot if you had a camera that could accept a wireless remote control, like most Canon SLRs (I'm guessing same with Nikons). Then you could just set it on manual mode and release the shutter from inside the car.


----------



## Xmetal (Mar 6, 2005)

Unimaxium said:
			
		

> It might help a lot if you had a camera that could accept a wireless remote control, like most Canon SLRs (I'm guessing same with Nikons). Then you could just set it on manual mode and release the shutter from inside the car.



Yeah we tried it with a Canon G5 w/ remote release and the remote couldn't 'reach' the camera! :X


----------



## Corry (Mar 6, 2005)

So THAT'S how you do it!!!!  Aren't you afraid of the tripod not being stable enough, and the camera dropping?


----------



## Xmetal (Mar 6, 2005)

Not really, I do make sure everything is firmly braced before executing a shot. 

I'm ultimately aiming for a rig like this....


----------



## Artemis (Jul 19, 2005)

Looks like a micky mouce glove in the center...


----------



## Meysha (Jul 19, 2005)

Holy ****! You tie the camera to the car!!!!!! I always wondered how you take your shots and now I know!! mwa ha ha ha ha!! I am sooo going to try this one day.

How fast were the cars going in the first two???


----------



## Xmetal (Jul 19, 2005)

8 km/h, I had to photoshop a fly off the front bumper in the first shot.


----------



## rallyxe (Jul 20, 2005)

*rushes out and buys a car*


----------



## Xmetal (Jul 20, 2005)

Hope you read the disclaimer!


----------



## mox (Jul 20, 2005)

Here are some examples from me using the same technique


----------



## Meysha (Jul 21, 2005)

Ooooh.. I love how the wheels turned out in that first one Mox!

You are so game... I don't think I'd ever do that to my camera...... maybe.


----------



## Xmetal (Jul 21, 2005)

Mox i'd like to see how you've set up your tripod on the Civic, looks like a really good angle.  I was talking to a mate of mine who does the same style, he tells me that you need *four* x8 ND filters to shoot during the day! :shock:


----------



## mox (Jul 21, 2005)

Xmetal said:
			
		

> Mox i'd like to see how you've set up your tripod on the Civic, looks like a really good angle.  I was talking to a mate of mine who does the same style, he tells me that you need *four* x8 ND filters to shoot during the day! :shock:



Yup.. ND filters are THE solution for these shots during the day

For my setup, I can't remember what I did.. the pictures were done last year (my camera was not as heavy as my 10D)

I'm thinking about a rig that would let me do the same shots but of the entire car.. I'll keep posting when it's done and I get some results


----------



## DallasTT (Jul 28, 2005)

Wow I would love to have a pic like this with my car. Ima have to give it a shot.


----------



## cbay (Jul 28, 2005)

I love these shots! but you would see me strapping a tripod to a car and placing my camera on, no way! wouldnt risk it!


----------



## RickyN29 (Sep 11, 2005)

Xmetal said:
			
		

> Mox i'd like to see how you've set up your tripod on the Civic, looks like a really good angle.  I was talking to a mate of mine who does the same style, he tells me that you need *four* x8 ND filters to shoot during the day! :shock:


 
Yes yes, a newbie.. I know.... could you tell me what a ND filter is and what its function is?

Thanks


----------



## Xmetal (Sep 12, 2005)

ND Filters allow you to use longer shutter speeds in bright light.


----------



## Pixel9ine (Sep 13, 2005)

I've never used an "ND Filter" but I'm quite good at using Google...  

Here's a nice write-up on Neutral Density Filters...
http://www.cs.mtu.edu/~shene/DigiCam/User-Guide/filter/filter-ND.html


----------



## usayit (Sep 14, 2005)

or you can cheat with a little photoshop.....


nice shots BTW!!!


----------



## Meysha (Sep 14, 2005)

Yeah I thought about cheating in photoshop too... but I dug out my film camera and strapped it to the car and got some amazing results! And it was quicker than photoshop! Thank you so much Ian! (my photography teacher loves you!!)

I'm gonna get some ND filters too at some stage and really get that exposure long.

I used my digital camera as a really expensive polaroid (hehe) to figure out the best shutter speed (coz I was taking my photos in bright daylight - not night time like yours) And I used 1/10 second at f/22 (I think). I had to use a polarizing filter to bring it down to 1/10 though coz it was pretty bright.
The film shots turned out better than the digital one here because I drove a little faster for the film - so I got more blur. I went at about 10km/hr - but I'm not sure, coz I wasn't exactly concentrating on the speedo.

*i will post photo later - photobucket isn't working right now*



			
				Xmetal said:
			
		

> Disclaimer: This post was written purely for reading purposes and if anything in this post is attempted it should be done in a controlled environment and not on public roads. Damage or loss of equipment while attempting this technique is your fault and not mine so don't try and pin it on me when your camera hits the tarmac.


  hahaha I just saw this. You should also mention you don't cover it when your camera hits the street sign coz it's sticking so far out to the side, or another car swiping it off for that matter. That nearly happened to me :-(


----------



## 303villain (Sep 15, 2005)

i didnt want to get much more than the wheel, and my bunjee cords werent long enough to do this with the tripod extended, so it is closed and mounted parralel to the ground, with the cords hooked up into the engine bay for stability.  sorry for the low quality, had to get the smalles file possible when i resized it.

and this is the car: my jetta gli


----------



## Xmetal (Sep 15, 2005)

Nice one mate, everyone has to start somewhere and it's usually on a small scale. 

One of my first rig attempts was like yours only the camera was mounted on a more stable part of the car.


----------



## fotogenik (Aug 12, 2006)

Bookmarked hehehehe  Definetly gonna try this when I get a tripod that doesn't weigh 13 pounds.


----------

