# Need Help: Rolling Shots



## fatnhappy

Hey,

So I was wondering if anyone can teach me or tell me whether it is possible to do rolling shots with cars with a sony a100 camera? 

I have the 18-70mm, 28-110mm, 70-210mm lens (i don't think it matters)

but I want to try and do some with my room-mates cars and my car..we're all also car enthusiasts so we're trying to get some good shots..

Anyone know how? Or know whether its possible to do it with this camera? 

Something along the lines of these: 

6330589051_8dd626a8d6_o | Flickr - Photo Sharing!

6330588155_cd197c6ba7_o | Flickr - Photo Sharing!

http://pb-i4.s3.amazonaws.com/photos/143044-1317333385-0-l.jpg

http://pb-i4.s3.amazonaws.com/photos/143044-1317333385-1-l.jpg

http://pb-i4.s3.amazonaws.com/photos/143044-1317606666-0-l.jpg

The photographers of those photos are awesome..i want to do something like that but don't know how or if my camera is even possible =[


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## Hotkeez

These images are done by mounting the camera on the outside of the car and using a remote cable.   Quite easy to do if you have the right mounting equipment.   Another way to do it is by taking the photos by laying in the back of a pickup. 
Speed is not important as you can get these results at 30mph.

ps, a harness is useful if using a pickup, and leave the tailgate down.


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## 12sndsgood

it can be done with even less speed then that.  friend of mine that has the rig, they usually just push the car. it only needs to be going a few mph.


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## fatnhappy

is it possible to do it while standing and have the car drive by?


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## 12sndsgood

if u are standing and the car is going by you will have to learn how to pan to keep the car in focus while the background is blurred.


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## fatnhappy

Ok so what do I have to do to take these shots if I'm in the car. Like what settings to set the camera on? Or is it just point and shoot while the cars moving?


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## 12sndsgood

well your settings will depend on the light, how far away you are from the car etc. no diffrent then if the car was sitting still. the only diffrence is your moving.


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## fatnhappy

So it's pretty much a point and shoot ? What settings to set to capture the rolling shot say on just a normal sunny day?


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## 12sndsgood

again its kind of too broad an answer to choose. its kinda like asking you what color red should go with the shirt im wearing today.   the shot to get the car will be no diffrent then the shot to take a picture of a person. just use the proper exposure, shutter speed, iso, white balance etc. for the conditions your in.  if your not sure on how to take a properly exposed picture do a search on here and you will find thousands of posts on that.  i mean on a sunny day your going to want to keep your iso low. most likely down in the 100 range.  and adjust your fstop to get the proper deapth of field you like and adjust your shutter speed accordingly.


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## fatnhappy

So there's no specific setting i need to get in order to capture the car in motion while everything is blurred out? Its just a simple point and shoot ? I understand the iso and all the other stuff for the day but that doesn't explain to me how to set my camera and to which settings to optimally get those quality shots or just those shots in general cause when i tried to do that, the cars come out blurry as well


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## unpopular

Uhm. Both cars need to be moving at similar speed, the road needs to be relatively smooth so that the camera doesn't bounce around, the mounting needs to be secure, or better yet, use something like a Stedicam. You'll need to balance shutter speed with the amount of vibration and the amount of motion blur.

I think this is one of those things that's going to be easy to yack about, but to actually get the shot will take a lot more planning and skill.


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## fatnhappy

unpopular said:
			
		

> Uhm. Both cars need to be moving at similar speed, the road needs to be relatively smooth so that the camera doesn't bounce around, the mounting needs to be secure, or better yet, use something like a Stedicam. You'll need to balance shutter speed with the amount of vibration and the amount of motion blur.
> 
> I think this is one of those things that's going to be easy to yack about, but to actually get the shot will take a lot more planning and skill.



How do you adjust or balance the shutter speed with vibration and motion blur? Is there a specific function on the camera that does this? I'm trying to plan it out and practice


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## unpopular

Manual or Time priority. There isn't a formula, really - well, there could be, if you had all the variables of course, but that's just silly. 

Use any image stabilization you have available, that should help quite a lot. Longer shutter times will result in more blur, but too long of a shutter time and you'll pick up vibrations. Essentially, the background and the street and anything you'd want to be bury would be moving a greater distance over the duration of the exposure than any vibrations. On most roads with average rigging on your typical vehicle at 30mph, I wouldn't go lower than 1/80 myself.

You'll get more blur with the your camera closer to a moving surface. I needn't say, but the last few are definitely doctored, and I am uncertain that the vehicle was moving at all, I am starting to wonder the same for the rest, actually.


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## 12sndsgood

the last few do look a bit doctored.   

again, id start out slow. u dont need to be hauling ass to get these shots. a few miles an hour is all you need.


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## Omofo

The last couple shots look like they could have been PS.


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## unpopular

^^ and done really poorly.


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## c.cloudwalker

It's very good to have a goal (car photography) but it doesn't mean you can skip the basics and your questions show that you have very little understanding of those. I would suggest that you start with the ABCs unless you just want to luck out once in a while shooting in P&S style.


As for the doctoring, I agree that some look that way but I'm wondering what it is that makes people think so. My man problem is the 4th one in which the reflection on the side of the car does not seem to match the area... In the 3rd, you can see the double yellow line but in the 4th, no double yellow line and there seems to be a safety rail which is not there in reality...

TBH those are not so hot that I'm going to spend much time analyzing


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## fatnhappy

i'll be testing and trying a lot this week since its thanksgiving break. i know learn the basics, but i want to do some good photography for my room-mates cars, so thats why I'm asking


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## fatnhappy

here's my attempt at a rolling shot today while standing on the side..didnt have another car to ride in..i know its bad cause the rears cut off and what not..but it was just an attempt till i can get in another car


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## Kolia

You might want to use a wider lens and later crop the image to your desired composition.

Also, I find that when standing track side, it's easier if you stand farther back.  The car's focus will be easier to maintain.  And last, remember to keep tracking the car even after you've taken your shots.

Like the others said, the pictures you've shown initially are PS and could have been taken at a stand still.


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## cgipson1

use a slower shutter speed to get more background motion blur. Makes it look better usually! Are you using a tripod with a panning head? Lots easier that way! I usually try to lock the side mirror in the center focus spot and keep it there as a guide...

If you are farther away from the vehicle.. it is easier to shoot pans. as you will have greater DOF, and they are much easier to track as you need less camera movement (pan) to get the shot.


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## fatnhappy

Unfortunately I left the tripod at school. Just holding the camera by hand and taking the picture as the cars moving..it was a first attempt, I know it's not that great. Ill attempting again later-most likely tomorrow hopefully..if It doesn't rain..


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## fatnhappy

Oh ya and I don't own a wide angle lens =[ only got the 18-70mm, 28-100, and 70-210mm lens =[


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## mangtarn

from my understanding you shouldn't post photos that others have done without their permission.

anyway the 18-70 is wide enough on the 18 end. i have done shots like those with a few friends on the highway. we were going at around 85 and i set my exposure time at 1/20 or 1/30


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## fatnhappy

Quick question, I read a few post back that my posted pictures were "doctored" or "PS" -photoshopped? how do you do that? like make the wheels look like they're spinning and all the blur in the background like that? that's some really good ps!


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## mangtarn

if someone start charging you for answering each question you ask, that person would be pretty rich.

those blurs in the photos you posted are not necessarily photoshopped. they were shot in a moving car and the both cars are moving at similar speed. the shutter speed is slow but not so slow that the car becomes blurry due to movement. i think these photos are sharpened and the colours are tweaked in photoshop.


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## fatnhappy

thanks for answering the question directly...but your first comment isn't necessary. this is what the forum is for, for people to ask questions and get help..i'm new to photography so i will have a lot of questions..


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## Omofo

It is great that you have the enthusiasm to learn about different photo techniques, and aren't afraid to ask questions. However, you can polish a turd but it will still be a turd. What I mean to say is why go through all the trouble to photograph a economy car? Sorry for being an asshole, but that is my honest opinion.


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## fatnhappy

Omofo said:
			
		

> It is great that you have the enthusiasm to learn about different photo techniques, and aren't afraid to ask questions. However, you can polish a turd but it will still be a turd. What I mean to say is why go through all the trouble to photograph a economy car? Sorry for being an asshole, but that is my honest opinion.



No worries, opinions are welcomed. But there are car enthusiasts that can't afford fancy cars. And IMO any car is worthy to be photographed if it is treated properly, not just those 6 figure super cars. I happens to be an 8th civic car enthusiast. So that's why I do it. And why I'm learning

And its not easy to get a super expensive car to photograph. So while I have my car and modded to my liking, its my easiest subject to take pictures of and experiment with. It's like saying, why take photos of a dog when its just a dog and theres a billion more like that. Or a flower, or anything else. Simply put, the rarity of a car does not determine whether its worth shooting or not.


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## Omofo

fatnhappy said:


> Omofo said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> It is great that you have the enthusiasm to learn about different photo techniques, and aren't afraid to ask questions. However, you can polish a turd but it will still be a turd. What I mean to say is why go through all the trouble to photograph a economy car? Sorry for being an asshole, but that is my honest opinion.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> No worries, opinions are welcomed. But there are car enthusiasts that can't afford fancy cars. And IMO any car is worthy to be photographed if it is treated properly, not just those 6 figure super cars. I happens to be an 8th civic car enthusiast. So that's why I do it. And why I'm learning
> 
> And its not easy to get a super expensive car to photograph. So while I have my car and modded to my liking, its my easiest subject to take pictures of and experiment with. It's like saying, why take photos of a dog when its just a dog and theres a billion more like that. Or a flower, or anything else. Simply put, the rarity of a car does not determine whether its worth shooting or not.
Click to expand...


I suppose it also depends on what your plans are for the finished product. When it comes to practice you are right, car rarity has no bearing. I wouldn't take photos of a chihuahua, but an Alaskan Malamute or boxer is another story. Same goes with flowers. People love my pictures of orchids, but skim right past a photo of a daisy. 

This may have been mentioned, sitting on the side of the road while the car passes is another great way to get rolling shots and often easier. Stand on the side of a busy street and practice on the passing cars.  Keep practicing and you'll get the look your seeking.


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