Horse Races -Still trying to learn to pan at low shutter speeds

All,

I have finished off my post #13 above - what's new is after the a), b), c) bit.

Cheers,

Hi Dave,

Thank you for your analysis and very helpful input. Truly appreciated.

I just reviewed my slow panned images and here is one from a couple of weeks ago and while not perfect it is getting there, and I used a SS of 1/60, so next weekend I am going to try 1/60 and 1/80.

This image I post processed in LR, sharpening just the horse by 26, added clarity of 45 (pushing it as Colin's states), increased contrast by 8, and I also applied an unsharp mask. I tried to erase the shadow of the pole but couldn't do it well so I left it in... The focus could be sharper but it is broader, and the legs are beautifully positioned and blurred, alas I clipped the tail... But I think it is close to what I am trying for... So one more shot before the season ends.

http://i1098.photobucket.com/albums/...-1-2copycc.jpg

I think the image shows that it is possible, and yes luck/chance plays a role but I think if I try a slightly higher shutter speed and single in on a lone horse and rider (instead of groups) I might just improve my chances. If the jockey wanted a print for sure I would help the background blur with a little post processing but for me this exercise is about being able to do it in camera... Others do it so I want to try and learn to do it to. I also think the in camera look would be far prettier (in its natural state) than what a processing program could do.

Wish me luck, I'm going to need plenty of it... I just remembered that I have a good luck charm so I will take that along, too.

Yes, as always your replies are very helpful and informative...

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Dave Humphries

Hi Christina,

Grahame has already said in post #4, point 3 and just above what I think the root of the problem is, namely;
You may be confusing softness from subject movement with that from mis-focusing, lack of DoF and (your perception of) bad panning technique.

Let me re-iterate Grahame's points;
a) I think the AF is coping well on the majority of shots, although it is hard to tell with such a slow shutter speed
b) At f/11 or f/22, DoF is unlikely to be the problem
c) there's now little or nothing wrong with your panning technique

UPDATE

Regarding the variability of shots and apparent sharpness of horses you weren't even focusing on, I think this is down to sheer chance (some may call it 'luck'). I think what is really happening here is that when you take the shot, during these quite slow exposures, only some horses will exhibit minimal up/down or fore/aft movement of certain body/rider parts (with respect to the average horse velocity which is matched by your pan speed) and those are the bits you are perceiving as being 'in focus', but as I think we're all realising by now, focus (distance) and panning accuracy has little to do with it.

I can fully appreciate the shot you are trying to achieve and believe it might be possible to approach it, but only 1 in 100 attempts, a large dollop of 'luck' is required for the horse that's exhibiting minimal movement to be the actual subject horse and not one of the others and for said movement to be minimal where it matters, like the eye in the first shot in this thread.

At the risk of being banned from CiC for life for suggesting 'cheating' (only kidding), how is this for a suggestion;
Take some shots at those higher shutter speeds as mentioned below (which should result in sharper horse and rider) and if the background isn't blurred enough, give that a treatment of motion blur in Elements (on a separate layer). I know this isn't what/how you want to do it, but your results suggest it may be the most practical way - at least it gives you something to do after racing has finished this season :D

I was hoping to get back here before anyone noticed I'd left this post half finished, but alas, your threads have a great following :)

Hope that helps,

---

Hi Christina,

I have a suspicion that with a 50% increase in SS from 1/40 to 1/60 you are going to end up producing some images where the captured speed, action, fury, movement and portrayal of competition is going to captivate the viewer far more than their concern of the background.

Based on such images as No 13 and No 14.

Grahame