[ddk632]

An accidentally successful (slight) panning shot... Plan on practicing this technique at the races next season.


Future Racer by ddk632, on Flickr

[dcstep]

Originally Posted by ddk632

An accidentally successful (slight) panning shot... Plan on practicing this technique at the races next season.

Made tougher by all the writing on the bike. You pretty well nailed it. I even like the tilted horizon on this one, because it accentuates the action.

Your rider has his eyes in the right direction and everything.

Dave

[ddk632]

Originally Posted by dcstep

Made tougher by all the writing on the bike. You pretty well nailed it. I even like the tilted horizon on this one, because it accentuates the action.

Your rider has his eyes in the right direction and everything.

Dave

Thank you very much Dave - appreciate it.

[dcstep]

Mature buck jumps fence as spike looks on... by dcstep, on Flickr

This is pre-dawn, shooting from my M3 car-blind. There were five bucks, including the spike watching here. He watched them each jump the fence and then he went through at the level below the top.

I shot with my 7D at ISO 3200, a bit beyond its ideal ISO setting, but DxO Optics Pro 9.1's new PRIME noise reduction module smoothed things out without robbing too much detail. I'm not sure what's different about the new logarithm, but it takes 5 to 7 minutes per image, versus 10-sec. or less for the default NR. It took me 4-hours, 21-minutes to process the 47-images I have of buck jumping this fence.

Dave

[IRide]

I'm finally getting some time to deal with a few of the Iceland photos. It would have been nice to have a GND along, but that's the way it goes sometimes.

[Itsed65]

All three of the shots above have unique challenges. Well done!

[dcstep]

Originally Posted by IRide

I'm finally getting some time to deal with a few of the Iceland photos. It would have been nice to have a GND along, but that's the way it goes sometimes.

Fantastic light and scene.

You know, I don't think it's so bad to blow out the sun when you're looking straight at it. You'd have to squint your eye. The GND would have made a different picture, but not necessarily a better picture, IMO.

Dave

[Itsed65]

Aside from the eagle yesterday, I also found plenty of the usual suspect red-tailed hawks to watch. This was shot with my 1d4 and the 300mm f2.8 and the MkIII 2X TC, for a 600mm reach. The image quality is great, but my shoulder is still aching from wielding it around. This guy got tired of the two idiots taking his photo from the van under him.


Red tailed hawk, Colusa NWR by lennycarl08, on Flickr

[dcstep]

Originally Posted by Itsed65

Aside from the eagle yesterday, I also found plenty of the usual suspect red-tailed hawks to watch. This was shot with my 1d4 and the 300mm f2.8 and the MkIII 2X TC, for a 600mm reach. The image quality is great, but my shoulder is still aching from wielding it around. This guy got tired of the two idiots taking his photo from the van under him.

The results are worth it. Your shoulder will get better and you'll get steadily stronger.

[M_Six]

I've often thought about going the 300 f2.8 route with a 2x TC. That combo is surprisingly sharp, as your shot amply proves, and the idea of having that kind of speed at 300mm is appealing.

Is yours a I or a II?

Love the Iceland shot, IRide. Looks damn cold, though.

DC, is that fence supposed to stop the deer?

[Itsed65]

Originally Posted by M_Six

I've often thought about going the 300 f2.8 route with a 2x TC. That combo is surprisingly sharp, as your shot amply proves, and the idea of having that kind of speed at 300mm is appealing.

Is yours a I or a II?

It is the Mark I IS version. I bought it used from Roger and Co. at LensRentals.com. It is an astoundingly sharp lens at 300mm.

[M_Six]

Originally Posted by Itsed65

It is the Mark I IS version. I bought it used from Roger and Co. at LensRentals.com. It is an astoundingly sharp lens at 300mm.

Pretty damn nice at 600mm, too.

[Itsed65]

It's pretty nice, but there is a noticeable slowdown in AF performance when using TC's, especially the 2X, when I try to track birds. At 300 it focuses at light-speed, which is probably why I see all the guys using them at car races. It's not unusable by any means, but after a while yesterday, I got tired of it hunting all the time and switched to my 400 5.6.

[BrokenVert]

Originally Posted by ddk632

An accidentally successful (slight) panning shot... Plan on practicing this technique at the races next season.

Good pan! I work for a racing series and pan shots my thing. Youd be surprised but a lot of racing photographers dont pan blur, its a good skill to have.

[dcstep]

Originally Posted by M_Six

DC, is that fence supposed to stop the deer?

Actually, it's there to keep me out of the gun range.

Dave

[dcstep]

Originally Posted by Itsed65

It's pretty nice, but there is a noticeable slowdown in AF performance when using TC's, especially the 2X, when I try to track birds. At 300 it focuses at light-speed, which is probably why I see all the guys using them at car races. It's not unusable by any means, but after a while yesterday, I got tired of it hunting all the time and switched to my 400 5.6.

This problem can be solved with the 1D X. It's just more money...a lot more.

Dave

[ddk632]

Originally Posted by BrokenVert

Good pan! I work for a racing series and pan shots my thing. Youd be surprised but a lot of racing photographers dont pan blur, its a good skill to have.

Hey thanks a lot BrokenVert - I noticed that too, a lot of the track photogs pics aren't that great down here either. They burst shoot basically and then crop. Not to say anything about editing. But this is at local events; I am sure big name races attract the best togs.

Panning will certainly be a skill that helps to stand out. Appreciate the nod on my shot, and hoping to produce more panning racing shots in 2014. Since, I just have one so far

[Itsed65]

Originally Posted by dcstep

This problem can be solved with the 1D X. It's just more money...a lot more.

Dave

I will have to see how Santa (and my year end bonus) treats me.

[BrokenVert]

Originally Posted by ddk632

Hey thanks a lot BrokenVert - I noticed that too, a lot of the track photogs pics aren't that great down here either. They burst shoot basically and then crop. Not to say anything about editing. But this is at local events; I am sure big name races attract the best togs.

Panning will certainly be a skill that helps to stand out. Appreciate the nod on my shot, and hoping to produce more panning racing shots in 2014. Since, I just have one so far

Yup, though we have big names in GRC. Most guys rely on a shallow depth of field, then they inevitably have a whole bunch of boring images so they go super crazy in post. I hate it.

Versus me who does a bunch of pans (only one in 5 is any good) and minimal post. (I hate post) And I think I get better results most of the time.

[M_Six]

Santa will need to rob a bank first if he's bringing me a 1Dx.

[ddk632]

Originally Posted by BrokenVert

Yup, though we have big names in GRC. Most guys rely on a shallow depth of field, then they inevitably have a whole bunch of boring images so they go super crazy in post. I hate it.

Versus me who does a bunch of pans (only one in 5 is any good) and minimal post. (I hate post) And I think I get better results most of the time.

Would love to see some of your work!

[IRide]

Originally Posted by M_Six

Love the Iceland shot, IRide. Looks damn cold, though.

Please excuse my slight departure from the rules. Yes, it was cold enough that I'm finished with winter! Here's the wife at Gullfoss.