Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2002/01/14

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Subject: Re: [Leica] Steve Barbour PAW week 3
From: Ted Grant <tedgrant@shaw.ca>
Date: Mon, 14 Jan 2002 20:00:43 -0800
References: <000501c19d61$8a45bfe0$82120e18@phnx1.az.home.com>

Steve Barbour wrote & showed:
>>> I tried Don Dory's  suggestion, cropped down, worked on levels..I liked
the
> result...that is what you now see at the  PAW site below...thanks Don,
> http://www.kididdoc.com/index.htm/PAW/3.jpg<<<<<<

Hi Steve,
If this is your first bike event you've done very well for a rookie. ;-)
What helps make the shot work is the boy in the background caught between
two cyclists. One of those accidents that happens and you don't know about
it until you're looking at the film later.

Did you try slower shutter speeds? Or panning with the bikes as they went
by?

Sometimes panning is far more effective than shooting the race as you did. I
call them "swishy pans" and all you need is an exposure of 1/8th or 1/4 sec,
or a speed slow to the speed of what you're shooting. And as they fly by you
pan at the same speed which creates quite an effective image indicating
speed.

The secret is to pan exactly at the same speed as the bikes and yet capture
some part of the rider or bike sharply in focus ( don't think about this, it
just happens if you swish correctly)  so the picture is still
understandable. It's much like a batter or golfer swinging and following
right through after the ball has been hit. If you stop as you trip the
shutter the chances are you'll blow it.

Because of the slow shutter speed it requires a small aperture therefore you
have a good depth of field, so before they get to where you are, focus on
the line they will be taking as they go by.

Then look through the viewfinder and pick them up, DO NOT FOCUS AGAIN!  And
swing with them and when they're at right angles trip the shutter while you
and camera are in motion and keep swinging right through. Be prepared to
shoot lots of frames! ;-)

Even with an M6 and one frame it's surprising what you can hit. I prefer the
R8 and motor drive as I can crank a number of frames rapidly.

This works with any moving object, race cars, runners, skiers, traffic and
if it's done well they make very interesting "swishy pan" photographs.

If you get too much blur then all you have is blur of unrecognizable colour.
So be prepared to shoot lots using various shutter speeds, as you really
have no idea what you'll have until you're on the light table editing.

So if there's another cycling event soon and near by give it a go and the
best of luck. :-)
ted


Ted Grant Photography Limited
www.islandnet.com/~tedgrant

Ted Grant Photography Limited
www.islandnet.com/~tedgrant
- ----- Original Message -----
From: "Steve Barbour" <kididdoc@home.com>
To: "LUG" <leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us>
Sent: Monday, January 14, 2002 5:11 PM
Subject: [Leica] Steve Barbour PAW week 3


> My PAW week 3 is posted. I call it  ...my first race...in the vortex.
>
> Leica M6  and 90mm,  thin,  Tele Elmarit, with  Fuji Provia F 100.
>
> Thanks for viewing and your comments....... Steve.
>
>
>  http://www.kididdoc.com/index.htm/PAW/
>
> --
> To unsubscribe, see http://mejac.palo-alto.ca.us/leica-users/unsub.html
>


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Replies: Reply from "Bill Harting" <wharting@adelphia.net> (Re: [Leica] Steve Barbour PAW week 3)
Reply from "Steve Barbour" <kididdoc@home.com> (Re: [Leica] Steve Barbour PAW week 3)
In reply to: Message from "Steve Barbour" <kididdoc@home.com> ([Leica] Steve Barbour PAW week 3)