When You Get Bored

F/14, 1/60th, ISO 400, 100mmWhen things get boring find something that is moving and practice something a bit more artistic. Panning can be fun and I was reminded of this yesterday morning when I read Scott Bourne's blog on PhotoFocus.

The shots here were taken at the end of a long day at last years IBU Biathlon here in Presque Isle. I had take hundreds of photograhs that day and really had no idea of what I had. Heading back toward the lodge I had come along a small stretch where the skiers were really moving. With boredom comes the time to relax and you are much more willing to experiment, which is what I did here.

F/9, 1/25th, ISO 400 100mmI didn't really think much of either of these shots when I first saw them. They are so busy they appear to be completely blurred, but at close inspection you can see that the faces, usually the most important part since it is what we look at first, look quite clear. You can see the eyes behind the googles and the drewel from the mouth.  They aren't perfect by any means but they are some of the most fun shots that I took from that entire event.

Don't be afraid to take a chance especially after you have gotten your work done. You just might suprise yourself.

Blur Free Photos with a Zoom

We've had a discussion for some time with many of the new photographers about why they've been getting blurry pictures during sports events. The reasons have been many and we've resolved most of the problems by instructing them to use “Shutter Priority” mode on their cameras.

But there has been one lingering problem that I've had for some time while photographing sport events.

When I started in photography years ago with my Konica SLR I used to love to shoot a sport that I participated in called Moto-X.

Click to read more ...

One of Those Day

We all have them... nothing seems to work!

Yesterday they ran a "time trial" right by the house, so I grabbed the camera and walked down to the road, setup and snapped away.  I figured I try practice my panning skills once more.

I set the IS so that it would only work on the vertical axis, manually preset the focus and picked a slightly higher shutter speed then I'd normally use because the bikes were moving!... between 25 and 30 mph.  

At first I took the larger lens but quickly swapped out to the short lens so that I could get up close and personal by the side of the road. I set the camera to shutter priority at a speed of 125th of a second... a few triies at 1/100.

Well I got just about nothing. Either they were completely in focus or overly blurred. Oh well it takes lots of practice.

The shot here was so bad it looks good! 

Panning

Remember that this months suggested project involves 'Panning'.

I'm thinking of going up to Fort Kent this Saturday and photography the kids that will be working out with the Maine Winter Sports Center and practicing my Panning skills.

AND as if on command...... This week on Photography.ca panning is the very subject that they are covering in their Podcast.

If you not yet setup to automatically receive the show as a podcast go to our website...... The Aroostook FStops to check on any announcements, then to the Resources Page and from it to Photography.ca... There you'll need to go to their "Blog and Podcast" page and in the show #60 segment look for the link to stream the show to your computer.

Also a remember to all your twinkle fingers...... those that can a write on a subject...... we need some others to write entries for our blog. It is very easy to do.

Thanks

Tom