Practicing?????

[cakeman]

Ive got my self a SLR Camera and am trying to practice various shots (im useless), i was thinking of sitting on the side of the Old Rd to practice moving shots of passer byers....... what do you guys think...... is it acceptable to practice these shots or unsafe for the riders to see a camera fella around the corner etc..... the last think i want to do is piss anyone off or at worst cause an accident.

[Betty]

People have done it in the past. There are a couple of the more open sweeping corners which give you the chance to stay out of the way and track the bikes as they come through. Craigo has given a go before.

I don't think it is viewed too favourably by the authorities though ... so I wouldn't plan on being there all day.

[mattyvas]

On occasion there has been someone up there photographing passing bike riders and posting them on a website for sale from memory.
I would say just as long as you are not hiding in the bush somewhere, if you are out in the open and maybe have your bike parked near you people might work it out.

Instead of using bike riders you could find a road and use passing cars.
Is this a skill you think you will need though photographing sunsets and cocktails in Thailand?
I would have thought a tripod, polarizer, cable release would do you better.

[cakeman]

On occasion there has been someone up there photographing passing bike riders and posting them on a website for sale from memory.
I would say just as long as you are not hiding in the bush somewhere, if you are out in the open and maybe have your bike parked near you people might work it out.

Instead of using bike riders you could find a road and use passing cars.
Is this a skill you think you will need though photographing sunsets and cocktails in Thailand?
I would have thought a tripod, polarizer, cable release would do you better.

i have a pretty short attention span so like to try new hobbies on occasion This is the next one
Ive got the tripod and polarizer, no cable release........ might head up there today and see how i go

[craigo]

There are two or three corners where you can pull over safely in the gravel and park well off line (almost out of view) so people don't target fixate and run off the road into you. The spots are on the section between Road Warriors and Brooky bridge. You can shoot up and down the hill.

Here are some of my old photos before I took Matty's setting advice: Pan, 125th second exposure on shutter priority, ISO 200, fill the frame. You'll have like 20% keeper ratio if you are clumsy like me, but if you take 500 shots...


pachwy 573 by craigeaux, on Flickr


pachwy 608 by craigeaux, on Flickr

Probably wont need a tripod in my experience. It just makes people think you are a speed camera 

Just watch your back. I heard rustling behind me - then this bloke bolted out of the bush.


goanna (1) by craigeaux, on Flickr

I shat. He shat. 

[stopintime]

http://www.ducatimonsterforum.org/index.php?topic=45377.0

FWIW - I'd be pissed off if I was photographed randomly and out of context.
It might be disturbing/scary and I like my privacy.
Too many bad   memories  

[craigo]

I actually had about 4 people turn around and come back and asked me to email them the shots. The primary context for a bike on the old road is having [moto] fun.

We are pretty used to having our photos taken anyway in Australia. Our government does it for us, then sends copies in the mail with a nice letter and a bill attached. 

[heatherp]

This is the guy I saw up there once http://www.bikephoto.com.au/.  He had a sign up but it still scared   me having a camera pointed at me without warning (didn't have any points left on my licence at the time).

I guess if you're riding with friends you could arrange to get in front, stop and take photos but I always think about that after the event when it's too late!

[stopintime]

......

We are pretty used to having our photos taken anyway in Australia. Our government does it for us, then sends copies in the mail with a nice letter and a bill attached. 

Even on bikes? 

Here, their shots are front only - no plates. Even if they introduced rear shots - no bills because they wouldn't be able to identify the rider, which is required     Laser guns, on the other hand 

[mattyvas]

The onus is on the driver/rider to identify who was operating the vehicle at the time when the portrait was taken.
Our cameras are a mix of front/rear facing but mostly taken from the rear so you have better been on that step machine making sure your butt is looking good!

[cakeman]

This photography stuff is harder then looks
I was over exposing/ under exposing... i couldnt get the shutter speed up to 1/1000 because the appeture light thingy was blinking.    I tried it with the tripod for a while but much prefered it just standing and shooting........ ill get there slowly

there were not to many people out, but i did have 3 guys pull over and ask if i had a website etc, so generally i think people are pretty ok with getting there photo taken.

This is the best i could do and its pretty ordinary!

[heatherp]

Hey they're pretty good for starters. You could always up your ISO to override aperture settings too. Some new cameras have very high ISO settings. Panning through the shots will let you use a slower slower shutter speed. Needs practice to get the subject sharp and will make the background blurred.  I've tried it will people walking but not riding bikes - that would be a lot harder.

[cakeman]

Hey they're pretty good for starters. You could always up your ISO to override aperture settings too. Some new cameras have very high ISO settings. Panning through the shots will let you use a slower slower shutter speed. Needs practice to get the subject sharp and will make the background blurred.  I've tried it will people walking but not riding bikes - that would be a lot harder.

Towards the end i was pushing 800 ISO, i didnt want to go any higher in case of NOISE.

Im learning the basics, and so far ive gathered small F number (less image depth). Its hard to blur the back ground when im standing quite away back and the background is only a couple of metres from the subject (does this sound right)

Does something like a F3-6 with an 800ISO and anywhere between a 1/500 - 1/1000 shutter sound about right?

[heatherp]

Hmn okay the ISO thing's been done. I'm no expert so all I can suggest is play around with all 3 as it's a compromise between them. Try larger F numbers and crop the pics to improve the composition.  Have you checked how much noise you get at the higher ISO?  If you don't want poster sized prints you may be able to get away with it.

And yes small F numbers = shallow depth of field so you need to either get closer to the subject (bit difficult) or start "BLINGING" your camera with appropriate lenses.      You would probably be able to hire some pretty good lenses up there to play with. The only problem with hiring lenses is that you ususally want to own them once you seen what they can do.
 
But for now, just keep practising.

Some examples of panning and aperature settings here:
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=3831827&l=da1fe84ae2&id=840149860

[monstermick58]

I did this a little while ago on my point and shoot panasonic TZ7, its over-exposed to buggery but as I was (like you) just getting a feel and as you can see gives the notion of movement, even though my grandaughter was going pretty slow



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