Nighttime Drag Racing

[tufcat]

I took some drag racing photos Saturday. As the sun set and the worst race track lighting system known to mankind, began to iluminate the night, I decided to practice my nighttime (motorsports) flash photography skills.

I experimented with EV settings on both the camera and my (SB800) flash. I know these photos are not real good, but they were better than I expected. Any tips for better (action) flash photographs?

Also, these are all "panning" shots, shot at f/1.8 & 1/500 shutter speed. I guess flash photography changes the rules some, but the cars look like they are sitting still. No tire blur. Even the people on the other side of the track seem pretty sharp.

Anyway, any feedback would be appreciated.

[dhyravy]

The reason you don't have any tire blur is the SS of 1/500. If you're going to pan with the cars, try 1/250 or lower. It takes practice to keep the car in focus with slower shutter speeds but will give the wheels some motion effect and blur the background.

[adamsti]

Only time I have shot racing at night is from the stands, so I did not use a flash, but as said for blur, I was shooting at 1/160 and slower, most of the time 1/125.

[tufcat]

This photo was shot earlier in the day at a shutter speed of 1/800. The tires display some blur and the people across the track are blurred.

What effect does the flash have, that would result in less blur at a lower shutter speed (1/500)?

Less blur at night, at 1/500 (with a flash) than at 1/800 in the daylight?? Obviously it happened, I just don't understand why. It seems like it should go the other way.

[Dylan8i]

you are assuming the tires where moving at the same speed in each shot. the background looks different, which means the cars are probbably on different spots on the drag strip, meaning the day time one may have been further downt he track and moving much faster..... which translated to the tires would result in multiple times the speed. plus looks like a more supped up car, which could result in faster speeds.

[adamsti]

Whether at night or daytime, if you want to show motion your speeds are way too high.
Even for a shot like this I was only at 1/200,
http://www.timadamsphotography.com/0...o%20launch.jpg

For panning, much slower like here, 1/100.
http://www.timadamsphotography.com/1...slow%20pan.jpg

Or at night, 1/125,
http://www.timadamsphotography.com/2...rson%20FC2.jpg