Manuel Exposure For Motor Sport - Part Two
It is hard to report the entire lecture that Manuel gave in one web post - there were so many good practical points that he covered. Rather than cop out, I will take several days. Let's start with the equipment recommendations:
Not surprisingly, he recommended Canon. He uses the brand's large professional 1Dx cameras - several of them - and keeps long lenses on them. The Canon professional optics are second to none for this sort of precision and the agencies and editors who are concerned with his work are not going to be satisfied with sub-standard images. This is also tied in with the rapid autofocus response and shoot time available with the Canon professional bodies - Manuel frankly admits that there are some situations that are made for burst-shooting.
It might be funny to observe rivalries between major manufacturers that start arguments between user groups and enthusiasts - but it is no fun if your income and reputation depend upon the reliability of the goods. Canon gear works for Manuel, and he is prepared to say that it will work for the rest of us. Another philosophy - that of doing what you can with what you have, where you are - is also valid, but it may not get your images over the desk of a top-quality publication. Each of us must decide for ourselves.
But to today's points - Manuel sez:
b. For most occasions, a high shutter speed is best.
c. He must decide where the car is to be placed in the picture - it is generally the star attraction of the image. He uses a single AF focus point and moves it around frequently to allow it to place the exact focus.
d. Preconception of the picture is by far the best way to success - the backdrop will influence what people see in the car, so Manuel chooses the focal length of the lens to assist in the background rendering. It's not hit or miss.
e. Sharpness in a photo is essential to interest an editor and deliver the impact that a publication needs. There are many factors that influence it - positively and negatively.
f. To get a consistent result through to the Lightroom program, Manuel will shoot most of his images with manual exposure of both aperture and shutter speed...and will also not allow the camera to take over with automatic ISO control. He aims to have the same levels in everything so that an overall master correction in Lightroom can be batched through the lot. It is a matter of time for him as he does not have the week's grace that an amateur may possess before results have to put forward. Professionals are under pressure - remember that when you envy them.
And having said that, please remember the professionalism of the other people that you see here in today's column:
So...tomorrow you learn how to see motor pictures that sell pictures to clients.
* to be fair, when the noise started, we knew where to look...
Labels: Camera Electronic, Canon, Motor Sport, sharpness, telephoto, workshop
2 Comments:
Question is - Dick, how did your Fuji do out on the track?
No so hot, until I disabled the autofocus and just focus-trapped it. Then it delivered the sort of shot that I expect. The EVF is also ever-so-slightly laggy, as they all are...and I resorted to the old look-over-the -hot shoe-and fire it strategy. That worked every time. It was great in the pits. Uncle Dick
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