The Canon Magazine 55
CREATIVE MOVEMENT
ADD MORE
BLUR WITHPHOTOSHOP
You can increase the
illusion of movement
by using Filters in
Photoshop or Elements.
Open your picture and hit
Ctrl/Cmd+J to duplicate
your layer, then go to
Filter>Blur>Motion
Blur to add more blur
to a panning shot. Here
you can match the angle
of your rider and then
erase over the biker to
bring back sharpness.
If the biker is coming
towards the camera
you can instead go to
Filter>Blur>Radial Blur,
set the Blur Method to
Zoom and drag the Blur
Center directly over the
biker and again you can
erase over the biker to
increase sharpness in
this precise area.SETUP 3 BAG A ‘WHEELIE’
A good wheelie is the shot everyone is
hoping to take home, but you might only get
two or three chances to capture one. The
trick is anticipating when they might occur
and dialling in your settings. Wheelies are
likely to happen at the beginning or end of a
race and are prevalent during test days.
The pit lane exit on some tracks is a prime
spot – make sure you’re positioned on a
straight; nobody’s going round a corner on
one wheel! Look to shoot from areas that are
heavily populated with photographers too.
Riders like having their picture taken and
have no problem showing off when they
know they’re in front of the camera, try using
a fast shutter speed to freeze the moment.
Exposure: 1/320 sec, f/8, ISO500
SETUP 4 INCLUDE PEOPLE
Race tracks are busy places, especially if
you’re shooting on race day. Without the
luxury of a press pass, you’ll need to work
alongside spectators and other
photographers. You can usually find an
unobstructed spot, but try using a busy
crowd to your advantage. Many fans wear
the colours of their favourite team.
These vibrant items of clothing can be
used to brighten a drab frame and add
foreground interest. Shots of this nature are
difficult to land – the AF system will lose the
subject as you pan through crowd members.
The technique is exactly the same though,
so don’t be disheartened if it takes a while
to bag the shot you want.
Exposure: 1/320 sec, f/7.1, ISO100