@PHXPHOTOG - Any tips while trying to shoot a vehicle in motion?
Some tips on how to photograph your Trail Boss 📸
- Thread starter PHXPHOTOG
- Start date
PHXPHOTOG
Well-known member
If you stay out of the way you will miss the shot! 
It is all about shutter speed, lens, and angles. Some phones have a "pro mode" that let you select exposure settings, many do not. For you Boss use your Sony A7Cii in shutter priority mode. I often use full manual controls but that's another story.
First the easy answer. If you are trying to stop motion blur and keep everything sharp use a shutter speed of 500th second or more.
I'm sure what you really want is some blur to show action. Experiment with shutter speeds of 1/30, 1/60, and 1/125 to find your sweet spot for your situation. It works best if you use a wide angle lens and you are close to the subject panning as the vehicle passes in front of you. Crank up the motor drive and let it rip.
In every good motion blur at least part of the subject should be sharp, but not always. The tires are always turning faster than the vehicle speed. Sometimes spinning tires is enough to add action so it doesn't look like the car is standing still. Other times you will want the entire background streaked to show real speed. The camera must be moving with the vehicle or it will be a blur at slow shutter speeds.
Here is some samples of motion blur and stop action. These are from my work with pro gear gear but most are not cropped. All effects are in camera and not photoshop. As a sports shooter it is my job to shoot tight. Feel free to ask questions.
It is all about shutter speed, lens, and angles. Some phones have a "pro mode" that let you select exposure settings, many do not. For you Boss use your Sony A7Cii in shutter priority mode. I often use full manual controls but that's another story.
First the easy answer. If you are trying to stop motion blur and keep everything sharp use a shutter speed of 500th second or more.
I'm sure what you really want is some blur to show action. Experiment with shutter speeds of 1/30, 1/60, and 1/125 to find your sweet spot for your situation. It works best if you use a wide angle lens and you are close to the subject panning as the vehicle passes in front of you. Crank up the motor drive and let it rip.
In every good motion blur at least part of the subject should be sharp, but not always. The tires are always turning faster than the vehicle speed. Sometimes spinning tires is enough to add action so it doesn't look like the car is standing still. Other times you will want the entire background streaked to show real speed. The camera must be moving with the vehicle or it will be a blur at slow shutter speeds.
Here is some samples of motion blur and stop action. These are from my work with pro gear gear but most are not cropped. All effects are in camera and not photoshop. As a sports shooter it is my job to shoot tight. Feel free to ask questions.
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Killer shots! Thanks for all the tips @PHXPHOTOG 
With summer finally here, I’m really hoping things settle down so I can get out, have some fun shooting, and spend more time learning the camera. Everything I've done with it so far, I've been really impressed with!
With summer finally here, I’m really hoping things settle down so I can get out, have some fun shooting, and spend more time learning the camera. Everything I've done with it so far, I've been really impressed with!
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