'machine gunners' crack me up

Well put it this way. Apparently the paper i work with receives between 1 or 2 calls each week relating to motorsport images. It isn't that others are not trying, it is that there are so many of them i suspect the editors want a quiet life and to know where their images will come from for their deadline. And i would imagine if you phoned up and asked them to take a look at your amazing portfolio, half may be interested (maybe half of those will actually look at your images and half of those get back to you), the other half will have a deadline and can't hang up the phone quick enough.

Also i would hope they stick with me because.... I am (in order of significance).. Cheap, reliable, cover many events, make my images accessible, provide tips on possible upcoming stories, have been working with them for 4 years, am friends with the editor, and because i take an ok photo. This will be the case for a lot of the relationships between editors and photographers.
 
dunganick said:
Personally i machine gun when i pan.
Click to expand...

Same here, especially if I'm playing with shutter speeds between 1/15th and 1/30th. If I'm using a higher shutter I still use burst but for only 3 or 4 frames. I'm nowhere near good enough to get it perfect first time every time unless I'm well into the hundredths of a sec range, even then I still get it wrong occasionally.
 
I 'machine gun' 3-4 shots in a row when panning. Usually prefocus on the point I want, the shoot 1 before, 1 at the point and 1 after so I keep shooting and panning.
It's just a technique that works for me. If I'm set to Manila focus then I'll pan and shoot the 1 shot
 
I see and understand most peoples views but here is my thought.
You buy a camera capable of 10fps so why not use it as and when you want. Have you talked to the guy instead of just giggling at him from behind your camera?
He may be able to teach you something? Perhaps you could teach him something?
Find out where his images end up?
Check them out, don't be so quick to judge.
 
Now, so far, this 'ere is a very interesting and informative thread, thanks for the input guys (you know who you are....) Accreditation? Hmmmm, I'll settle for a free BSB ticket on any Summer Saturday as Sunday (race day) is waaaay too busy for me :cool:

I'll contribute one small but highly relevant point.....I think you'll find that MY recent dose of the man flu was by far the worst ever recorded, as indeed it always is! :puke:
 
"manflu". . . . pah, that's nothing - I'm just getting over 'manthrax'

I have read all the replies and sorry but - it still makes me laugh, just because I can shoot at 10fps doesn't mean I have to, going for the single shot or maybe two at three at most is the challenge. Plus the thought of going through a 16gb card with only half a dozen cars / bikes on it is terrifying enough

.DAVID.
 
I guess everyone has their priorities.

Personally i don't find panning a challenge as much as something that needs doing and requires a technique. It is a feature on the kit i use, so why not use it if i feel it will benefit me in some way.

Each to their own i guess.

LOL - Manthrax :)
 
you really must have some life if you are having a rant about some bloke you dont know lol

David Stallard said:
I wont point the finger as I know the guy in question is a 'fixture' at Brands Hatch BUT - I was there today testing a few settings on my new mk4 and this guy (also had a 1d mk4) was really going for it as usual on every shot.

I know the mk4 has 10fps but do you really need to shoot everything at hi speed? If we were at a fast / tricky part of the circuit then maybe but we were at one of the tyre chicanes where the cars were doing 20mph at the most, I managed to get all the shots I wanted with a single shot so why the need to take 30+ burst shots - his choice of course and I must remember to ear plugs next time as it really does 'grate' a little after a while.

(going to get flamed for this) - is just a lack of skill stopping him focusing / tracking and then shooting, or is just showing off?

Off to hide from the barrage now

.DAVID.
Click to expand...
 
Simon photo said:
I see and understand most peoples views but here is my thought.
You buy a camera capable of 10fps so why not use it as and when you want. Have you talked to the guy instead of just giggling at him from behind your camera?
He may be able to teach you something? Perhaps you could teach him something?
Find out where his images end up?
Check them out, don't be so quick to judge.
Click to expand...

Good thoughts, clearly the high frame rate cams aren't used for studio and macro photography.
 
POAH said:
you really must have some life if you are having a rant about some bloke you dont know lol
Click to expand...

Oh good grief. . . . "Whatever"

I take it from your constructive comment that your a gunner as well then ;)

.DAVID.
 
Silent-Sam said:
No. But I do want to shoot people in the face all the time :D
Click to expand...

me too and here I am just waiting



LesBeretta391.jpg



Les :D:D:D
 
my thought on the gunner subject is as an amateur photographer the photo's i take are not as important as a pro who's photography puts food on the table
i can take my time and try and get the perfect single shot and if i miss no harm done i can always try again there's nothing really lost and because it's a hobby i am always trying to improve my technique
the pro has a different outlook entirely ( in my view ) he's been there a 100 times before doing the same thing time after time he doesn't need to improve his technique he just needs the photo's hi speed shooting seems a good way of guaranteeing he walks away with something he can sell
an amateur doing the same thing is trying to make sure he comes away with something
we've all done it well i have especially if it's something new like a species of wildlife i havn't photographed before or an air show for example

we all have our different ways of getting the desired result i don't think any are wrong
 
Last edited:
Not all media phootographer are paid to be there, plus the insurance they have to have.

I agree, with long bursts its a waste but as I like sharp cars/bikes and blurred whels I have a wierd set up that works for me, a chair [dogy knees] an old tripod with a gimbal and a 150-500 lens sometimes with a converter and I can operate it at a push with one hand. Im not disabled just darn old! And enjoy my images may take 500 in a day at Oulton mainly so now you know who the guy is who sits at Brittens/Knickerbrook with my strange set up. Colin
 
Blimey just come out of hibernation from the winter months and i have missed loads on here :eek:.

As for Pray and Spray think i am guilty some of the time as my reactions and my cameras shutter lag i sometimes fire off 6 or 10 shot bursts if i know there is a spot on certain tracks i have seen a peg or slider hitting the floor causing some nice sparks as i would love to see somebody take just one shot and nail it bang on to be honest.

Also from a bike point of view different riders get the power on at different points exiting corners so if you want to catch some of that crazy tyre distortion it is rather hit and miss hence the reason why high FPS comes in handy from my point of view even though i end up with up to 1500 pics a day to go through from two cameras.

As for accreditation it is luck of the draw and getting yourself out there to be honest but also if you were offerd something for free that was acceptable or had to pay for something that was first class and it came out of your own money from a business point of view what would you take?

To get my foot in the door i worked for free but the moment i mentioned anything about money it was see you later we will find someone else but add up the costs for a season and its something you just cant do.

You have the cost of equipment and then you need Public Liability Insurance to start with yet alone the fuel bill as you need to cover most if not every round.Factor in the time off from your paying job if you have one as you will need to take time off to attend the track every other weekend and it starts to get very expensive plus its no longer a hobby its a job with deadlines and targets to meet including briefs on what sort of shots they want rather than what you want.

I have been lucky enough now to do British Superbikes,World Superbikes and this year have been asked to do the British round of Moto GP but i wont make enough to cover my fuel bill yet alone the equipment or insurance and to be honest its not as enjoyable as it was when i was the other side of the fence to be honest.
 
Gadget-Guy said:
Blimey just come out of hibernation from the winter months and i have missed loads on here :eek:.

As for Pray and Spray think i am guilty some of the time as my reactions and my cameras shutter lag i sometimes fire off 6 or 10 shot bursts if i know there is a spot on certain tracks i have seen a peg or slider hitting the floor causing some nice sparks as i would love to see somebody take just one shot and nail it bang on to be honest.

Also from a bike point of view different riders get the power on at different points exiting corners so if you want to catch some of that crazy tyre distortion it is rather hit and miss hence the reason why high FPS comes in handy from my point of view even though i end up with up to 1500 pics a day to go through from two cameras.

As for accreditation it is luck of the draw and getting yourself out there to be honest but also if you were offerd something for free that was acceptable or had to pay for something that was first class and it came out of your own money from a business point of view what would you take?

To get my foot in the door i worked for free but the moment i mentioned anything about money it was see you later we will find someone else but add up the costs for a season and its something you just cant do.

You have the cost of equipment and then you need Public Liability Insurance to start with yet alone the fuel bill as you need to cover most if not every round.Factor in the time off from your paying job if you have one as you will need to take time off to attend the track every other weekend and it starts to get very expensive plus its no longer a hobby its a job with deadlines and targets to meet including briefs on what sort of shots they want rather than what you want.

I have been lucky enough now to do British Superbikes,World Superbikes and this year have been asked to do the British round of Moto GP but i wont make enough to cover my fuel bill yet alone the equipment or insurance and to be honest its not as enjoyable as it was when i was the other side of the fence to be honest.
Click to expand...

MotoGp round eh.. You kept that one quiet:D Nice one.
Well done buddy.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top