My Guide to Processing (& faking) Motorsport Shots

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Jonny
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Hey all,

I've had a few requests to put together an updated guide to the Photoshop techniques I use to 'Shop' the occasional motorsport image. It's in a semi draft form at the minute so I was just hoping some of you might like to take a look and tell me what you think and if anything isn't clear so I can adjust it before sticking it in the tutorials section here.

It's basically a step by step to creating this kind of image...
Porsche 919 Hybrid - Photoshop Work by Jonny Henchman, on Flickr

You can download the zip containing the guide and sample raw file right here
https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B9KJrtF8iXWBRkw3SDJnT1lwbGc
Your help and opinions are very much appreciated :)

If any of you have the time to have a go I'd be interested in seeing your results too :)

Cheers again
 
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Can't open the pdf.
Something from Google wants permission to trawl through all my files and attach itself to my hard drive. No way Jose!
God knows what would happen once Google get their hands on my files.
 
Its a zip file, download it - the PDF and raw file are in there, once on your desktop open it and view as normal.

Welcome to the world of the "Googlism" ;)

Thanks again Jonathan - I've not run through it yet but it looks excellent and will be faking it as best I can in Lightroom
 
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Thanks. I know it's a zip file and I have a couple of openers on here but I've never before had to give a company seemingly hell bent on world domination, access to my hard drive to open one.
How can this be opened without leaving myself open to prying eyes from Silicon Valley?
 
I just clicked the download icon at the top
 
Thanks. I know it's a zip file and I have a couple of openers on here but I've never before had to give a company seemingly hell bent on world domination, access to my hard drive to open one.
How can this be opened without leaving myself open to prying eyes from Silicon Valley?

:D you shouldn't have to download or sign up to anything - just click the download arrow in the top right corner and that's it :)
 
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That's uncanny, was literally just looking at one of your Aston shots on Flickr and thinking damn how does he get them that sharp and still get the motion blur. Then noticed the shutter speed.

Logged on to TP clicked new posts and there's the explanation right in front of me. I've only had a chance to scan so far but looks good. Thanks (y)
 
That's uncanny, was literally just looking at one of your Aston shots on Flickr and thinking damn how does he get them that sharp and still get the motion blur. Then noticed the shutter speed.

Logged on to TP clicked new posts and there's the explanation right in front of me. I've only had a chance to scan so far but looks good. Thanks (y)

Haha and they say online marketing doesn't work ;) If it was one of the new Aston shots there is every chance it was genuine - I don't do this sort of agressive manipulation all that often any more, just when I really want to accentuate a shot. Interested to see how people get on with it :)
 
It was this one: https://flic.kr/p/GJZzDF

As it's not a side on pan it's the sharpness across the whole car, as opposed to just a limited area that I struggle to achieve. (It's bad enough trying to get any part of the car sharp)

Not had much time to get out this year but think I might have been getting too obsessed with slowing the shutter speed down. Getting the feeling of movement and getting the right part of the car sharp is proving to be tricky.
 
This is a very good write up and explanation. Thank you
 
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Many thanks, I've downloaded this and if the download ever finishes, I'll be having a look through it. I'm on a very old PS version though, so might have to take your word for some of it. Like @MFlip, I have problems getting anything other than a small section of the car in focus (if that), and while I can practice pan shots until the cows come home, sometimes there's a particular vehicle I'd like to shoot and daren't waste time experimenting.
 
Many thanks, I've downloaded this and if the download ever finishes, I'll be having a look through it. I'm on a very old PS version though, so might have to take your word for some of it. Like @MFlip, I have problems getting anything other than a small section of the car in focus (if that), and while I can practice pan shots until the cows come home, sometimes there's a particular vehicle I'd like to shoot and daren't waste time experimenting.

The fundamentals should still apply, you'll just have to adapt some of the advice.... this will work for the occasional shot, but you wouldn't want to do it for more than a handful.. in camera is generally the best tactic :)
 
Yes, quite agree. Apart from anything else I still think fundamentally changing the image in post-processing is a bit "cheating".
 
I've experimented with adding motion blur before, and your method is pretty much how I did it. However I've never posted a shot that the motion blur is faked, it would just feel like I was cheating. Obviously can be quite hit and miss in camera depending on shutter speed, but much more satisfying!

Edit: None the less, after I quickly scanned through it, a well put together guide!
 
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I've experimented with adding motion blur before, and your method is pretty much how I did it. However I've never posted a shot that the motion blur is faked, it would just feel like I was cheating. Obviously can be quite hit and miss in camera depending on shutter speed, but much more satisfying!

Edit: None the less, after I quickly scanned through it, a well put together guide!

Haha thanks mate - I think that's fair enough but it can provide a certain 'look' to shots that you wouldn't otherwise be able to achieve - a virtual rig if you will. I try and stress that it's not a solution to poor technique but rather a means of creating something different.
 
Thanks for giving this a bump and thank you @Graphix501 for the guide.

I shot motorsport for the first time on Friday and bar a couple of pictures, was a little disappointed by how only a handful of my panning shots looked sharp all over with most just being sharp in a small area. Luckily I took some at a faster shutter speed so I will have to give this a go.
 
Thanks for giving this a bump and thank you @Graphix501 for the guide.

I shot motorsport for the first time on Friday and bar a couple of pictures, was a little disappointed by how only a handful of my panning shots looked sharp all over with most just being sharp in a small area. Luckily I took some at a faster shutter speed so I will have to give this a go.

No worries, glad it's seeing some use. Remember though, fakery is no replacement for technique ;) Best used to make a great shot exceptional rather than a poor shot acceptable (not saying yours are poor mind - just a disclaimer before I get chased out of town by the 'Photoshop hating' purists ;))
 
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