Shots like the couple below are nice enough, but are what I would consider ‘safe’ shots. They’re the ones I take of general views, as well as closer shots of specific individuals or teams, and their key moments. They’ll typically be the photos used editorially most often.
With a sport like track cycling, where the riders are just going around in circles, your photos can end up looking a bit, well, samey.
On my next visit to the Sir Chris Hoy Velodrome, I wanted to try out some motion-panning. That is, to use a really low shutter speed (as low as it can reasonably be), while panning the camera on a monopod at about the same rate as a moving subject. You’re simply following the action.
As you can see, this has the effect of adding motion blur to the foreground and background, while keeping your subject sharper. It adds to the action, and gives a sense of the speed that the cyclists are travelling at. Obviously, in this photo, not all of the cyclists will be in focus, because they’re all travelling at very slightly different speeds. But a bit of blur just adds to the moment.
The camera settings were a focal length of 70 mm (on my Sigma 70-200-mm lens), aperture of f/8 to not let too much light in (otherwise the picture would be overexposed), shutter speed at 1/8, and ISO 100.
Before the Championships began, I had practised this technique a bit. If you don’t have access to, say, a motor-racing track, cycling or BMX track, skate park, running track, or that sort of venue, there’s a solution, and that is to practise on moving vehicles travelling along a stretch of road.
It’s always fun to watch drivers slow down, because they think you have a speed camera! Remember, though, to keep yourself safe (and off the road).
Here are France’s Mathilde Gros and Russia’s Daria Shmeleva competing in the women’s sprint semi-final, during Day 4 of the Glasgow 2018 European Championships. 97 mm (on my 70-200-mm lens), aperture of f/8, shutter speed at 1/8, and ISO 100.
This is Switzerland’s Cyrille Thièry competing in the men’s 40-km points race final, during Day 4. 104 mm (on my 70-200-mm lens), aperture of f/8, shutter speed at 1/15, and ISO 100.
And here’s France’s Mathilde Gros competing in the women’s sprint semi-final, during Day 4. 200 mm (on my 70-200-mm lens), aperture of f/8, shutter speed at 1/8, and ISO 100.
When you first attempt this fun technique, you’ll get a lot of shots that are no good. But you’ll also get ones that just work. Practice makes perfect!