Panning
Among the "standard" shots every car shooter should master is the "pan" shot. Often called the "pan blur," the technique involves moving the camera in the same plane of travel and at the same rate of speed as the subject car. This matching of speeds while panning essentially freezes the image of the car on the image plane while still allowing movement that creates blur in the wheels and background. Slowing the shutter speed during a pan shot enhances that movement and blur. It gives the shot an exaggerated feeling of speed. As photographers, we can more safely use slower shutter speeds rather than faster vehicle speeds to achieve the amount of action we're looking for. The trick is to be smooth, fluid and precise with camera movement so the car will be as still in the camera as possible. Like learning a good golf swing or building consistency at the batting cages, panning takes practice. First choose where on the road the car will make the best shot. The area just before and just after that point is what I call my shooting zone. Feet should be planted, elbows out from the body and shoulders squared to the zone. Follow the car, looking through the viewfinder (rather than at it), swing at the hips and squeeze the shutter release. Even using the word squeeze seems excessive. To minimize unwanted camera movement from your hands and finger, you almost have to think the shutter open. I start out with a safe "cover my butt" shutter speed that is easily nailed. Then move to slower and slower speeds to accentuate the vehicle's speed and motion. Take a lot of shots. Be ruthless in your editing. Only show the best shot from each angle. The rest are trash.
Your Snaps, Eibach's Schwag
It's official. We ain't playin' around. Your Honda-related photography could just land you fresh Eibach gear, a set of Sportline or Pro-Kit springs or a brand-spankin'-new set of Eibach coilovers. Check out the fine print for contest rules and details.
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