Motorsports photography

Smcooper461

Senior Member
Hi everybody been away for a while lol. Still shooting motorsports. I need some help/advice on flash. I'm interested in investing in a good flash for my camera. I would only be interested in using the flash in the late evening/evening in the low-light. Obviously I can't use the Built-in flash (which tops out at 1/200th) for motosports lol. I'm using a D750 with F2/8 70-200mm lens. I'm also curious about the zoom length and the length of the flash?? Once again I have never used a flash before so please excuse my ignorance here lol. Anyway look forward to communicating more on this forum. Good day, Shawn Cooper
 

cwgrizz

Senior Member
Challenge Team
Welcome (back?) to the forum. What kind of motorsports are you shooting? Motorcycles, sprint cars, etc. I'm not sure that a flash will be of much good for this type of photography.
Depending on where you can shoot from will probably make a difference. To use a flash you will need something very strong (high power) and will still have to be close. This may be frowned on by drivers because of the flash interfering with their ability to see. There are some good tips available online, but I have yet to see one that mentions using a flash. More are geared around slowing your shutter speed down and panning to get the car/motorcycle in focus with the background blurred to get the feel of action. A shot frozen by flash or fast shutter speed gives the appearance of being parked which is not usually the effect that is desired.
Having said all of this, I have never shot a race. Ha! Just read alot.
 

Smcooper461

Senior Member
Thank you for the reply cwgrizz. Yes I certainly agree. Too high shutter Speed/frozen is not good for Speed shots. I like to keep my shutter around 1/500th to 1/800th. That gives me clarity on the car, numbers, sponsors ext. and incorporates blurr where I want it. Around the tires and background. To answer I am shooting Dirt sprint car racing mainly in Central PA (Williams Grove/Port Royal ext.) Knoxville Knoxville Eldora Volusia. As far as the flash I would certainly have to agree( in fact I have shots I accidentally got another photographer's flash and IDK how the driver wasn't blinded). But all the professional photographers at these events use them. They have the big beauty dishes and everything Haha, they don't mess around about it lol. I'm wondering if I should just bit the Bullet and embrace flash even though I don't necessarily want to. I'd like to think I could go without it. But I do struggle in the low-light even at 2/8 F Stop
 

carguy

Senior Member
Hi everybody been away for a while lol. Still shooting motorsports. I need some help/advice on flash. I'm interested in investing in a good flash for my camera. I would only be interested in using the flash in the late evening/evening in the low-light. Obviously I can't use the Built-in flash (which tops out at 1/200th) for motosports lol. I'm using a D750 with F2/8 70-200mm lens. I'm also curious about the zoom length and the length of the flash?? Once again I have never used a flash before so please excuse my ignorance here lol. Anyway look forward to communicating more on this forum. Good day, Shawn Cooper


Welcome Shawn!
How far away from the subject will you be? I am not sure a flash will help much depending on the distance from your camera to the subject.

What setting are you using with these low light races? Aperture & ISO?
 

Smcooper461

Senior Member
Hi carguy. The quickest way I can answer as the distance from my subject varies, depending on the track I'm shooting at and other variables. I usually try and get as close as I can in the center of the corners. I would say sometimes my distance is as close 20-30 feet in center corner. That's primarily where I'm interested in a flash, sometimes it is further though. As far as the settings the Aperature is 2/8 F. My shutter is usually between 500 to 800, I isually try to lower as it gets darker from day to night, but obviously lowering too much incorporates too much blurr. I usually start with my ISO at 100 during daylight and then as the evening goes I raise somtomes to 6400 and further. Obviously that's where the noise comes in.
 

editorial_use_only

Senior Member
Yes it was a surprise to me to discover people were shooting flash for motorsports. I see it mostly at the start line for regional drag races. Nationals and Div it was banned, but the weekend stuff there are a few flash shooters. Personally I don't use flash but I do see it. One thing, next time you go, try to see exactly what the other photographers are using. If you see everyone is using big beauty dishes, there is probably a good reason, so go get one and start experimenting. I have never seen a beauty dish at a motorsports event.

You asked about a good flash. Personally, I like the old Nikon SB-800. You would have to get that used though and buying a used flash as your first one isn't such a good idea. There is the Flashpoint https://www.adorama.com/fplfsmzl2nk.html . I have one and it's fine. You will have to spend some time reading the manual and learning to use it. There isn't a substitute for that effort.

Remember that as you reduce flash power, you also reduce the duration of the flash burst. I can shoot faster than 1/320 with flash by reducing flash power.
 
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