Pan shots

Hi over the last few years I’ve seen some great pan shots done. What I would like to know is what settings to use on a digital camera. The only thing I know is that when you take a photograph you need to follow threw with the loco when taking your photo.

Thanks

 

Personally I don't think panning works very well with railway photography because the sheer length of the train plus loco means that you're not going to get it all in frame when panning.
To me it looks unbalanced when half of the train behind the loco has been cut off, however if you're wanting a few panning tips here's a LINK which might give you a few tips on the technique and shutter speeds.

 

I have been testing various combinations with my D300 and - to date - have found 1/60th the slowest speed at which I can pan shots without getting "digital shake" from internal camera movements. The results have been good enough to show movement but not as extreme as the shot of the MN taken on the Mid - Hants ( ? ) which was published last year.

I have had my shot of 60007 panned on the NYMR during a charter published in HR published in late April 2008 if that provides any assistance. ( apologies that I can't reproduce it here )

 

A bit too tightly cropped for my liking but here's one from February.

http://5944.fotopic.net/p48514592.html

200mm lense, f11 at 1/90th second. Like Fred I think a slower speed such as 1/60th would've looked better. 1/90th shows some movement but not a lot, plus the almost complete lack of background doesn't help.

 

If only i had about £600 then i'd try it! You can imagine the mess i'd get into,there would be a plank of wood or just a pic of the floor when i threw the camera!

 

There's a thread in the 2006 archives about this, where I asked pretty much the same!

viewtopic.php?f=80&t=4490&start=0

A couple I've taken on the NYMR:

60007 at Moorgates in 2007 - 1/25 @ F9

[attachment=1:2bueidev]PICT2936.jpg[/attachment:2bueidev]

80135 at Moorgates in 2007 - 1/40 @ F18

[attachment=0:2bueidev]PICT2568.jpg[/attachment:2bueidev]

 

Wow! Can someone please explain to me what "zoom-pulled" is and how you do it please? It looks/sounds quite interesting....

 

Excellent! =D> I love that shot of 6024.

 

Nowt wrong with that pan my lad ! - it shows movement, the ground is sufficiently blurred to compare well with the sharpness of the loco - certainly one I would be happy to have in my copllection =D> =D>

A word of advice to anyone thinking about panning; DON't expect to get all the train in - the best effect cpomes from having usually the whole loco plus sufficient of the train ( i.e. half of the first coach ) to show it's pulling something. A good pan shot is worth the effort and on charters I always try to get at least one during the day.

To Diamond Gaz - it appears from the image as presented that the image is not as sharp as it could have been - it strengthens my thought that owt less than 1/60th might not be successful although I am open to other images to disprove my experiences to date.

 

A question,how do you keep the pan 'Flat'? I know how to pan across but if you move it up and down slightly it would be blurred?

 

You simply focus on one part of the loco then follow it through the viewfinder AND once you have released the shutter continue to follow it ( following through ) for a few seconds more to ensure you apture the movement.

 

Well I can't tell which direction it's travelling in, and as it's only got one coach attached then a shorter lens would have enabled getting a pan shot of the complete train with some background blur which is essential.

 

Well I can't tell which direction it's travelling in, and as it's only got one coach attached then a shorter lens would have enabled getting a pan shot of the complete train with some background blur which is essential.[/quote:104tig3m]
I'd guess from right to left, if it's the opposite, then it's one helluva wind.

 

From the position of the chimney smoke I would suggest running from right to left; a shorter lens wouldn't have provided any more information or background blur; the shot has sufficient impact as it stands.

What more do you want - a moving film ?

 

Exactly my point, if it wasn't for the exhaust then you wouldn't know which way it was travelling.
If you must pan then leave some room around the subject and try to get a little front on, it's more dramatic, like THIS. Yes I know it's not a train but you get the idea.

 

Ah something to fall over,even better!

 

but you are unfairly not comparing like ( motor-bike ) with like ( train ). I don't seek to personalise trhis discussion but 5944 took a panned shot which he likes - as it stands - and I like because it shows locomotive - not train - movement. I might agree that it is not a classic shot but I will not accept that it is not a competent shot for what the photographer intended.

I will not criticise the photographer's successful efforts but will - if asked - suggest alternatives which may / may not appeal to the photographer but will give him greater understanding of the panning technique which he seeks to learn.

Sorry if I come across in an aggressive manner but I am getting concerned at the number of critics who fail to see the original photograph as a start point and suggest alternatives but rather condemn the original and suggest options which the original photographer obviously wasn't concerned with.

In this case 5944 took a perfectly reasonable pan shot and displayed it as part of a discussion - not to be held up as an example of what not to do. If photographers are to improve their efforts they need constructive criticism not destructive alternatives.

End of this week's rant - or am I simply just another Grumpy Old Man ?.

 

Not full size, and looses the end of the tender, but...

 

A shorter lens in my experience (between 28 - 50mm) seems to give a better 'hit' rate as a longer lens just introduces a greater risk of unwanted vertical movement. I try to get the shutter speed down as slow as I dare - between 1/25 and 1/40 for preserved stuff. Can't say I've ever tried it with mainline stuff because I don't have the confidence with my panning technique to gamble on those opportunites, but obviously this would allow a faster shutter speed. I do believe though, that in adverse photography conditions (dull, overcast etc) a pan shot can really pull something special out the bag when most other approaches would struggle to be achieve anything over and above average.