How to shoot a "Rolling shot"?

Nutballa · 10-20-2009, 11:45 AM

There are numerous pictures in the picture gallery of the 'rolling shot', which is an awesome way of photographing a car in motion. I have a Nikon D40 SLR & a Canon Rebel Xti...How do you shoot a 'rolling shot' is my question? What are the settings in which you have the camera on, and are there any tips/pointers for shooting in this style? I'm pretty familiar with both cameras. I hope I'm not asking a redundant question. Thanks!

nhhiep · 10-20-2009, 11:58 AM

not sure about Canon, but I have a Nikon. Turn VR on. use AF-C. set it to multiple shooting mode. pan your camera with the car(to keep it in focus) when it is in motion. then hold down the button, it will snap many pictures in a row, just pick the sharpest one.

ToadHollow · 10-20-2009, 11:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nutballa

There are numerous pictures in the picture gallery of the 'rolling shot', which is an awesome way of photographing a car in motion. I have a Nikon D40 SLR & a Canon Rebel Xti...How do you shoot a 'rolling shot' is my question? What are the settings in which you have the camera on, and are there any tips/pointers for shooting in this style? I'm pretty familiar with both cameras. I hope I'm not asking a redundant question. Thanks!

This is something I'd like to learn as well.

Good question OP .....

BTW, why aren't you on the Austin Dinner Thread and meeting up with us!!??

BK · 10-20-2009, 12:44 PM

To keep the car sharp but motion blur the background, you can either shoot stationary and pan with the subject, or shoot from another vehicle moving at the same speed. Try different shutter speeds, depending on how fast the car is moving and how far it is from you (how fast it moves across the frame). The closer it is to you or the faster it is going, the faster the shutter you want. For most rolling shots reasonably large in the frame, shutter is around 1/30", but your best results are likely to be anywhere from 1/4" to 1/60". I see a lot of ad shots taken from cameras mounted low on a chase car, using a short lens and a shutter speed on the longer end of that spectrum.

Keep in mind that although the background will be blurred, you want it to be recognizable, so too long a shutter is no good. Also, many photographers wrongly figure that since the background is blurred, it doesn't matter so much, but the good ones know that the background is still important, even in a motion blur shot. So pay attention to your surroundings and shoot it when the background sets off or frames the car nicely.

Here's a tutorial: http://digital-photography-school.co...ur-photography

speed_dmon · 10-20-2009, 12:48 PM

Everybody calls these "rolling shots" but the proper term is panning shot. nhhiep pretty much summed it up but also make sure to put the focus mode on servo. This allows focus to stay on the car as you move the camera while engaging the auto focus. Google "panning shot" and I'm sure you will find lots of pointers. Check this out, it's from a photography board that I'm a member of
http://photography-on-the.net/forum/...hlight=panning

remmib · 10-20-2009, 02:07 PM

'Make panning shots like a pro' - tutorial

http://www.carphototutorials.com/mak...like_a_pro.php

Teshi · 10-20-2009, 05:00 PM

How about this? This was something I put together a while ago. You have also the option of car rigs. They get expensive but they work.

Heres how I had to work. A rig was mounted and then a capture taken when stationary to use the lines for the final picture. Since there is no motion, the learning lines such as joints for body panels are at their sharpest. Not one foot of the rig is removed also.

Setup

The car is then set into motion for the rest of the capture.

Shot

Then I have to go crazy and spend time in PS finalising the shot. Had to use a stupidly small app due to no available ND grad. Was ISO50 @ f/22 and still only managed 1/3 second.

The final shot

[Larger Version]

anthony @ eas · 10-20-2009, 06:18 PM

Shooting from the back of a truck works great:

Or you can always fake rolling shots using PS, but they don't look as good. Here's a couple fake ones I've done:

Nutballa · 10-20-2009, 06:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ToadHollow

This is something I'd like to learn as well.

Good question OP .....

BTW, why aren't you on the Austin Dinner Thread and meeting up with us!!??

I've been to one BMW meet once over at BeeCave, in Lakeway. I'll have to check out the Austin threads. I always forget to look.

Nutballa · 10-20-2009, 06:54 PM

Awesome! Thanks for the information, techniques and tips.

10-20-2009, 11:45 AM	#1
Nutballa Captain 254 Rep 840 Posts Drives: BMW F13 M6 // BMW F22 M235i Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Austin, Texas+ San Antonio iTrader: (1)	How to shoot a "Rolling shot"? There are numerous pictures in the picture gallery of the 'rolling shot', which is an awesome way of photographing a car in motion. I have a Nikon D40 SLR & a Canon Rebel Xti...How do you shoot a 'rolling shot' is my question? What are the settings in which you have the camera on, and are there any tips/pointers for shooting in this style? I'm pretty familiar with both cameras. I hope I'm not asking a redundant question. Thanks! __________________ BMW FTW! "Power is nothing without Control" - Pirelli.
	Appreciate 0 Tweet Quote

10-20-2009, 11:58 AM	#2
nhhiep Captain 90 Rep 862 Posts Drives: bmw Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Denver, CO iTrader: (0)	not sure about Canon, but I have a Nikon. Turn VR on. use AF-C. set it to multiple shooting mode. pan your camera with the car(to keep it in focus) when it is in motion. then hold down the button, it will snap many pictures in a row, just pick the sharpest one.
	Appreciate 0 Quote

10-20-2009, 12:44 PM	#4
BK Smiling politely 175 Rep 7,931 Posts Drives: 330i Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Washington DC iTrader: (0) Garage List 2006 330i [9.00]	To keep the car sharp but motion blur the background, you can either shoot stationary and pan with the subject, or shoot from another vehicle moving at the same speed. Try different shutter speeds, depending on how fast the car is moving and how far it is from you (how fast it moves across the frame). The closer it is to you or the faster it is going, the faster the shutter you want. For most rolling shots reasonably large in the frame, shutter is around 1/30", but your best results are likely to be anywhere from 1/4" to 1/60". I see a lot of ad shots taken from cameras mounted low on a chase car, using a short lens and a shutter speed on the longer end of that spectrum. Keep in mind that although the background will be blurred, you want it to be recognizable, so too long a shutter is no good. Also, many photographers wrongly figure that since the background is blurred, it doesn't matter so much, but the good ones know that the background is still important, even in a motion blur shot. So pay attention to your surroundings and shoot it when the background sets off or frames the car nicely. Here's a tutorial: http://digital-photography-school.co...ur-photography __________________ E90 330i Black Sapphire 6MT \| 991.1 C4 Platinum Silver 7MT
	Appreciate 0 Quote

10-20-2009, 12:48 PM	#5
speed_dmon Private First Class 5 Rep 181 Posts Drives: E92 Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Chino Hills, SoCal iTrader: (0)	Everybody calls these "rolling shots" but the proper term is panning shot. nhhiep pretty much summed it up but also make sure to put the focus mode on servo. This allows focus to stay on the car as you move the camera while engaging the auto focus. Google "panning shot" and I'm sure you will find lots of pointers. Check this out, it's from a photography board that I'm a member of http://photography-on-the.net/forum/...hlight=panning Last edited by speed_dmon; 10-21-2009 at 09:24 AM..
	Appreciate 0 Quote

10-20-2009, 02:07 PM	#6
remmib General 1580 Rep 29,213 Posts Drives: 2013 F10 520d M-Sport Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Norway iTrader: (0)	'Make panning shots like a pro' - tutorial http://www.carphototutorials.com/mak...like_a_pro.php __________________ F10 520d M-Sport Alpine White \| HRE P43SC 20x9+20x11 \| Michelin PSS 255/35+295/30 \| KW V3 Coilover \| M5 Front Sway Bar + M550d Rear Sway Bar \| 3DDesign Front Lip \| BMW M Performance CF Spoiler \| BMW M Performance Diffuser \| BMW M Performance Black Grills \| BMW M Performance Pedals \|
	Appreciate 0 Quote

10-20-2009, 05:00 PM	#7
Teshi First Lieutenant 153 Rep 346 Posts Drives: Blue/Usually full of camera ge Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Harrow - London iTrader: (0)	How about this? This was something I put together a while ago. You have also the option of car rigs. They get expensive but they work. Heres how I had to work. A rig was mounted and then a capture taken when stationary to use the lines for the final picture. Since there is no motion, the learning lines such as joints for body panels are at their sharpest. Not one foot of the rig is removed also. Setup The car is then set into motion for the rest of the capture. Shot Then I have to go crazy and spend time in PS finalising the shot. Had to use a stupidly small app due to no available ND grad. Was ISO50 @ f/22 and still only managed 1/3 second. The final shot [Larger Version]
	Appreciate 0 Quote

10-20-2009, 06:18 PM	#8
anthony @ eas 318 Rep 3,635 Posts Drives: R56 Cooper S Join Date: May 2009 Location: 4015 E Leaverton Court, Anahiem, CA 92807 iTrader: (0)	Shooting from the back of a truck works great: Or you can always fake rolling shots using PS, but they don't look as good. Here's a couple fake ones I've done: Last edited by anthony @ eas; 10-20-2009 at 07:03 PM..
	Appreciate 0 Quote

10-20-2009, 06:54 PM	#10
Nutballa Captain 254 Rep 840 Posts Drives: BMW F13 M6 // BMW F22 M235i Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Austin, Texas+ San Antonio iTrader: (1)	Awesome! Thanks for the information, techniques and tips. __________________ BMW FTW! "Power is nothing without Control" - Pirelli.
	Appreciate 0 Quote