Josh Hayes, Motorcycle Roadracer

[Puma Cat]

I've been reviewing my images for the year to put up in DP Reviews "Best Shot of 2014" submissions.

Just came across this nice shot of factory Yamaha Superbike rider Josh Hayes exiting turn 2 at Sonoma Raceway during the Superbike race at the Superbike Shootout event last May. Shot with my Canon 1D MkII N (which dates from 2005!) and the amazing Canon 70-200/2.8 L IS rev. II. 'Wot a lens!

[Masterlu]

Top Notch!

[Puma Cat]

Originally Posted by Masterlu

Top Notch!

Thanks! Pays to go back and look at what you actually shot over the course of the year. I didn't even have this in my gallery for the race.

[SHV]

That is really a great track photo! (I think I wiped out in that location, in the rain, on a Kawasaki 600):>)

Steve

[jdandy]

Stephen.......Fantastic photograph. It really draws me into the action. .

[Puma Cat]

Originally Posted by SHV

That is really a great track photo! (I think I wiped out in that location, in the rain, on a Kawasaki 600):>)

Steve

Yeah, you don't want to be riding Sears Point in the wet...especially in 2.

[Puma Cat]

Originally Posted by jdandy

Stephen.......Fantastic photograph. It really draws me into the action. .

Thanks, Dan!

[bart]

Really great pic Stephen!
I also appreciate that you always mention what camera and lens you used.

[crwilli]

Steve, Did you Pan the camera to stop the bike but blur everything else? If not, how did you take this pic? Craig

[Puma Cat]

HI Craig,
Yes, actually I was panning quite quickly to stop the bike and blur the background. It's a technique that is easily learned but difficult to master. The shutter speed was only 1/250th of a second, so that the chain, wheels and background are blurred out, but the rider and bike are tack. This is where the technique comes in. You can tell when a photographer uses too a high shutter speed for a shot like this because the bike will looked "parked".

I got my chops learning how to pan with a completely manual focus and manual camera, an Olympus OM-1 for over 20 years. I shot Formula 1 with it in the 80s with Kodachrome 64!

Nigel Mansell, Williams-Honda, Olympus OM-1 and 75-150 zoom, Kodachrome 64


Here's a shot I took in 2002 with my OM-1 at Laguna Seca of an Players CART racing car with Patrick Carpentier driving entering Turn 5 while shooting over the fence (did not have credentials at that time). The fence was so high that I had trouble with not bumping the camera along the top as I panned.
No auto exposure, no autofocus and no motor drive! Just one shot at a time to nail it!