Question for photography buffs?

[FunkyMonkee]

Your goal is to take a picture of a group of motorcyclists riding by on a road and get the clearest shot you can just as they come past you. How do you do it?
I'll leave the film stock and the other technical stuff to you, I'm just wondering about which would make the better shot. You're going to use a movie camera to get the shot.
Do you try to follow them as they go by or keep the camera still and shoot as they go by? Which version of doing this would give you the clearest, less blurry image? The shot needs to look like they are standing still right in front of you even though they're driving by at about 50 or 60 mph.

Updates

+1 y

Here's half of the shot in question.
https://www.45worlds.com/vinyl/album/fx8507

[WindAtMyBack]

I've done very little stop action photography. But I'm thinking you are always better off panning, whether it's motorcycles, runners, surfers, animals, or whatever. Even stars at night move enough to see the movement if you have a shutter speed of several seconds.

Let's say the motorcycles are moving 75 feet per second. (a little over 50MPH)

If you had a shutter speed of 1/75 then they would move 1 foot while you took the picture. At 1/300 seconds, they would move 3 inches. At 1/900 which is approaching the fastest shutter speed on many cameras, they will move 1 inch.

You said it's a movie camera. I have no idea what shutter speed movie cameras have. I suspect that even professional movie cameras don't have as fast of a shutter speed as a still camera.

Also, a very high shutter speed will require a lot of light, even with high speed film. And you want to avoid high speed film if you can. This means the lighting needs to be very good.

If you take the picture with them moving toward you or away from you, the effective movement will be less than if you take the picture with them passing by straight in front of you. If you take the picture of them moving toward you, you will also want a good depth of field, which means even less light.

Bottom line is that I think you are almost always better off panning. Even with a fast shutter speed and high speed film, you would still be better off panning.

If you have the money, you can mount the camera on a tripod with a motor drive. I've used those before doing night photography when the long exposure times cause a very noticeable movement of the stars.

[Oliverlogan263]

Hmm that's a tough one dude. Since it's a moving shot of bikes driving by at like 50 mph, you gotta remember that film cameras don't have the same burst modes that digital ones do. So trying to follow them with the camera might make it blurry.

I think the best bet would be to hold the camera totally still and let them come to you. Set up on a tripod if you have one. Then focus right on the spot where they'll pass by so it's locked in perfectly sharp.

Have the camera ready to shoot the exact moment they go by. Maybe even do a few test shots first without film to get the timing down. Then just squeeze the shutter as they pass - don't try to follow with the camera.

That way the film captures them like a snapshot going by at full speed, but they'll be razor sharp since the camera wasn't moving at all during the exposure. Moving cameras plus moving subjects is just asking for blur. Keep it locked down and let 'em come to you - that's my advice!

[FunkyMonkee]

That's what I figured. Moving the camera might make it much blurrier, unless MAYBE it was, somehow, being moved at the exact same speed as them.
I was thinking, rather than risk missing or blurring via a single still shot, motion film on a still camera would work best and then, when the film is developed, pick out the single still frame that looks best.

[Oliverlogan263]

Yeah dude moving the camera at the exact same speed would be nearly impossible! Following them on a film camera is a way better idea. That way you'd have like a whole bunch of shots as they go by instead of just one chance with a still camera. Then when you develop it you can pick out the frame where they look clearest and frozen. Kinda like how they do it in the movies! I bet some of those behind the scenes shots have way more footage than what makes it into the final cut. Gives you way more chances to nail the shot. Good thinking bro! Filming is def the way to go here. Just gotta hope the frame rate and your timing works out so one of those shots is perfect. But I like your process, pretty smart plan man!

[FunkyMonkee]

Thank you! I try.

[Oliverlogan263]

Anytime man you got this and hit me if you ever need any more tips

[FunkyMonkee]

Okay, thanks!

[Jennz6]

Maybe get them to follow you? And then some pictures when they pass by you. But get someone else to drive your vehicle lol

[FunkyMonkee]

An option I hadn't thought of. Thanks.

[DJB72]

Fastest possible shutter speed. If you're using a movie camera you want high speed film minimum 60fps, higher if you have it.

Mount camera on a tripod and set off using remote so there's less shake.

[FunkyMonkee]

If you WERE actually shooing a movie, wouldn't that faster film speed make it play back in slow-mo?

[DJB72]

It would, yes but your question implied you wanted a still image. Take the film and a frame will provide that.

For a single image you're looking for a shutter speed over 1/1000 of a second. My personal preference would be a Canon Eos SLR and using a multiple exposure so you get burst of ten images. It's easier with digital cameras than the old physical film ones I learned on because you're not limited to 36 shots on the memory stick

[FunkyMonkee]

Yes, but I was just wondering if the speed would change. Tape is more my medium and I know how that works.

[DJB72]

If it's played back at 30fps when it's shot at 60fps then yes, it would be a slow motion version. The Formula 1 live stream used high speed cameras to get clearer images of the action at the tracks 20 years ago already with the cars approaching at almost 200mph. The feedback from the commentators got interesting watching the playback in slo-mo.

[exitseven]

Make sure the lighting is good and set the camera to the fastest shutter speed. 1/1000 of a second would not be crazy talk.

[boobliker]

high-speed film and a high shutter speed too, and if possible have the sun behind you looking at them.

[FunkyMonkee]

Okay but, would it be best to follow or just keep it still?

[boobliker]

at high speed that down to knowing your camera so try it out befor hand as the shutter takes time to fire and that down to useing you camera. my phone camera you press the shutter and it takes 8 one after but if you press on the first bike you may just get the last one. then the canon A1 you will get the first bike and on auto by holding it will run through all 36 in 5 seconds or so. get out and play with your camera