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Wire FencingHow to make it vanish?  Rate Topic 
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Posted by Robert: Sun Jun 12th, 2016 04:24 1st Post
I have been able to renew my motorsport photography thanks to my son's new job with a local race team, Coastal Racing who race a team of Mini's in the national Mini Challenge series. I am able to tag along.

I am visiting race tracks which I have never been to before, learning where the best vantage points are etc. One of the problems I am encountering is catch fencing, it seems to be everywhere I want to be. It's impractical to get permits to access the press areas, so I have to make the best of what I can.

I took some photo's at Donington through the catch fencing of the chicane before the start finish straight. Some potential for interesting images with most at least lifting a wheel and several going well onto two wheels. The fencing spoils the images, even using my Nikkor 300mm f2.8 fairly wide. It's difficult to do much in post processing to remove it.

This was taken at the chicane, the effect is less noticeable than the second image but it's there, the right hand side of the car has lower definition than the left. I was also fairly close to the fence, but I dumped 80% of the otherwise quite usable images because of the fence issue.



A fairly strong example of the effect of taking photographs through the catch fencing.


Last night I read a tip which may solve the issue... By spraying the fence with black paint it's less conspicuous and more practical than discretely cutting a hole in the fence, which isn't really a solution with a 300 f2.8 to poke through.

Anybody got a better solution? Mostly the fences are over 12 feet high and very robust with girder posts and heavy bracing. Like the one in the background.



____________________
Robert.



Posted by Eric: Sun Jun 12th, 2016 05:24 2nd Post
Robert wrote:
I have been able to renew my motorsport photography thanks to my son's new job with a local race team, Coastal Racing who race a team of Mini's in the national Mini Challenge series. I am able to tag along.

I am visiting race tracks which I have never been to before, learning where the best vantage points are etc. One of the problems I am encountering is catch fencing, it seems to be everywhere I want to be. It's impractical to get permits to access the press areas, so I have to make the best of what I can.

I took some photo's at Donington through the catch fencing of the chicane before the start finish straight. Some potential for interesting images with most at least lifting a wheel and several going well onto two wheels. The fencing spoils the images, even using my Nikkor 300mm f2.8 fairly wide. It's difficult to do much in post processing to remove it.

This was taken at the chicane, the effect is less noticeable than the second image but it's there, the right hand side of the car has lower definition than the left. I was also fairly close to the fence, but I dumped 80% of the otherwise quite usable images because of the fence issue.



A fairly strong example of the effect of taking photographs through the catch fencing.


Last night I read a tip which may solve the issue... By spraying the fence with black paint it's less conspicuous and more practical than discretely cutting a hole in the fence, which isn't really a solution with a 300 f2.8 to poke through.

Anybody got a better solution? Mostly the fences are over 12 feet high and very robust with girder posts and heavy bracing. Like the one in the background.

I am surprised the fence is so obvious in the second image. There seems a lot of dof on that image, was the aperture stopped down?

I've shot through many fences without a lot of issues by simply following the known strategy.....max aperture, long focal length, lens touching wire, sun behind the camera.

Of course the diameter of the lens relative to the mesh size will play a part. You might find using a smaller diameter zoom lens like the superb consumer 70-300 lens, might be better than the big prime ...despite it having smaller max aperture...especially if on a DX body.

I'm guessing you used the D3 with the 300? Situations like this MIGHT be the Achilles heel for pro equipment?



____________________
Eric


Posted by jk: Sun Jun 12th, 2016 05:25 3rd Post
Robert, if you get right up to the catch fencing then if you press the lens hood against the wire fencing then it disappears!
Serious :-)


An alternative is to go to the racing team manager and say to him that you will provide them with images for the team use but you need better access.  A press pass or racing team access pass will get you into press areas. ;-)



____________________
Still learning after all these years!
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Posted by Robert: Sun Jun 12th, 2016 06:20 4th Post
Eric wrote:

I am surprised the fence is so obvious in the second image. There seems a lot of dof on that image, was the aperture stopped down?

I've shot through many fences without a lot of issues by simply following the known strategy.....max aperture, long focal length, lens touching wire, sun behind the camera.

Of course the diameter of the lens relative to the mesh size will play a part. You might find using a smaller diameter zoom lens like the superb consumer 70-300 lens, might be better than the big prime ...despite it having smaller max aperture...especially if on a DX body.

I'm guessing you used the D3 with the 300? Situations like this MIGHT be the Achilles heel for pro equipment?

The first image of the Mini was D3, Nikkor 300mm 2.8 @ f11, 1/1000Sec, ISO 500. Fence was about 1 to 2 ft away, about 2 inch mesh.

The second of the pickup was D3, Nikkor 300mm 2.8 @ f8, 1/1000Sec, ISO 1800. Fence was about 6 to 10 ft away at a guess.

Since I can crank up the ISO on the D3 and still retain outstanding IQ, I have been taking advantage of using M, setting the lens for DoF and adjusting the shutter speed for getting suitable movement blur of the wheels and background while panning, leaving auto ISO to deal with the exposure.

Using an MF 300, I am selecting a spot on the tarmac or a landmark of some sort then taking several quick exposures as the cars pass that point. That way I get a choice of what's sharp. Trouble with locked on AF is that the camera decides whats going to be sharp. In my opinion MF has some advantages for this.

What I need to do is hone my techniques to suit the job. Which is what it's all about really. By the end of the season I'm hopeful I may get some keepers! :lol:



____________________
Robert.



Posted by Robert: Sun Jun 12th, 2016 06:36 5th Post
jk wrote:
Robert, if you get right up to the catch fencing then if you press the lens hood against the wire fencing then it disappears!
Serious :-)

Good point, if no light can reach the fence wire it can't be reflected back to the sensor...

A nice long lens hood adaptor... Roll of Lino anybody? Am sure a two foot lens hood would solve this. Off to the workshop...

jk wrote:
An alternative is to go to the racing team manager and say to him that you will provide them with images for the team use but you need better access.  A press pass or racing team access pass will get you into press areas. ;-)

I have looked at this, on practice/testing days you can actually get away with quite a lot, but on race days when the public are admitted the security is very tight, they are talking £5 Million Public liability insurance if you can persuade them to give you a pass. Going official gets very expensive very quickly.

I get at least one testing day per meeting, so I need to take advantage of that. Just for getting pix of the cars that's OK but there is no substitute for racing proper.



____________________
Robert.



Posted by Eric: Sun Jun 12th, 2016 06:55 6th Post
Robert wrote:
Eric wrote:

I am surprised the fence is so obvious in the second image. There seems a lot of dof on that image, was the aperture stopped down?

I've shot through many fences without a lot of issues by simply following the known strategy.....max aperture, long focal length, lens touching wire, sun behind the camera.

Of course the diameter of the lens relative to the mesh size will play a part. You might find using a smaller diameter zoom lens like the superb consumer 70-300 lens, might be better than the big prime ...despite it having smaller max aperture...especially if on a DX body.

I'm guessing you used the D3 with the 300? Situations like this MIGHT be the Achilles heel for pro equipment?

The first image of the Mini was D3, Nikkor 300mm 2.8 @ f11, 1/1000Sec, ISO 500. Fence was about 1 to 2 ft away, about 2 inch mesh.

The second of the pickup was D3, Nikkor 300mm 2.8 @ f8, 1/1000Sec, ISO 1800. Fence was about 6 to 10 ft away at a guess.

Since I can crank up the ISO on the D3 and still retain outstanding IQ, I have been taking advantage of using M, setting the lens for DoF and adjusting the shutter speed for getting suitable movement blur of the wheels and background while panning, leaving auto ISO to deal with the exposure.

Using an MF 300, I am selecting a spot on the tarmac or a landmark of some sort then taking several quick exposures as the cars pass that point. That way I get a choice of what's sharp. Trouble with locked on AF is that the camera decides whats going to be sharp. In my opinion MF has some advantages for this.

What I need to do is hone my techniques to suit the job. Which is what it's all about really. By the end of the season I'm hopeful I may get some keepers! :lol:

You really need to be up against the mesh and open up to 5.6 or 4.

Take a look at this image. There WAS a wire mesh between us. Lol

If you look in the top left there is a sort of moire effect where the mesh in the other side of the compound is interacting with the mesh between us. I was up against the mesh for the photo ...and 20 paces back when it leapt at the mesh and me!

Attachment: image.jpeg (Downloaded 21 times)



____________________
Eric


Posted by Robert: Sun Jun 12th, 2016 07:26 7th Post
Thanks Eric, will try to improve the technique, larger aperture and closer to mesh, will try the black spray paint too...

Touching the mesh of the catch fence is hard because there is secondary fencing to keep people about 3 feet back from the catch fences but in places that can be got around.

Off to Rockingham near Corby in Northamptonshire on Thursday afternoon, Friday practice then two days of racing. There seems to be more catch fencing there than you can shake a stick at!!! Am thinking of taking a bike this time, not had time to make a buggy.



____________________
Robert.



Posted by Eric: Sun Jun 12th, 2016 07:39 8th Post
Robert wrote:
Thanks Eric, will try to improve the technique, larger aperture and closer to mesh, will try the black spray paint too...

Touching the mesh of the catch fence is hard because there is secondary fencing to keep people about 3 feet back from the catch fences but in places that can be got around.

Off to Rockingham near Corby in Northamptonshire on Thursday afternoon, Friday practice then two days of racing. There seems to be more catch fencing there than you can shake a stick at!!! Am thinking of taking a bike this time, not had time to make a buggy.

From memory that wasn't the case at Cadwell Park?? I thought it was quite mesh free?



____________________
Eric


Posted by Eric: Sun Jun 12th, 2016 07:49 9th Post
You could of course switch sports to motor cross. A picket fence you can lean on is all the protection you get. 8-)

Attachment: image.jpeg (Downloaded 19 times)



____________________
Eric


Posted by Eric: Sun Jun 12th, 2016 07:51 10th Post
Here's another

Attachment: image.jpeg (Downloaded 19 times)



____________________
Eric


Posted by Robert: Sun Jun 12th, 2016 08:42 11th Post
Eric wrote:
From memory that wasn't the case at Cadwell Park?? I thought it was quite mesh free?
Yes, Cadwell Park is delightful, almost no mesh, very spectator and photographer friendly. Or it was last time I was there.



____________________
Robert.



Posted by Robert: Sun Jun 12th, 2016 08:45 12th Post
Eric wrote:
You could of course switch sports to motor cross. A picket fence you can lean on is all the protection you get. 8-)
LOL!

Not sure the Mini's would cope with that terrain! :lol:



____________________
Robert.



Posted by Robert: Sun Jun 12th, 2016 08:51 13th Post
Last at Cadwell September 2008, this is one of the typical fences, and Michael chimping the D1!

Attachment: Screen Shot 2016-06-12 at 13.48.49.jpg (Downloaded 19 times)



____________________
Robert.



Posted by Eric: Sun Jun 12th, 2016 11:45 14th Post
Robert wrote:
Eric wrote:
You could of course switch sports to motor cross. A picket fence you can lean on is all the protection you get. 8-)
LOL!

Not sure the Mini's would cope with that terrain! :lol:

That was the carpark.



____________________
Eric


Posted by Robert: Sat Jun 18th, 2016 12:24 15th Post
Well after my second whole day at Rockingham I have taken over 1300 exposures and been awarded a temporary media access to the pit wall.

The camera is working well. I got bored of the one bit of track I could get to.

Posting this from my iPhone for now. Will post some pics on Monday when I get back.



____________________
Robert.



Posted by jk: Sat Jun 18th, 2016 12:53 16th Post
Well done Robert.
I knew it was just a question of asking.
:thumbs::thumbs::thumbs::applause::applause::applause:



____________________
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Posted by Robert: Sat Jun 18th, 2016 16:22 17th Post
jk wrote:
Well done Robert.
I knew it was just a question of asking.
:thumbs::thumbs::thumbs::applause::applause::applause:

Well not so much of asking I was collared by a pit marshal and almost slung out! They agreed to give me a discretionary pass until I get paperwork sorted but the lady who dealt with it didn't see a problem. If the team manager had the insurance with him I would have got a full pass today.

I have had some problems with my use of the D3 today. I can't work out what settings to use for the AF, I have it on continuous but not sure which back setting is best. 3D seems all over the place, what I want is the AF to lock onto the Car as it comes closer, while I am panning very fast, following the car as the car travels across my field of view. Most cases it works but sometimes it doesn't. I have tried several settings but not sure what's best.

Also I am getting confused by the exposure counter. One seems to count up and the other down. But they don't add up to the expected total of exposures from a 32Gb CF card the first card has about 1,000 images on it, the second card has about 375 images and 350 space remaining, about 725 in total, which seems about 275 out?

Both cards are 32Gb and freshly formatted.



____________________
Robert.



Posted by Robert: Sun Jun 19th, 2016 09:42 18th Post
Almost down to 100 exposures remaining...

I have turned off constant shutter. Single exposures only now. Two more races to cover, just hope it it holds out till the end. Next race about 5pm then last race about 7.

Need to understand where the card capacity has gone, I seem to have lost about 350 exposures capacity on one card.

I will run it it out at the end to see what happens.



____________________
Robert.



Posted by jk: Sun Jun 19th, 2016 10:54 19th Post
Robert wrote:
Almost down to 100 exposures remaining...

I have turned off constant shutter. Single exposures only now. Two more races to cover, just hope it it holds out till the end. Next race about 5pm then last race about 7.

Need to understand where the card capacity has gone, I seem to have lost about 350 exposures capacity on one card.

I will run it it out at the end to see what happens.

Need to download to laptop then reformat the CF catds in camera.



____________________
Still learning after all these years!
https://nikondslr.uk/gallery_view.php?user=2&folderid=none


Posted by Robert: Sun Jun 19th, 2016 12:59 20th Post
Don't have laptop with me...

Doh! Not used to having two card slots, the second card was untouched, I seem to have about 1800 exposures on one card, now I have gone onto second card.

I thought I had two 4Gb spare cards with me but I must have left them at home. I think I have a lot of good pix so the team will be happy with me, hopefully.

THey have had two wins, and a second and fourth over two days, so it's been a good weekend. Off for a slap up meal at Burger King in a minute or two when the cars are loaded into the transporter.



____________________
Robert.



Posted by jk: Sun Jun 19th, 2016 13:20 21st Post
Robert, You need to set the CF1 & CF2 cards to overflow to maximise possible image save count.



____________________
Still learning after all these years!
https://nikondslr.uk/gallery_view.php?user=2&folderid=none


Posted by Robert: Sun Jun 19th, 2016 22:03 22nd Post
Back home... 3am!

This is my pick so far from a quick glance through 2775 exposures. Car speed estimated to be well in excess of 120 MPH I'm told it can reach 150 on the straights and that is straight.

D3, Nikkor 80-200 f2.8 @ 116mm, 1/125Sec, f10, Auto ISO280

Attachment: Screen Shot 2016-06-20 at 02.58.59.jpg (Downloaded 7 times)



____________________
Robert.



Posted by Robert: Sun Jun 19th, 2016 22:08 23rd Post
100% crop. I rate it as pretty sharp? Image size reduced by forum software.

Attachment: Screen Shot 2016-06-20 at 03.06.55.jpg (Downloaded 8 times)



____________________
Robert.



Posted by Robert: Sun Jun 19th, 2016 22:10 24th Post
Another 100% crop.

Attachment: Screen Shot 2016-06-20 at 03.09.52.jpg (Downloaded 7 times)



____________________
Robert.



Posted by Robert: Sun Jun 19th, 2016 22:18 25th Post
The obligatory shower of Bubbly for the winners, Nathan won.

Off to bed!

Attachment: Screen Shot 2016-06-20 at 03.16.18.jpg (Downloaded 9 times)



____________________
Robert.



Posted by Eric: Mon Jun 20th, 2016 12:48 26th Post
Robert wrote:
Back home... 3am!

This is my pick so far from a quick glance through 2775 exposures. Car speed estimated to be well in excess of 120 MPH I'm told it can reach 150 on the straights and that is straight.

D3, Nikkor 80-200 f2.8 @ 116mm, 1/125Sec, f10, Auto ISO280

Nice pan capture! Can I ask why you used 110mm instead of 200mm? And why f10?

Also...how can the cropped images both be '100%' they are different crops?
I've never understood what a 100% crop was anyway. :doh:



____________________
Eric


Posted by Robert: Mon Jun 20th, 2016 14:16 27th Post
Eric wrote:


Nice pan capture! Can I ask why you used 110mm instead of 200mm? And why f10?

Also...how can the cropped images both be '100%' they are different crops?
I've never understood what a 100% crop was anyway. :doh:

Thanks Eric, was pretty please myself!

116mm fits the Rockingham text into a whole frame... With a little room for adjustment cropping.

I wanted the Rockingham text as background, these may be used as publicity images or on the team website, having something like that adds a dimension, perhaps!

F10 because I wanted 1/250sec, which seems to give a good balance of blur in the wheels and background, yet is fast enough to kill the vertical movement of the car bouncing on the track. I have taken to using auto ISO, with Manual exposure mode, watching the scale on the RHS of the viewfinder, adjusting the aperture so the indication shown neither over nor under exposure range, giving me a good DoF.

100% crop is one pixel of the image matching one pixel on the screen, a 1:1 ratio, a screenshot at 1:1 is described as 100% crop. The reason they are different sizes is our forum software resizes the images to it's own taste. I should have used Flicker hosting like I usually do, it's far better for this sort of thing. It posts actual size. I was tired and trying to save time.



____________________
Robert.


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