A lesson in High-Speed Photography - Motorcycle-Journal Forums

oatmeal · 09-29-2005, 11:47 PM

Today I leared how hard it is to take a picture at high speed at night on an S40 (and how fast you can really go on those things).

1) You have to make sure you don't get the flash reflected back at you.
2) You have to make sure you're in JUST the right angle with the street lamp.
3) You have to avoid going off the road while you're paying attention to taking the picture.
4) You have to take your helmet off entirely so you can see what the hell you're doing with the camera.

There are a dozen little things you need to do, including getting the settings right on the camera. Once you do, though, you can get a shot like this. It takes work, though.

oatmeal · 09-30-2005, 12:03 AM

I feel that I should mention (before I call it a night, so I don't leave people here with the impression that I am absolutely insane) the one other thing you need: some sort of digital picture editor so you can move the needle from zero (as it was sitting in the garage when I took the shot for my avatar) to over 100.

Mavman · 09-30-2005, 12:05 AM

Oh man........and ya had me goin' there too!

Edward_Teach · 09-30-2005, 01:32 AM

lol! nice one!

dragbar · 09-30-2005, 02:02 AM

just for that I'm going to take a real picture over 100mph on the bike

**inspiron** · 09-30-2005, 02:36 AM

On my bike it's even easier ... when I turn the key, both the speedo and the tach wind up to full-scale then drop back to zero. If I time it just right, I could get a picture of my speedo showing over 250 kmh!

nhoel · 09-30-2005, 10:45 AM

+1 and you can do strobe light effects to show some motion on the needle too...

**Clint** · 09-30-2005, 05:35 PM

Oat, ol' boy, you had me buffaloed. I wasn't necessarily going to post a nasty reply about stupidity and death (I'm sick and tired of doing that), but man!

oatmeal · 09-30-2005, 07:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RowdyRed94

Oat, ol' boy, you had me buffaloed. I wasn't necessarily going to post a nasty reply about stupidity and death (I'm sick and tired of doing that), but man!

To be honest, the photochopping I did there about satisfys my desire to see the spedometer red-lined. I'd rather see the next ride.

ChicsterMG · 09-30-2005, 08:59 PM

Someone's got time on thier hands!

oatmeal · 09-30-2005, 09:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ChicsterMG

Someone's got time on thier hands!

Naah, only took five minutes.

Nexus242 · 10-01-2005, 12:13 AM

See now that one was easy. You don't even have to be looking at the speedo to shoot that. Want to try something more different and a bit more difficult try this one.

And I thought this pic up and set it up while riding, I never stopped to adjust or set anything. And yeah there was traffic on the road at the time.

blackie1491 · 10-01-2005, 12:14 AM

You had me.

oatmeal · 10-02-2005, 07:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nexus242

See now that one was easy. You don't even have to be looking at the speedo to shoot that. Want to try something more different and a bit more difficult try this one.

http://home.mpinet.net/~t-hero/SV650/Reflection.jpg

And I thought this pic up and set it up while riding, I never stopped to adjust or set anything. And yeah there was traffic on the road at the time.

That's a cool picture. I can't even imagine how hard it would be to fake that one... so it's gotta be real.

Unless you REALLY had some time on your hands.

**Clint** · 10-02-2005, 09:07 PM

Pretty cool shot, Nex.

Sam Atsu · 10-02-2005, 11:15 PM

I had my M50 engine re-tooled and added a few horsepower. Here is my new speedometer to match the engine.

{sorry, not as good at photoshop as you oatmeal}

leenmachine · 10-08-2005, 02:49 PM

I did the same thing with my Saleen gauge a while ago. Had everyone at work thinking I was crazy.

oatmeal · 10-08-2005, 07:52 PM

Hehe

Duuude · 02-13-2006, 02:54 PM

Duh... I could've used photoshop! Oh well... Still got a picture of the speedo in an 02 stratus at 112 mph

Yes, I was young and stupid... A couple years ago.

Fishpart · 02-13-2006, 03:49 PM

Very clever! Now we'll have someone out there trying this for real! : )

09-29-2005, 11:47 PM	#1 (permalink)
oatmeal Ditch Magnet Joined: Sep 2005 Bike: Suzuki S40 Location: Norfolk, VA Posts: 168	A lesson in High-Speed Photography Today I leared how hard it is to take a picture at high speed at night on an S40 (and how fast you can really go on those things). 1) You have to make sure you don't get the flash reflected back at you. 2) You have to make sure you're in JUST the right angle with the street lamp. 3) You have to avoid going off the road while you're paying attention to taking the picture. 4) You have to take your helmet off entirely so you can see what the hell you're doing with the camera. There are a dozen little things you need to do, including getting the settings right on the camera. Once you do, though, you can get a shot like this. It takes work, though. __________________ The more I learn, the more I realize how much I have yet to learn. - oats Thanks for the tip. I'll pass it on. My riding log.

09-30-2005, 12:03 AM	#2 (permalink)
oatmeal Ditch Magnet Joined: Sep 2005 Bike: Suzuki S40 Location: Norfolk, VA Posts: 168	I feel that I should mention (before I call it a night, so I don't leave people here with the impression that I am absolutely insane) the one other thing you need: some sort of digital picture editor so you can move the needle from zero (as it was sitting in the garage when I took the shot for my avatar) to over 100. __________________ The more I learn, the more I realize how much I have yet to learn. - oats Thanks for the tip. I'll pass it on. My riding log.

09-30-2005, 02:02 AM	#5 (permalink)
dragbar Fifth gear streak Joined: May 2005 Bike: M50 Location: SE Missouri Posts: 1,375	just for that I'm going to take a real picture over 100mph on the bike __________________ I ate Chinese last night..........should of seen her struggle when i put her in the van. Доверя́й, но проверя́й.

09-30-2005, 02:36 AM	#6 (permalink)
inspiron Muscle Biker Joined: Jul 2004 Bike: Blue Suzuki GSX 1400 (2003) Location: Canton Basel-Land, Switzerland (47.4493, 7.76536) Posts: 12,060	On my bike it's even easier ... when I turn the key, both the speedo and the tach wind up to full-scale then drop back to zero. If I time it just right, I could get a picture of my speedo showing over 250 kmh! __________________ There is nothing worse than aggressive stupidity. - Johann Wolfgang von Goethe blog: gsx1400

09-30-2005, 10:45 AM	#7 (permalink)
nhoel Wants Better Weather Joined: Aug 2005 Bike: 2005 C50T Location: Los Angeles, CA Posts: 662	+1 and you can do strobe light effects to show some motion on the needle too... __________________ Cash Only!!!

09-30-2005, 01:32 AM	#4 (permalink)
Edward_Teach Where Am I ? Joined: Sep 2005 Bike: 2006 Suzuki SV650s Location: Jackson, TN Posts: 37	lol! nice one!

09-30-2005, 08:59 PM	#10 (permalink)
ChicsterMG Refrigerator Magnet Test Engineer Joined: May 2005 Bike: Boulevard C50 Location: Afghanistan Posts: 3,506	Someone's got time on thier hands! __________________ Sometimes you need to ask yourself, "WWGD?"...Just be awesome, that's all! GUT-CUT 2007: 177 LBS. 160 LBS.

10-01-2005, 12:13 AM	#12 (permalink)
Nexus242 Can Ride And Chew Gum Joined: Aug 2004 Bike: yellow and black Location: Wide awake in dreamland... Posts: 1,935	See now that one was easy. You don't even have to be looking at the speedo to shoot that. Want to try something more different and a bit more difficult try this one. And I thought this pic up and set it up while riding, I never stopped to adjust or set anything. And yeah there was traffic on the road at the time. __________________ The killer in me is the killer in you My love I send this smile over to you...Smashing Pumpkins

10-01-2005, 12:14 AM	#13 (permalink)
blackie1491 I took the All Bran Challenge Joined: Jun 2005 Bike: C50SE Location: Aldergrove, B.C., Canada Posts: 7,321	You had me.

10-02-2005, 11:15 PM	#16 (permalink)
Sam Atsu Where Am I ? Joined: Sep 2005 Bike: TWO M50's (yes, TWO!) Location: Washington Posts: 37	I had my M50 engine re-tooled and added a few horsepower. Here is my new speedometer to match the engine. {sorry, not as good at photoshop as you oatmeal} __________________ "There are three types of people in this world. Those who can count and those who can't"

10-08-2005, 02:49 PM	#17 (permalink)
leenmachine Fender Buffer Joined: May 2005 Bike: 05 C50 Location: Woodbridge, VA Posts: 422	I did the same thing with my Saleen gauge a while ago. Had everyone at work thinking I was crazy. Attached Thumbnails

10-08-2005, 07:52 PM	#18 (permalink)
oatmeal Ditch Magnet Joined: Sep 2005 Bike: Suzuki S40 Location: Norfolk, VA Posts: 168	Hehe __________________ The more I learn, the more I realize how much I have yet to learn. - oats Thanks for the tip. I'll pass it on. My riding log.

02-13-2006, 02:54 PM	#19 (permalink)
Duuude Where Am I ? Joined: Feb 2006 Bike: 2000 Suzuki GS500E Location: Orange County, CA Posts: 41	Duh... I could've used photoshop! Oh well... Still got a picture of the speedo in an 02 stratus at 112 mph Yes, I was young and stupid... A couple years ago.

02-13-2006, 03:49 PM	#20 (permalink)
Fishpart Fourth gear and illegal Joined: Apr 2005 Bike: 2007 Harley Davidson Electa Glide Location: York, Pa Posts: 781	Very clever! Now we'll have someone out there trying this for real! : )

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