MMotocross is rough, fast and full of action. Perfect for photographing, but also quite a challenge. Because how do you capture that one moment when the bike takes off from the ground in crystal clear detail? And how do you make that speed felt in your photos? Don't worry, with the right approach you will definitely succeed. Here you will find useful tips for photographing motocross, so that your images are not only sharp, but also really radiate something.
Choose the right lens
Motocross moves fast. Changing lenses in the middle of the terrain is not a smart move. Bring a versatile lens, such as a 24-70mm F2.8. This allows you to easily switch between wide and zoomed in. For the ski jump, a 70-200mm lens is ideal, because it gives you that extra reach. In any case, make sure your equipment can withstand a knock or two. All sorts of things fly through the air: sand, mud, pebbles. Your camera has to be able to take a beating. Protection against dust and moisture is not an unnecessary luxury. Do you want to be sure that you capture the right moment? Then choose the Canon R5 Mark II for taking sharp, moving photos.
Choose your spot wisely
Where you stand really makes a difference. On straight stretches, you can practice panning well: you move your camera with the motorcyclist and use a slightly longer shutter speed, for example 1/60. This keeps the bike reasonably sharp, but the background is nicely blurred. That gives that typical speed atmosphere. It takes some practice, but the result is often spectacular. At bends, you often get splashing sand - great for action photos. And at the ski jump? There you can capture riders in full flight. Find a spot where you have a good view and preferably can capture two angles: right in front of the jump and from the side. This immediately gives you more variation in your photos.
Use the correct settings
Capturing action means that your shutter speed is important. Do you want to freeze a jump? Then you are quickly around 1/1000th of a second. A little lower is also possible, but the faster the action, the shorter your shutter speed should be. For slower parts, such as bends, you can go a little lower. Set your camera to burst mode (multiple photos per second), then you increase the chance that you capture that one moment. Just before the highest point of a jump, or exactly at the moment that sand flies up. Do you work with back button focus? Ideal. You then focus separately from the moment you take the photo. You focus once and wait until the rider is back in your frame. Saves hassle and it is faster.
Pay attention to the light
Sometimes you have to deal with backlight, for example at the ski jump. In that case you can set your light metering to center-weighted. Then your camera ensures that the center of your image (the rider) is well exposed, even if the sky behind it is overexposed. Fine, as long as your subject is clearly visible.
Photos: Canon
