# Shoot 1/8000, Just do it. (occasionally)



## TexPhoto (Aug 6, 2015)

From time to time I like to set my Camera to Tv, Set the Shutter to 1/8000, and the ISO to Automatic. Even in bright sunlight, this probably means an ISO of around 400. Who cares. Freezing the action so well is just cool.

And yes, you can mostly freeze action with 1/1000, 1/2000 etc. But 1/8000 is right there, begging to be used and it just makes for a different look.

Feel free to tell me you prefer motion blur, and even post your motion blur photos here. Here is a whole separate thread I started on motion blur in sports photography: http://www.canonrumors.com/forum/index.php?topic=24741.0




Untitled by RexPhoto91, on Flickr




Untitled by RexPhoto91, on Flickr




Untitled by RexPhoto91, on Flickr




Untitled by RexPhoto91, on Flickr

Again, not saying to do this all the time, I love good motion blur as much as the next guy, but still... Sometimes, just freeze it.

Let's see some of yours.


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## AcutancePhotography (Aug 6, 2015)

*Re: Shoot 1/8000, Just do it.*

I agree. Motion blur is nice, but sometimes freezing action is good too. Photographers should be experienced in both extremes.


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## lion rock (Aug 6, 2015)

*Re: Shoot 1/8000, Just do it.*

Shall put this technique into my arsenal. Thanks for the suggestion.
Great photos.
-r


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## Boromir883 (Aug 6, 2015)

*Re: Shoot 1/8000, Just do it.*



TexPhoto said:


> From time to time I like to set my Camera to Tv, Set the Shutter to 1/8000, and the ISO to Automatic. Even in bright sunlight, this probably means an ISO of around 400. Who cares. Freezing the action so well is just cool.
> 
> 
> Again, not saying to do this all the time, I love good motion blur as much as the next guy, but still... Sometimes, just freeze it.
> ...



as always : it depends...
baseball, surfing i fully agree 
but in my opinion - planes without rotating propeller just don`t fly, motorbikes without rotating wheels just fall over
so stopping action should be used very careful


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## Luds34 (Aug 6, 2015)

*Re: Shoot 1/8000, Just do it.*



Boromir883 said:


> TexPhoto said:
> 
> 
> > From time to time I like to set my Camera to Tv, Set the Shutter to 1/8000, and the ISO to Automatic. Even in bright sunlight, this probably means an ISO of around 400. Who cares. Freezing the action so well is just cool.
> ...



Very valid points (that I actually agree with). I think the OP was saying to do it as the exception, mix it up, try something new. There is something cool about seeing action stopped liked that, as if someone froze time. But yeah, if I'm putting up a motorbike in a frame, I probably want a panning shot with blurry background and blurred wheels to express and communicate the speed/motion of the moment.


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## NancyP (Aug 6, 2015)

*Re: Shoot 1/8000, Just do it.*

"planes without rotating propellers don't fly"
Do birds with "frozen" wings fly? The convention is to stop action on birds in flight, with the exception being hummingbirds. Hummer wings aren't stopped by 1/8000 sec - multi-unit speedlights will do the trick though.


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## FEBS (Aug 6, 2015)

*Re: Shoot 1/8000, Just do it.*



Boromir883 said:


> TexPhoto said:
> 
> 
> > From time to time I like to set my Camera to Tv, Set the Shutter to 1/8000, and the ISO to Automatic. Even in bright sunlight, this probably means an ISO of around 400. Who cares. Freezing the action so well is just cool.
> ...



+1

Fully agree
I know OP is saying that he is doing this as an exception, however, when I look at his photos I do like the 2 last ones very much as a stopped action. However, the first 2 do look to me so unnatural, that I never would choose 1/8000 over there.

And indeed for birds in flight, I mainly choose frozen, however the panned ones, if catched correctly, can't be beaten by the frozen ones.


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## Boromir883 (Aug 6, 2015)

*Re: Shoot 1/8000, Just do it.*



NancyP said:


> "planes without rotating propellers don't fly"
> Do birds with "frozen" wings fly? The convention is to stop action on birds in flight, with the exception being hummingbirds. Hummer wings aren't stopped by 1/8000 sec - multi-unit speedlights will do the trick though.



i agree with sailing birds or gliders
a racing car, passing by with 200mph stopped with 1/8000 looks like parking on the sideway - 
in my opinion, in most motor/action sports photos stopped 1/8000 are static, motion blur suggests dynamic movement


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## Boromir883 (Aug 6, 2015)

*Re: Shoot 1/8000, Just do it.*



AcutancePhotography said:


> I agree. Motion blur is nice, but sometimes freezing action is good too. Photographers should be experienced in both extremes.


i agree


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## KeithBreazeal (Aug 6, 2015)

*Re: Shoot 1/8000, Just do it.*



FEBS said:


> Boromir883 said:
> 
> 
> > TexPhoto said:
> ...



The only time I have shot at 1/8000th was for shooting sunspots.
Motorsports needs blur to impart a sense speed for the viewer. I shoot a lot of aviation and the general rule is 1/160th to 1/400th for prop planes- depending on the engine/prop rpm. We never try to give the viewer a picture that the plane or pilot is ******* because the engine quit. Takeoffs are more fun to shoot for imparting the visual thrill of the moment.
Jets are the exception. 1/1000th or more, but try to find something to give a sense of speed- like afterburner or vapor.



Nevada County AirFest 2015 B-25 takeoff 1744 web © Keith Breazeal by Keith Breazeal, on Flickr



F-22 Raptor knife edge pass © Keith Breazeal by Keith Breazeal, on Flickr


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## Boromir883 (Aug 6, 2015)

*Re: Shoot 1/8000, Just do it.*

verry nice photos +1
OP likes to see action stopped photos - so let`s see what you guys have to show -1/8000, just to it


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## AcutancePhotography (Aug 6, 2015)

*Re: Shoot 1/8000, Just do it.*



KeithBreazeal said:


> We never try to give the viewer a picture that the plane or pilot is ******* because the engine quit.



I really doubt that too many people would think that an aircraft is ******* because the photographer decided to freeze the action. ;D


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## KeithBreazeal (Aug 6, 2015)

*Re: Shoot 1/8000, Just do it.*



AcutancePhotography said:


> KeithBreazeal said:
> 
> 
> > We never try to give the viewer a picture that the plane or pilot is ******* because the engine quit.
> ...



LOL!


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## TexPhoto (Aug 6, 2015)

I think it is wonderful that we can have a discussion over which is better, motion blur, or stopped action. And much like the tastes great vs. less filling light beer debates of the 1980s, I predict that an eventual winner will be selected, and society as a whole will be improved. 

However you feel about that issue, I just want to point out, I did not say freeze the action: I said shoot at 1/8000 of a second. (occasionally) It provides a different look and love it or hate it, I think different is good sometimes. 

My condolences to any pilots killed (or presumed killed) by high shutter speeds.


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## Boromir883 (Aug 6, 2015)

TexPhoto said:


> I think it is wonderful that we can have a discussion over which is better, motion blur, or stopped action. And much like the tastes great vs. less filling light beer debates of the 1980s, I predict that an eventual winner will be selected, and society as a whole will be improved.
> 
> However you feel about that issue, I just want to point out, I did not say freeze the action: I said shoot at 1/8000 of a second. (occasionally) It provides a different look and love it or hate it, I think different is good sometimes.
> 
> My condolences to any pilots killed (or presumed killed) by high shutter speeds.


Please explane one thing: why shoot a driving car, motorcycle, a flying plane with 1/8000? It's much easier to take a photo from an parking car, bike, plane- the pictures will look the same.
Only my two cents


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## AcutancePhotography (Aug 6, 2015)

Boromir883 said:


> Please explane one thing: why shoot a driving car, motorcycle, a flying plane with 1/8000? It's much easier to take a photo from an parking car, bike, plane- the pictures will look the same.
> Only my two cents



Cars seldom park on race tracks and it has been a very long time since I have seen an aircraft stored a hundred feet off the ground. 

And have you ever asked a motorcycle rider to stop his or her bike and then lean it way over with their feet off the ground? ;D


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## Boromir883 (Aug 6, 2015)

AcutancePhotography said:


> Boromir883 said:
> 
> 
> > Please explane one thing: why shoot a driving car, motorcycle, a flying plane with 1/8000? It's much easier to take a photo from an parking car, bike, plane- the pictures will look the same.
> ...



No, i haven't, and that is why i think, photos shouldn't look like that


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## KeithBreazeal (Aug 6, 2015)

We all have our individual preferences.
I like the feel of speed in a photo and I get a lot of one star shots to prove it.
One thing I do is to shoot at a higher shutter speed first- that ensures me of a good crisp shot. From there, I lower the shutter speed for the best motion blur. If I get enough opportunities to shoot the same subject, I'll go into the insanely slow speeds- 1/20th - 1/60 zone. These really slow ones are usually trash but occasionally I'll get something really interesting.
***There are times when I do freeze the action on motorcycles though.



Classic Harley Davidson and the Biker Babes by Keith Breazeal, on Flickr


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## Harv (Aug 6, 2015)

I shoot a lot of motocross and have occasion to use both slow-shutter panning and high-shutter freeze-action methods. There is an application for both as I think the images below show.....






















I'd like to do more slow-shutter images but frankly, my keeper rate is just too low.


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## jarrodeu (Aug 6, 2015)

For prop planes that are flying, I never stop the prop as I believe it makes it look like a toy airplane. I have to admit, sometimes when the planes are on the ground nearly stopping the prop can look cool. 

Jarrod


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## TexPhoto (Aug 6, 2015)

lion rock said:


> Shall put this technique into my arsenal. Thanks for the suggestion.
> Great photos.
> -r



No problem, I think you will enjoy it. On the flip side, here is a whole separate thread I started on motion blur in sports photography: http://www.canonrumors.com/forum/index.php?topic=24741.0


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## ScottyP (Aug 7, 2015)

*Re: Shoot 1/8000, Just do it.*



Boromir883 said:


> NancyP said:
> 
> 
> > "planes without rotating propellers don't fly"
> ...



Really nice photos, Boromir!


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## Tinky (Aug 7, 2015)

The way I see it:

If you are pro, shoot the images that your clients will buy, but which aren't necessarily the images you'd shoot with a free reign.

If you are an amateur, shoot the images you love and with a free reign, just don't delude yourself that you could do the pro's job.

I rattle a few 1/8000th's out every now and then, just to give the shutter a wee exercise, I do use some f2.0's and f1.4's so, sometimes, even in Scotland.. you do need that speed.

A camera, I will now never own, the Dynax 9, had many cool things going for it, a virtually indestructible exo-skeleton type chassis, a 1/12000th top shutter (and a 1/300th flash synch) sony do interesting things, but Minolta were always a bit loopy, but always made lovely cameras to actually use.


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## TexPhoto (Aug 7, 2015)

*Re: Shoot 1/8000, Just do it.*



ScottyP said:


> Boromir883 said:
> 
> 
> > NancyP said:
> ...



Boromir,
They are really nice photos. I would have put them in this Gallery: http://www.canonrumors.com/forum/index.php?topic=24741.0 , but I am weird that way. As for the question why?, because why not, the results are different and look cool because they are different. One Black and white Photo in a group of color photos stands out. That does not mean color photos are bad.

Anyway




Untitled by RexPhoto91, on Flickr




Untitled by RexPhoto91, on Flickr




Horses by RexPhoto91, on Flickr




Bike4 by RexPhoto91, on Flickr


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## Boromir883 (Aug 7, 2015)

*Re: Shoot 1/8000, Just do it.*



TexPhoto said:


> ScottyP said:
> 
> 
> > Boromir883 said:
> ...



I agree with you,
I did not want to attack you, my postings are, how* i* see it, how i think about it
as i learn so much from experienced photographers in this forum, i wanted to bring in an other point of view about which kind of photo/motive i would stop down and which not
so maybe I misunderstood your intention for this post


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## Boromir883 (Aug 7, 2015)

KeithBreazeal said:


> We all have our individual preferences.
> I like the feel of speed in a photo and I get a lot of one star shots to prove it.
> One thing I do is to shoot at a higher shutter speed first- that ensures me of a good crisp shot. From there, I lower the shutter speed for the best motion blur. If I get enough opportunities to shoot the same subject, I'll go into the insanely slow speeds- 1/20th - 1/60 zone. These really slow ones are usually trash but occasionally I'll get something really interesting.
> ***There are times when I do freeze the action on motorcycles though.
> ...


Keith, thats the way i like motorcycles most


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## RustyTheGeek (Aug 7, 2015)

It's always a pleasure to see these shots Keith! Thanks for sharing!


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## TexPhoto (Sep 25, 2015)

REX18552 by RexPhoto91, on Flickr



SE9A1341 by RexPhoto91, on Flickr



SE9A0716 by RexPhoto91, on Flickr


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