Thanks to everyone that reads this and responds.

I am very new to photography. I am taking pictures at Will Roger Racewa in Claremore, OK. I am using a Nikon D40 with i Nikor 55mm-200mm lense with the flash that is on the camera.
The cars come at me at about 60+ mph and there is very low light on the track. I have a window of about 15 feet that has good lighting going into turn 3 on the racetrack.
What do I need to do to get better quality pictures. How do I change the shutter speed.

Here are some pictures that I have taken.

Here is the site to view them. Please let me know what you think and what you think I can do to make them better for my customers.


http://www.photoreflect.com/pr3/store.aspx?p=43361

Welcome!

I'm a nature photographer so take my advice for what it's worth - I'd crop these three shots for better impact - get in real close - and try to avoid having the subject slap bang in the middle of the frame.

I think they have some real potential!

Good luck,
Bill

I like the way the background blur gives you a feeling of speed so I would say the same shutter speed and aperture you are using with a strong used Nikon zoom flash to freeze the car for a sharper, lower noise picture.
Marc

As with the suggestion earlier try a more powerful flash, use "rear" sync setting on the camera with the flash which will nicely integrate any blur you will have (because of your shutter speed / aperture combination in the ambient light) with a sharp image at the correct end of the resulting "direction of motion" blur. You may have a mismatch between white balance between the cool flash and the warm ambient lighting but the vehicle (which is the focus of the image) is perhaps more acceptably rendered in the "correct" balance of the flash. Also, again as above, crop tighter, or get closer. There is an old adage: Get in as close as you think is OK . . . . then get half as close again (if possible)!! Getting closer will make your flash even more effective. Looks like it has a lot of potential! Experiment with slower shutter speeds to accentuate the blur = motion aspect. You may have to try the "rear slow" sync setting to achieve dramatic effects. Again it looks like a lot of fun to be had here.

Flash at the distances he's shooting at won't work very well.
Unfortunatly, venues like these are not lit very well and the best you can hope for is to look for areas that are lit better than others. Keep in mind, that your eyes will adapt to their surroundings and so you may think that it is bright enough. You'll have to use high ISO settings and "fast glass" along with higher shutter speeds to freeze action. And if possible, put your longest lens on a monopod. I shoot NFL games in an indoor venue and even though it looks bright, and well lit, we are using ISO's around 1600 with shutter speeds at 1/500(minimum) using fast glass(wide open at f/2.8).

I imagine the D40, like all Nikon dSLRs, comes with a detailed manual*. But the short answer is (extrapolating from a D80), you need to choose the shutter priority setting on the mode dial, then use the thumb wheel to change the shutter speed.

* I would say that, wouldn't I (as I write manuals for a living).

I would recommend a used Nikon SB 26
http://cgi.ebay.com/Nikon-Speedlight-SB-26...1QQcmdZViewItem

and a flash snoot
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/3268...891D_Snoot.html
or a better beamer
http://www.luminous-landscape.com/reviews/...er_beamer.shtml

I think this will work well for you, less than $150, you will have more light on the car and nice motion blur in the background with rear sync.
Marc

thank you all so much, I am going to the track tonight and see what I can do. You all have been a tremendus help to me.


Brad Harris