I like to see the objects I am shooting. And as in the Velodrome shots when the lighting is poor, fill flash is great. And if one uses a shutter speed of half second or more, rear curtain sync when they are approaching, then the effect is nice with a trail behind them. It looked like your "flash and pan" was a front curtain synch so as to get the effect of the start...always chaos in a bike race.

Keep up the good work....

Thanks for fixing my confused double posting.

Using a flash gives a different feel to the images created, and is frequently used in cycling photography where low light levels are a norm, whether outdoors during winter, for example mountain bikes or cyclocross, or indoors in velodromes where levels are very uneven AND often low, until the main lighting is switched onw.

EG:

Flash outdoors:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/68039985@N08/7762818132/in/photostream

Flash & pan:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/68039985@N08/7762822598/in/photostream/

Flash indoors:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/68039985@N08/6255989946/in/photostream/

Flash not not needed, velodrome lights on, subject travelling at 70km/hour:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/68039985@N08/6845194433/in/photostream/lightbox/

Cheers

Mick

OK, OK, I took care of the double post....now as to the photos....blurred images of bike riders was what I saw. And, as an art form, I can get into this. A rear curtain flash can be useful, or front, whichever gives the best result. Here is an example of a similar technique... http://www.flickr.com/photos/fantinesfotos/7569316256/sizes/o/in/set-72157630556228698/

where the goal is to see the people and have the car "in motion". This was actually my first attempt at this with the 16-35mm lens, and what I needed to do was set the focal point a bit differently so as to "rotate" the out of focus, blurred objects around the focal point. And, various shutter speeds can be used.

Here is another "slow pan"

http://www.flickr.com/photos/fantinesfotos/6864463174/sizes/o/in/photostream/

I have not used the flash, but this might add some interesting effects especially in lower light levels. My personal preference in shooting sporting events is to record the action as I see it, if cars, bikes, whatever, to be able to see the faces clearly. However, I think the art effect in the "motion blur" photos is certainly a nice and valid technique.

Delete your own comment feature?

The software package used for Nikon Rumors or the version is so old that it either doesn't do it and/or a major upgrade is long overdue to enable it.

I'd not hold your breath waiting for it. ;-)

But I'm sure you knew that already?

I've been shooting action sports recently using a pan & flash technique to get textural surfaces from the subject.

This below is from round 3 of the Australian national cyclocross series held in Adelaide's Victoria Park this weekend, 11/12 August.

Using the D3100 (DX) and 12-24/f4 lens (DX) I set a shutter speed of 1/2 sec, started panning, and fired the flash with each exposure.

More pix at:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/68039985@N08/

Anyone here doing anything similar?

Mick