2013 Official Photography Thread
12-12-2013, 08:54 PM
#2176
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F1 is intensely strict about who they hand out passes to. Every one of those cars costs $2.5M each and teams spend $250M every year to keep them running. They wont let just anyone near them. You have to work for an accredited news agency of some sort and they have to contact F1 on your behalf. I'm sure theres background checks and junk like that involved as well. Its probably the hardest sporting event to get a pass to.
Thanks though! I love how most of my shots turned out this year. The gear i took down did not disappoint. It helps to know the track layout and where the best vantage points are. I managed to shoot over the fence all weekend last year and last month, made for some great images
I've been pretty fortunate with the drift events i shoot; i'm always working so i've never done one from anywhere other than on track. I hope i can get closer to an F1 race than the bleachers one day
Last edited by MitchSS; 12-12-2013 at 09:17 PM.
12-12-2013, 10:10 PM
#2177
Junior Member
It'll never happen is basically how. Haha!
F1 is intensely strict about who they hand out passes to. Every one of those cars costs $2.5M each and teams spend $250M every year to keep them running. They wont let just anyone near them. You have to work for an accredited news agency of some sort and they have to contact F1 on your behalf. I'm sure theres background checks and junk like that involved as well. Its probably the hardest sporting event to get a pass to.
Thanks though! I love how most of my shots turned out this year. The gear i took down did not disappoint. It helps to know the track layout and where the best vantage points are. I managed to shoot over the fence all weekend last year and last month, made for some great images
I've been pretty fortunate with the drift events i shoot; i'm always working so i've never done one from anywhere other than on track. I hope i can get closer to an F1 race than the bleachers one day
F1 is intensely strict about who they hand out passes to. Every one of those cars costs $2.5M each and teams spend $250M every year to keep them running. They wont let just anyone near them. You have to work for an accredited news agency of some sort and they have to contact F1 on your behalf. I'm sure theres background checks and junk like that involved as well. Its probably the hardest sporting event to get a pass to.
Thanks though! I love how most of my shots turned out this year. The gear i took down did not disappoint. It helps to know the track layout and where the best vantage points are. I managed to shoot over the fence all weekend last year and last month, made for some great images
I've been pretty fortunate with the drift events i shoot; i'm always working so i've never done one from anywhere other than on track. I hope i can get closer to an F1 race than the bleachers one day
Well, whatever you're doing, keep up the good work. That would be awesome to get a pass to one of those. It seems like a pretty rigorous process no doubt. I understand that the cars cost serious money but it's just a car. It's not like you're asking to borrow the damn thing and take it around the block. Just to stand on the sidelines of the track shouldn't be so difficult. But, it's their race not mine.
12-12-2013, 10:22 PM
#2178
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I'm going to start looking into drifting events when the season opens back up, I love shooting drift. I'd like to go to an event where I can get on the track, that would be great. At IFO I was standing on the side of the track, and I wasn't going to venture out to the center areas because I have no clue at how skilled the drivers are and I didn't want to find out by getting smashed into or something.
Well, whatever you're doing, keep up the good work. That would be awesome to get a pass to one of those. It seems like a pretty rigorous process no doubt. I understand that the cars cost serious money but it's just a car. It's not like you're asking to borrow the damn thing and take it around the block. Just to stand on the sidelines of the track shouldn't be so difficult. But, it's their race not mine.
Well, whatever you're doing, keep up the good work. That would be awesome to get a pass to one of those. It seems like a pretty rigorous process no doubt. I understand that the cars cost serious money but it's just a car. It's not like you're asking to borrow the damn thing and take it around the block. Just to stand on the sidelines of the track shouldn't be so difficult. But, it's their race not mine.
12-12-2013, 10:31 PM
#2179
Junior Member
Thanks, man! Drifting is so rad to shoot. I get what you're saying about knowing the drivers skill levels. I have to deal with that as well. I shoot the entire MDU series so i get to know the drivers pretty well. I know who i can get close to when they're flat out and who might have a sketchy run. Anythings possible with any driver of course but you learn to watch for the signs of **** about to go wong. Heres a shot i snapped of one of the guys who i trust wholeheartedly. I'm his title sponsor so we go out and get rowdy for shots sometimes. I've known him for a long time and know how he drives that thing so i get close when he's at a comp. Many first time guys not so much
I've got no problem getting close to the drivers if I know they're good, I just don't want to get smoked by a rookie driver who's a little over confident in their abilities.
That's a badass shot btw. I figured you knew the guy, you put pics of his ride up all the time. Do you do shoots for a company or is it just a hobby for you?
12-12-2013, 10:38 PM
#2180
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Yeah, i own the company that sponsored a lot of his 2013 season and we're hoping to sponsor the series next year. So they let me go do whatever photo stuff i want on track. Its kind of a hobby but also kind of a working partnership between my company and the series.
That car is super gnarly, 5.7 LS swapped, 420 on the dyno. Shooting photos like this is what i'd guess bull fighting must be like! The car photographs well so i like posting it. Its tricky under certain conditions because of all that chrome reflecting but every now and then you get something awesome out of it
That car is super gnarly, 5.7 LS swapped, 420 on the dyno. Shooting photos like this is what i'd guess bull fighting must be like! The car photographs well so i like posting it. Its tricky under certain conditions because of all that chrome reflecting but every now and then you get something awesome out of it
12-13-2013, 10:44 AM
#2183
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^Huge thanks, dude! Massively appreciated. I'm super happy with that one. I've been talking with other drivers who have seen that one about doing some more this year at events. A lot of the guys want shots like that of themselves.
Depends on the track. Some tracks let us get close as long as we have a good understanding of the direction the cars will be travelling. Others make us stay behind barriers that are pretty far away and require something like a 70-300. In Indy and Detroit i was insanely close. Heres a screengrab of me in the white shirt from one of the detroit vids where i'm shooting a car feet away. I think the average might be something like 20-30ft on a tight track
And this is what it looks like when you're that close during a comp. Its a little scary, i'll be honest. I only do this for the practice and qualifying runs since they're usually single car runs. During tandems a lot can go wrong. If a lead car throws up a lot of smoke it will be diffiult to shoot the one following. So if you choose to shoot the lead car you have to have one eye in the eye piece and use the other to track the follow car in your peripheral in case he gets squirrely. I'll post an example of what can happen if you're not careful with that in a sec
And this is what it looks like when you're that close during a comp. Its a little scary, i'll be honest. I only do this for the practice and qualifying runs since they're usually single car runs. During tandems a lot can go wrong. If a lead car throws up a lot of smoke it will be diffiult to shoot the one following. So if you choose to shoot the lead car you have to have one eye in the eye piece and use the other to track the follow car in your peripheral in case he gets squirrely. I'll post an example of what can happen if you're not careful with that in a sec
Last edited by MitchSS; 12-13-2013 at 08:53 PM.
12-13-2013, 11:15 AM
#2184
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So as a follow up to my last post, heres some of the most important advice i can offer to you guys looking to shoot a drift event in the future. If you are lucky (or stupid) enough to get this close during a tandem run you absolutely have to keep both eyes open, even with one in the eye piece.
The car in the first photo runs a 500+hp 2JZ motor and throws up a ton of smoke at every event. I have a great time shooting him. So in this situation he's leading this silver LS swapped BMW. Steve in the bimmer is buried in the RX7s smoke and a little further back then he should be so i choose to focus on the blue car. Got the shot i wanted for sure
Then i turn my attention to Steve's BMW following. I hear the tires squeal but the revs drop off completely, usually a sign that somethings gone wrong. I swing around just in time to shoot a sequence of 5 shots of the BMW sliding straight through the corner and plowing through the curb and stop sign. You can still see the RX7s smoke lingering in front of Steves car.
I was lucky he had gone that way and not been heading for me, i wouldnt have had time to react quick enough if he was on my side. If anyones wondering, he broke both wheels to pieces, busted some tie rods and banged in a door, Otherwise they had it fixed in two weeks.
So thats my safety advice for drift events. Be careful out there. A lot can happen really quick. I've witnessed a ton of wrecks this year but fortunately none of the photographers or drivers were seriously injured
The car in the first photo runs a 500+hp 2JZ motor and throws up a ton of smoke at every event. I have a great time shooting him. So in this situation he's leading this silver LS swapped BMW. Steve in the bimmer is buried in the RX7s smoke and a little further back then he should be so i choose to focus on the blue car. Got the shot i wanted for sure
Then i turn my attention to Steve's BMW following. I hear the tires squeal but the revs drop off completely, usually a sign that somethings gone wrong. I swing around just in time to shoot a sequence of 5 shots of the BMW sliding straight through the corner and plowing through the curb and stop sign. You can still see the RX7s smoke lingering in front of Steves car.
I was lucky he had gone that way and not been heading for me, i wouldnt have had time to react quick enough if he was on my side. If anyones wondering, he broke both wheels to pieces, busted some tie rods and banged in a door, Otherwise they had it fixed in two weeks.
So thats my safety advice for drift events. Be careful out there. A lot can happen really quick. I've witnessed a ton of wrecks this year but fortunately none of the photographers or drivers were seriously injured
Last edited by MitchSS; 12-13-2013 at 11:22 AM.
12-13-2013, 11:42 AM
#2185
Yeah bystanders are way in the way, I'm just wondering because the photos show you pretty close. I figured you'd have to have been far enough away but thinking myself, even when I've gone to E-Town or the CED Meet you could get reasonably close (granted that's drag not drift or auto-x) and what not.
12-15-2013, 09:57 PM
#2188
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^^Thanks a lot, man. Much appreciated. I was thrilled to catch that just once that weekend. That was the lock that made that really dark skid-mark you see trailing
12-22-2013, 09:09 PM
#2190
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had such a blast shooting my friend's WAR3HAU5 birthday party last night.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/98697476@N04/11506192293/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/98697476@N04/11506047085/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/98697476@N04/11506151086/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/98697476@N04/11506070265/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/98697476@N04/11506142774/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/98697476@N04/11506192293/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/98697476@N04/11506047085/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/98697476@N04/11506151086/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/98697476@N04/11506070265/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/98697476@N04/11506142774/
12-23-2013, 12:08 AM
#2192
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