trackdays.com/closeup

Ask the professionals!!

Obviously the perfect shot is in a individual  state of mind. like anything creative!

On a Trackday, Trackphoto’s point of few on this is, as we have found out over the years is some people really can’t see anything nice in one shot, that somebody else thinks is the best shot they have seen!

So we try to cover what Everybody wants and be as varied as possible whether you want a shot drifting around druids corner at  brands looking at of control or the ultimate knee down image with nothing in the background  at all! Everybodys needs for that Perfect  photo are different

Starting with Speed.

trackdays.com/speed

How to capture Speed, panning the camera to make your vehicle look fast, blur the background and the wheels but the object stays sharp.

Slower shutter speed on your camera will help this be achieved. Most people that do trackdays want to look fast in the car or on there bike and panning is the best way to achieve this. obviously this done by an amateur can be allot of wasted time trying to practice this as you need to get the sense of speed and still keep the sharpness which takes allot of experience and professional equipment to get this every time.

trackdays.com/panning

The closer you are to the object the faster it would be going past you at the point of the shot.                             Being at that point is helped by being the professional photographer at the circuit that day to go places where the public cannot go.

Backgrounds most circuits have lots of good background detail, that whenever possible you need to use these different situations  to enhance the shot whether it’s lodge corner at Oulton Park or the start finish Straight At Brands Hatch, These can all be used in many different ways as part of your speed shot to have it all blurring in the background. Or have it so the shutter speed is higher so the background is a important part of the image.

Paddockhill Brands Hatch

Brands Hatch Sign

Its great to have as part of your trackday photo’s,  banners in the background or signage saying where you are. A little less movement is better makes your car or bike a bit more static to capture this.

Trackphoto  does this for slightly head on shots, so the background isn’t moving that fast and you capture more detail in your motorsport shot

The more creative shot could be anything!!

A Close up of you

Close up Silverstone

Different Angles

Silverstone Angles

The main idea is to capture the essence of speed whether its a sharp shot head on with lots of lean on the object showing the G force around the corner.

Or blurring past you at speed.

Take a look at www.trackphoto.co.uk   And look at the different styles you should get at a typical trackday

The tracks Vary greatly so we have to take that into account for instance Brands Hatch has so much background you spend capturing that in the frame. where as Bedford autodrome being a airfield is quite flat so you rely on more getting the essence of speed.

Equipment has a big part to play you can’t take a nice shot every time if you haven’t  invested in the tools for your trade. Using the latest Nikon flagship cameras and a full range of lenses.

It would be very hard to capture bikes full frame at allot of circuits without a 600mm lens Objects are so small, when you are standing upto 150 foot away! (Nikon only make a handfull of these a year so very unlikely you would see a amateur walking around with one.

Trackdays.com/600mm

www.trackphoto.co.uk

The other end would be more your wide angle shot like this taken at Spa francorchamps at the hairpin 5 foot from this vehicle.

Spa francorchamps/wide angle