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My 1600 shot day at Oran Park, Sydney [22 photos]
Hi guys and girls,
On easter Sunday the BMW Club of NSW had Round 1 at Oran Park racetrack in Sydney's south west which is only 5 minutes from my place. I had 2 mates racing their MINI's so I went out and caught up with a few others car mates. It's taken me a few weeks but I've gotten rid of almost half the shots I took
not sure what that means.
1) My mates in the MINI's. The front car is actually a full race car and competes at the yearly Targa Tasmania tarmac rally thats being run next week.
2)
3) My mate Tommy in the blue MINI had a nice scare just before the last turn onto the straight.
4) Got a bit sideways after that
5)
6)
7) There was a great looking PRB Clubman running around and putting down decent times.
8)
9)
10) My favourite car of the day was this E12 520i. It's got me looking at old BMW's as my track cars.
11)
12)
13)
14)
15)
16)
17)
18) Does missing half the car really matter when all the action is still there?
19) Old and new. I loved the old more then the new, they were more exciting and I could really capture their movement. This new E92 M3 looks like it's almost parked.
20)
21) These guys got a bit close
22) Eventually Bill in the red car had slowed enough to pull in behind the M3. Spoke to Bill later and he was having a laugh, dangerous move but was a lot of fun. Setting up for that corner, they're braking after doing 180km/h down the long straight with a fast long corner with bumps on the racing line.
They're some of my favourite shots and the rest of them are here. Would love C&C on them, this is my first full day shooting and learnt a lot ... I just hope it sinks in. I had problems getting the early shots right and I had problems with the white cars.
On easter Sunday the BMW Club of NSW had Round 1 at Oran Park racetrack in Sydney's south west which is only 5 minutes from my place. I had 2 mates racing their MINI's so I went out and caught up with a few others car mates. It's taken me a few weeks but I've gotten rid of almost half the shots I took
not sure what that means.1) My mates in the MINI's. The front car is actually a full race car and competes at the yearly Targa Tasmania tarmac rally thats being run next week.
2)
3) My mate Tommy in the blue MINI had a nice scare just before the last turn onto the straight.
4) Got a bit sideways after that
5)
6)
7) There was a great looking PRB Clubman running around and putting down decent times.
8)
9)
10) My favourite car of the day was this E12 520i. It's got me looking at old BMW's as my track cars.
11)
12)
13)
14)
15)
16)
17)
18) Does missing half the car really matter when all the action is still there?
19) Old and new. I loved the old more then the new, they were more exciting and I could really capture their movement. This new E92 M3 looks like it's almost parked.
20)
21) These guys got a bit close
22) Eventually Bill in the red car had slowed enough to pull in behind the M3. Spoke to Bill later and he was having a laugh, dangerous move but was a lot of fun. Setting up for that corner, they're braking after doing 180km/h down the long straight with a fast long corner with bumps on the racing line.
They're some of my favourite shots and the rest of them are here. Would love C&C on them, this is my first full day shooting and learnt a lot ... I just hope it sinks in. I had problems getting the early shots right and I had problems with the white cars.
“I don’t understand bus lanes. Why do poor people have to get to places quicker than I do?” - Jeremy Clarkson
My Blog: www.floody82.com
My Photos: floody82.smugmug.com
My Blog: www.floody82.com
My Photos: floody82.smugmug.com
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Comments
I like them cause I like the cars, I've had positive feedback from non-togs but car people. But I really need to know what this place thinks bout them ???
Cheers
Paul
My Blog: www.floody82.com
My Photos: floody82.smugmug.com
If you'll take comments from newbie, the shots seems to be very good on technical side. Motion frozen, correct exposure ... But, they seem to be boring to me. Most of the times I don't have the sense of speed and power. For example #15, is the car racing or is it parked there ?
What I would try to do (again, no experience in racing shooting, so just random bunch of idea)
* Get closer
Due to the long lens, you feel to be long away from the action. You are not dragged in. This might not be possible at all, I do not know ... #21 - they seem to be breaking pretty hard, the car tilt would be more apparent from the side view.
* Shoot with longer time
and follow the car with your camera, so that the background has motion blur, but the car is sharp. Or if the car is approaching you, zoom the lens during exposition.
* Remove light reflection in front window (not sure how it is called in English - windshield ?)
In #10 you can actually see drivers glasses, #14 you see less. Polarizer would help, but I'm sure it would be hell of a job to set it right for the moving cars.
* Crop the images
In #19, the cars seems to be 'crossing' one each other, if you would cut just the center, it might be more dramatic. #8,#9 - I would love to see details of the car, there are some red things hanging from the front.
Just my personal comments, others might disagree with me.
On the other hand, as dogs photographer I envy you the way they are frozen, I wish I had my dogs like that
Cheers
--
Vlad
You have to do artificial things the bring excitement. Tilts, severe crops, etc.
John Thawley is one of the best I've seen. Here is a thread - look him up
http://www.fredmiranda.com/forum/topic/763918
Here is one of the boring I've done
and this gives me a woody (Baja, Mex)
If you want exciting motor sports pix in the UK, shot motorcycle racing in the threat of rain
Good luck
Yeah #15 looks like his parked, but #16, #17 & #18 all have their wheels off the ground, these were the faster drivers who know the lines and hit that apex right every time.
As for getting closer, this is impossible on a race track. The closest I could have got was on the straight and I asked and they weren't allowing people to stand on the pitt wall (some race days do). I was using a D90 with the 55-200 kit lens, whilst for these kind of shots I don't think I needed a longer lense, perhaps a faster one. This is as close as the photo's will ever get.
From a tech side I get your point about the windscreen, but the drivers seem to like it when they can see themselves. I'm not sure exactly what you mean? How could I setup to not see their faces?
Thanks for the comments, I will be working on the motion blur. Loving this shot from that link torags
http://www.fredmiranda.com/forum/ufiles/99/327999.jpg
My Blog: www.floody82.com
My Photos: floody82.smugmug.com
I had in mind exactly as you say - display the drivers head/helmet rather than just light reflected. I'm sorry if I was not clear.
Have a good light and let us know what you achieved, I'm certainly looking forward to it!
--
neuron