Motorcycle racing

[KristaLGHT]

So the boyfriend races motorcycles so I've gotten quite a bit of practice trying to do motion photography.


Big Bend 585 by KristaLGHT505, on Flickr


tws_1023 261 by KristaLGHT505, on Flickr


tws_1023 237 by KristaLGHT505, on Flickr

[khatley]

That is one sport I would absolutely love to shoot. Get a little lower and closer to the track and you will have some awesome shots.

[KristaLGHT]

HAHA uhh...most of those are about 10-15 feet from the track. You can't get that much closer and not be in danger (we had a couple photogs get in trouble for being too close this last race). Lower isn't really possible unless I go to just shoot. I'd love to but most of the time I work in the corner as a safety marshall so unfortunately picture taking is second.

[mercphoto]

Slow down your shutter and use a longer lens, get further from the track. Ten to fifteen feet? You're just asking for a visit to the emergency room...

[KristaLGHT]

Most of my stuff is from the concrete corner worker booth, so I'm fairly safe. And I'm still further back than most of the pro photogs. It's actually pretty safe close to the track since the best shots are out of impact zones.

As for the slower shutter speed, I've been trying that. Still trying to figure out what's the best setting. These were some of the better ones. These are shot with a Nikor 70-300mm lens at about 180-220.


A bit too fast shutter:


tws_0905 151 by KristaLGHT505, on Flickr

[mercphoto]

Originally Posted by KristaLGHT

Most of my stuff is from the concrete corner worker booth, so I'm fairly safe. And I'm still further back than most of the pro photogs. It's actually pretty safe close to the track since the best shots are out of impact zones.

I've seen some of the track pros around here do some really stupid stuff at tracks, so just because you're further out than them....

[KristaLGHT]

You should read the article on what National Geographic photogs go through to get some of their amazing shots. I also ride and know where impact zones are.

[mercphoto]

Originally Posted by KristaLGHT

You should read the article on what National Geographic photogs go through to get some of their amazing shots. I also ride and know where impact zones are.

There's a good documentary about the NG photographer's available on Netflix, really good to watch. And yes they do go through a lot. They have a good risk to reward for doing so, though. The average track photographer, sorry, not enough reward to go along with that risk.

I used to race cars and karts myself. And one thing I learned was you'll never know where a car is capable of going off. It can happen anywhere. I've seen cars go off where you'd never expect. Heck, I have gone off where I wouldn't expect. How do you predict where my front wheel bearing fails on my shifter kart, sending me off the track? It happened, and it wasn't anywhere close to a normal "impact zone".

Seriously, get a long lens, stay back, be safe. You aren't getting paid enough to take that risk. Neither are those other idiots/photographers out there who are standing near the track.

Sincerely, Bill Jurasz, about the only photographer who hasn't been yelled at by the staff at Harris Hill Road for standing in unsafe locations at the track.