Have I got what it takes (Motorsport Photography)

[DOverton]

Hello Everyone!

Well im 19 years old and have saved over the past year to get all my photography gear, I have also been working for BMMC for the past 2 months to promote marshalling

With the help from Dave (Picturesports) I am getting a lot of great information and details ;) will go further into that in due time

Anyway I take shots at Events of the cars too, mostly cars as i have to wait until the action hits so the Marshals can do their job

I have 8 shots and my website and would really like to push into Motorsport Photography as to start of with a on the side job, I know this isnt going to me as 1 2 3, but im not asking that

I am asking to you guys in net world if you think my photos are good enough to try and take it further or should I quit now, lol

Some of the more common photographers, KennyG and Dave (Picturesports) have seen me trackside so I hope they though I behaved in a Professional manor

To the Photos
More can be found the Motorsport Section

http://www.ddslr.com/takes/1.jpg

http://www.ddslr.com/takes/2.jpg

http://www.ddslr.com/takes/3.jpg

http://www.ddslr.com/takes/4.jpg

http://www.ddslr.com/takes/5.jpg

http://www.ddslr.com/takes/6.jpg

http://www.ddslr.com/takes/7.jpg

http://www.ddslr.com/takes/8.jpg

Like i say more can be found in the Motorsport Section and on my website

But honest opinions please :)

Thanks for reading

Dan.

[Gary_Evans]

In a nutshell, Yes. I regularly see event togs churing out work nowhere near this standard.

Keep it up!

[Croasdail]

very nice stuff.... good luck with it - I hope it works for ya.

[stupot]

i dont shoot motorsport but they look good to me:) the bike shots in the air are pretty cool.. and everything looks technically perfect i guess! maybe on images such as the second, if you know you're not going to move from your position for a while and all the bikes are coming from the same direction it would be beneficial to shift your focus point to the right, giving you some space for the bikes to move into (i presume you are using the center point, hence the central composition). but yeah.. im just nitpicking! and i could be totally wrong.

[MHP]

DUDE YOU'VE GOT IT!!!!!

sell yourself... go go go

know why i say this? all the images are insdanely good, but that second to last one is where the telling tale lies. Its perfect cropping and perfect composition. whetehr you straightened it or what i dont know, but if you can see that that is the correct positioning then you're there. You might find that you have better inages than half the so called pros out there, its just the contacts you need, which will come in time, keep on it!.

[madjack]

I think your photos are outstanding. Action shots are tough all by themselves, not to mention the composition factor.. great work.. may I ask what lens you were using?..

[gmen]

As the others have said, the set of images you have posted show some good work.

I'm not sure what your intention is when you say you want to 'take it further'... what is your goal? Who will your clients be?

Also, if the images that you have posted will form the basis of a portfolio, they will benefit from accurate and detailed captions, particularly if you are aiming to work in an editorial sphere. The story behind the image is as important as the image itself in many cases and the caption is an important factor to consider when presenting your work.

You may want to show even more variation in your work if you are putting together a portfolio... include some 'feature' shots, some driver portraits, some work using flash rather than just ambient light, etc... Show your prospective clients the range of skills and techniques that you can bring to the party.

Good luck with whatever you are intending to do!

---- Gavin

[TARPONTIM]

The pictures are great.

[Knightshade]

I can only wish you were shooting at the last motorcycle trackday event that I was at. The photog there, while having an impressive setup w/a trailer and several viewing stations on lcd monitors, can not...shoot for crap. His angles are horrible, shutter speeds are too high, he over saturates his pictures, I could go on and on. He has a lock with numerous motorcycle trackday organizations in my area too, it's very frustrating.

At any rate, you've got great stuff, whatever the next level is that you're referring to, I wouldn't hesitate packing up and walking down that road if I was you.

[jimtfoto]

I'm no expert in this field of photography, but the work you have posted is impressive. Good action shots.

Cheers,
Jim

[Steve Parr]

Those are damn nice, that's what those are...

[brivett]

Great shots... VERY nice.

Here is a question... can you always get a great shot of a specific driver/rider during a specific part of the race.... test yourself... pick a number out of a hat and then shoot that car/bike for just the last 10 minutes of the race.

Commercial reality dictates that rarely are the best pics chosen... usually it's the pics that accompany a story line... test yourself with a forced situation.

p.s. I love riding Cadwell... makes me wish I hadn't just sold my bike !

[KennyG]

Dave, the difference is can you do it on demand? If you are asked by a publication for a series of shots of a driver/rider from paddock to grid to race, and can deliver what they want on time, then you stand a chance.

The pressure to deliver can turn someone who does it as a hobby into a nervous wreck, especially where the race has a small number of laps and few chances of getting it right. Ask the guys who do speedway. I have seen you work and you conduct yourself very well trackside, which is a good trait and is one less thing to think about.

I have a season-long contract to supply a certain set of images from every meeting and failure isn't an option. Another contract specifies, among other things, racing images set in context with accompanying text. I also 'follow the news' and target certain drivers knowing the level of interest in them or in anticipation of a close battle for example. A picture may tell the story, but there has to be a story in the first place.

A good start is to get a better than 85% hit rate on images with the right backgrounds and settings and then work on the on-demand delivery. Try every foot of the circuit looking for places and angles you don't see often, or at all, to avoid the same shots as everyone else. Then build a portfolio that demonstrates your ability as a photographer. Even if you never use it, the excercise of doing it will focus you.

You have to accept you can only be in one place at a time and you won't always catch the news grabbing incident. However, thinking about the race and the circuit should put you in the place where the chances of that shot are higher. For example, Old Hall and Cascades at Oulton Park can look like a togs picnic as that is where most of the incidents are expected to happen. However, early in the season, when the track is 'green', before the rubber is laid down, Druids is the place to be. Because most working motorsport togs are a lazy bunch who hate walking, the only person you see out there is me. Learn to work the circuits.

I'll be at Cadwell over the weekend of 2nd/3rd September if you want to grab some time for a chat.

[gmen]

...nervous wreck... Ask the guys who do speedway....Nervous wreck? Me?

Jibber...
Jibber...
Jibber...

;)

---- Gavin

[espressomaker]

Great shots, Dan! And bravo to KennyG for the mentorship. I sure wouldn't pass up any opportunity to listen to his advice if I was a prospective pro. That's why I like POTN so much. Everyone helps to make it a great community!

[JCR]

naa totally hopeless, mail me your kit. Ok so maybe that wasn't honest :D

Spectacular shots, 110% professional to my eye. - That was honest ;)

[dr_who]

SUPERB!