Dave_G
25th of February 2007 (Sun), 13:35
This was my 8th Sunseeker Rally and as usual it started early. A quiet night out on Friday meant 4 hours and 15 minutes sleep before having to drive 108 miles in an hour and a half. It wasn't until we passed the 25-miles-from-home mark that in my delirious half conscious state I'd left home without a waterproof jacket and the forecast had predicted heavy showers...luckily it stayed dry.
A 20 minute walk through a boggy forest to the our first stage made me glad I only took one camera, a short lens and some other bits in my pockets.
The light here was nice and consistent, and even though there was a decent sized crowd (even more with 'proper' cameras than previous years it seems) there was enough room to shoot comfortably and swing any cats you may need to.
Impreza coming through, nice bit of Rally atmosphere (mad blokes, funny hats, trees)
http://images21.fotki.com/v577/photos/1/105162/4651671/IMG_4036-vi.jpg
Andy Burton's 306 Cosworth - mad bloke, funny hat, avoided trees this time out...
http://images22.fotki.com/v518/photos/1/105162/4651671/IMG_4047-vi.jpg
Moved around a bit as the shots from the apex were getting a bit samey
Arse-out action
http://images22.fotki.com/v518/photos/1/105162/4651671/IMG_4081-vi.jpg
They Don't Make Them Like They Used To
http://images21.fotki.com/v515/photos/1/105162/4651671/IMG_4103-vi.jpg
Once we'd seen a few more cars through we made the decision to roll out and get to another stage and see all the competitors through and a hangover busting bacon sandwich and gallon of Red Bull.
The Catering Arm
http://images22.fotki.com/v519/photos/1/105162/4651671/IMG_0247-vi.jpg
Where we were situated was quite a good spectating point. You could see the cars exit the previous corner, snake a long a bit and then turn to your left in front of you. Shooting was made a little bit tricky as when the sun was out, the light changed 3 times between the time you saw the cars and the time they came past you.
Impreza with some nice light behind it
http://images14.fotki.com/v370/photos/1/105162/4651671/IMG_0262-vi.jpg
Steve Perez in his Focus WRC. Sun: Gone.
http://images22.fotki.com/v518/photos/1/105162/4651671/IMG_0257-vi.jpg
By the time this was shot the sun was totally blocked by clouds and under the cover of the trees it was pretty dark.
http://images20.fotki.com/v194/photos/1/105162/4651671/IMG_0368-vi.jpg
We made it to another stage later on but I was too busy having a laugh and watching the action to get many decent shots.
On this stage there was about 150m of straight stage with a water splash about half way down it then a right-hander, and a sign which said 'NO SPECTATORS PAST THIS POINT'. The reasoning the marshalls said was that the water splash was a hazard to drivers and that they may be temporarily unsighted putting spectators at risk.
Anyway, they said we couldn't stay and that's that. BUT they did allow Press Acredited photographers to photograph the water splash.... My mate Keith argued his corner and stayed put and has some decent shots from there, and incidentally didn't die. Imagine how good this (http://images21.fotki.com/v516/photos/1/105162/4651671/IMG_0465-vi.jpg) (<--clicky!) would have looked from the front. Wish I'd stayed really.
Not very exciting shots but I quite like a few of them. As usual it's 20D and Sigma 70-200 EX f2.8 and or Sigma 120-300 EX f2.8 used.
There are a bunch more shots here (http://public.fotki.com/DaveGalpin/events/motorsport/rally/sunseeker-rally-2007/). Watch out for a comedy duo in the forest...
A 20 minute walk through a boggy forest to the our first stage made me glad I only took one camera, a short lens and some other bits in my pockets.
The light here was nice and consistent, and even though there was a decent sized crowd (even more with 'proper' cameras than previous years it seems) there was enough room to shoot comfortably and swing any cats you may need to.
Impreza coming through, nice bit of Rally atmosphere (mad blokes, funny hats, trees)
http://images21.fotki.com/v577/photos/1/105162/4651671/IMG_4036-vi.jpg
Andy Burton's 306 Cosworth - mad bloke, funny hat, avoided trees this time out...
http://images22.fotki.com/v518/photos/1/105162/4651671/IMG_4047-vi.jpg
Moved around a bit as the shots from the apex were getting a bit samey
Arse-out action
http://images22.fotki.com/v518/photos/1/105162/4651671/IMG_4081-vi.jpg
They Don't Make Them Like They Used To
http://images21.fotki.com/v515/photos/1/105162/4651671/IMG_4103-vi.jpg
Once we'd seen a few more cars through we made the decision to roll out and get to another stage and see all the competitors through and a hangover busting bacon sandwich and gallon of Red Bull.
The Catering Arm
http://images22.fotki.com/v519/photos/1/105162/4651671/IMG_0247-vi.jpg
Where we were situated was quite a good spectating point. You could see the cars exit the previous corner, snake a long a bit and then turn to your left in front of you. Shooting was made a little bit tricky as when the sun was out, the light changed 3 times between the time you saw the cars and the time they came past you.
Impreza with some nice light behind it
http://images14.fotki.com/v370/photos/1/105162/4651671/IMG_0262-vi.jpg
Steve Perez in his Focus WRC. Sun: Gone.
http://images22.fotki.com/v518/photos/1/105162/4651671/IMG_0257-vi.jpg
By the time this was shot the sun was totally blocked by clouds and under the cover of the trees it was pretty dark.
http://images20.fotki.com/v194/photos/1/105162/4651671/IMG_0368-vi.jpg
We made it to another stage later on but I was too busy having a laugh and watching the action to get many decent shots.
On this stage there was about 150m of straight stage with a water splash about half way down it then a right-hander, and a sign which said 'NO SPECTATORS PAST THIS POINT'. The reasoning the marshalls said was that the water splash was a hazard to drivers and that they may be temporarily unsighted putting spectators at risk.
Anyway, they said we couldn't stay and that's that. BUT they did allow Press Acredited photographers to photograph the water splash.... My mate Keith argued his corner and stayed put and has some decent shots from there, and incidentally didn't die. Imagine how good this (http://images21.fotki.com/v516/photos/1/105162/4651671/IMG_0465-vi.jpg) (<--clicky!) would have looked from the front. Wish I'd stayed really.
Not very exciting shots but I quite like a few of them. As usual it's 20D and Sigma 70-200 EX f2.8 and or Sigma 120-300 EX f2.8 used.
There are a bunch more shots here (http://public.fotki.com/DaveGalpin/events/motorsport/rally/sunseeker-rally-2007/). Watch out for a comedy duo in the forest...