Shooting dragraces

[vvizard]

Anybody got experience with this? It sounds pretty easy to do, but I once asked about tips for shooting WRC, and got so many good advices, that I just have to ask what to do and dont on dragraces :) The drag will be held at the Capital airport in Norway. Its a "real" drag with the track beeing a quarter of a mile. I don't got press-pass, so I have to shoot from the visitor-area, but it's _real_ close to the track according to what I hear (less than 10 metres away). This is "stock" cars (old Ford Mustangs and alike) and not Topfuel, so the speeds wont be to hard to follow I think. ~ 120mph at end of stage according to what "my" team tells me. I'm doing webdevelopment and photography for the team of a young girl I know, her father, and their mechanics. They will give me a "team-pass" for the event, so I might lurk around in the depots taking candids between their races.

The race will be held in daylight, and fortunatly the sun will shine =) I got a 10D, a 50mm and a 70-200mm. No flash or monopod. Anyone got a burning tip or two they think I should know before doing this?

[Cadwell]

Drag racing is my least favourite form of motorsport. In fact out of the hundreds of events I've been too it's one of only two that I've walked out on vowing never to return.

That said. Panning (mostly) is the name of the game. Your 70-200mm will be ideal. Set the camera to TV, "AI Servo" and enable all your focus points. You want a nice high shutter speed (1/400th or so) and try and keep your aperture small (@f/8 or so) if you can (depth of field helps with sometimes dubious focusing). Don't be afraid to go to ISO400 if necessary. Set the drive mode to "Continuous". Take two shots on each pan. I often find the second is sharper :?

Have fun ;)

[Cadwell]

Oh.... and register the centre AF point C.Fn07 and stick it on the "assist button" C.Fn13 (if you're not using it for anything else. You never know when you might need more direct focusing in a hurry (crash a bit further up the track etc.)

[vvizard]

Thanks.. Been on one drag a year ago, but then I did not have an SLR (or any photo-experience at all), and I literally blew every shot by using Tv @ 1/2000s shutters.. I think drags are quite cool, but I'm mostly there for my friends sake, shooting pics, and cheering for her. That said I also have a free pass for a "carcross" event the same day. Dont know if that sport is known good throughout the world, but it's basically like rally-cross, except that they all drive real ****ty cars which you _have_ to sell for ~ $1000 (which really is _FOR FREE_ when speaking about Norwegian car-prices). Lot more action (crashes etc) on those races since nobody gives a fu*k about their cars =) But as said, it's all old ****ty cars, and I don't find them as "attractive" as old Mustangs =) So I gave that pass away to a buddy of mine when I found out I got a even "free'er" pass for the drag-event.

[DAMphyne]

I shot drags last year at a local track. My thoughts are this.
1) If you take pictures of the cars leaving the starting line, remember the cars don't "shoot" forward first, they move Up. I tried to anticipate the cars moving forward and cut off the back-end of the cars.
2) The drivers seemed to like pictures of the rear tires squashing down when they launch.
3) Burn-outs and wheelies are great, especially when they get side-ways.
4) Unless you can get to the end of the track, I'm not sure you'll get good shots of the cars crossing the finish line. If you can get to the end of the track, from straight-on a telephoto lens gives great compression effect down the track.
I have a few photos posted here:

http://damphyne.com/gallery/OCDrags

Don't forget to shoot the girls.

[Motorsports Photo]

I agree with DAMphyne.

Almost all the excitement is at the start line. Twisted frames, smoking tires and wheelstands are much more exciting than panning as they go past the grandstands.

Make sure take advantage of the most DOF youcan, but you'll have to balance it with the highest shutter speed to tyr to keep things sharp.

have fun and DONT FORGET your hearing protection!

-Pete

[vvizard]

How fast shutter-speeds have worked best for you? I would like the bodys sharp of course, but last time I shot drag, as said, I used 1/2000, and when the rims on a 120Mp/h car is tack sharp, something is clearly wrong :wink: 1/400 is a great place to start? I don't have a laptop so I can check it at site unfortunatly, and for sharpness-checks, I don't like the LCD that much..

[DAMphyne]

1/500-1/800 sec is what I usually end up with. I like to use AV mode so I can control DOF, on a good sunshiny day, you shouldn't have any problem getting F5.6 or F8, ISO 200-400.
Oh Yeah, DON"T forget your earplugs, that's probably the best advice yet.

[DAMphyne]

One more thing, use a polarizing filter, I had a lot of trouble with reflections on the windows and it will help the color of the cars be more vibrant.

[vvizard]

I would love that, but unfortunatly I don't have a 77mm polarizer :( It's on my list of things to get, but it'll cost me ~ $100 at my local "camera-pusher" and I can't afford it until my next salary. Mastercard bent to the limit already :-P

[vvizard]

It's a shame really, that I haven't quitted reading this forum a long time ago.. You cost me too much money! :/ My local camera-store opens in 15 minutes, and it's a 15 minute drive. I just checked Norwegian webshops, and the plain-stock-vanilla-no-whistles-but-multicoated 77mm polarizer from HOYA costs $133 at our webshops.. That'll be a good $150 over the desk probably :/ Anyway.. Got to hit the road =D (I'll probably send my credit-card bills to Pekka one day! ;))

[GenEOS]

Drag racing can be boring to photograph, since a lot of the shots are so typical. Some classes of it are down right boring.
Burnouts & launches are the typical shots. Get a low perspective if possible, but you said you would be in the stands, so that is out.
The wall or guard rail may be in your way from the stands, as well as the photogs standing trackside.

To make you shots interesting, try to capture non-typical shots. Show details not everyone notices. Walk around the pits and get shots of the guys working on the cars. There are lots of interesting people at these events.. work them into your story.

The stands can be a great place to get some really nice panned shots at half track, if possible. Slow the shutter speeds down an work on your panning technique.

At this year's NHRA event here in Houston, I shot a pic of a local racer who's car caught fire on the line. I was one of two people shooting next to the track, because this was one of the underling classes and the big magazines could care less about them. But the images were cool.
Expect the unexpected, be prepared to spray and pray...

If any of the cars have parachutes, you can get some good shots of them opening at the big end in the run out area...some of the shotts are very colorful.

You can check these out from this years Houston NHRA event if you like: http://www.tunstall.cc/prosports.htm

[adamsti]

I guess you need to be a gearhead like me, but I race and I also like to photograph the races. I have one track where I know the owner so I can get on the starting line. Just remember to keep the shutter speed down somewhat to give a sense of movement. I failed to do this in some of the shots. I have been to lazy to start a website but a lot of my racing stuff is posted here. All of it is film, except for the most recent gallery. I just bought a 10D, but the first time out I did not do so good. I'm much better with the EOS 3 right now, but that will change soon.
Anyway here is the link:
http://community.webshots.com/user/adamsti

[vvizard]

You can check these out from this years Houston NHRA event if you like: http://www.tunstall.cc/prosports.htm

Very nice shots! I found one in particular I liked:

I mean, come on! Look at the lens on this baby =D
http://www.tunstall.cc/galleries/041604_NHRA/04-16-04%20hcn-nhra-crw_1792_std.jpg

[where1]

If any of the cars have parachutes, you can get some good shots of them opening at the big end in the run out area...some of the shotts are very colorful.


It is nice if you can include the timing lights at the end of the quarter mile displaying the racer's time and speed. Really nice if it is the racer's personal best.

[vvizard]

Including both the timing-board, and parachutes opening was not possible from where I stood. I was on the opposite side of the track as the board, and the board was standing at ~ 200 yards (end of street-legal strip), while no cars competing in street legal needs parachutes, as they got like 800 yards or so to brake on after the finish line. The cars needing parachutes though, would be 250-300 yards up the track from the board when the chutes open, and including both would require a wide-angle, and it would simply not work :/ I need a longer lens, and move back to the starting positions to capture both at once I think.

[JEFFDUBE2]

You cannot be serious!!!! Mine cost me $9.95 with a case!

[SWPhotoImaging]

I mean, come on! Look at the lens on this baby =D
http://www.tunstall.cc/galleries/041604_NHRA/04-16-04%20hcn-nhra-crw_1792_std.jpg

Nice stance, good grip, excellent hand bracing . . .
and a nice 70-200 to boot!

She's definately hot!

[wilddave]

There is some great advice there. I'll be attending an even in a few days that I'll be shooting. However it will be getting dark due to races not starting till about 7pm (dusk). I'll be using a EOS 400d, 28-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM len, and have a 430ex speedlight. but i have very little experience with flash or drag photography so any tips would be great.

[DAMphyne]

The closer you can get, the better. I'd be sure, if you are getting close, that the operator of the track doesn't have a problem with using flash.
Get that high ISO going an try some without the flash.
Don't forget your earplugs.
What?