WTCC @ Brands Hatch

[FelixP]

I had a very hot but enjoyable weekend at Brands for the WTCC and 100-400 convention! It really is a lovely circuit and so friendly when it comes to taking photos.

I walked around the whole circuit each day to get as many interesting photos as possible, that said, I do have a few boring ones too. Inspired by John Thawley's through the trees pans, I decided to have a go myself, and it really opened up a whole new world! I found myself looking for openings in the leaves to shoot through. It also added a bit more of a challenge choosing the perfect moment to shoot and a nice formation of foliage.

Gear used was 30D and either 17-55 or 80-200. I still believe the magic drainpipe is optical perfection and we must share a birthday too, as mine is dated January 1990. It's also a credit to Brands that 200mm is plenty long enough!

Hope you enjoy the photos, thanks for looking and tough C&C is welcomed as always!

I'll begin with Larini having a death defying moment:

http://img440.imageshack.us/img440/55/mg0391xm9.jpg

The Historics were great as per usual:

http://img440.imageshack.us/img440/4223/mg9833yw8.jpg

The marshalls look on at the obligatory Prialux shot:

http://img179.imageshack.us/img179/9176/mg9692rh7.jpg

Now it's time to go greenery!

http://img376.imageshack.us/img376/9867/mg0633xe4.jpg

I like the ambiguity of this one and the way in which the light shining off of the IFM car resembles the streaks of light between the leaves. Sorry for sounding so pretentious!

http://img440.imageshack.us/img440/571/mg9459nt2.jpg

Redefining low keeper rate. And it's not as sharp as I'd like, and I think it might work better in portrait!

http://img99.imageshack.us/img99/6669/mg9289vp5.jpg

A very nice Corvette powering out of Druids in the evening sun:

http://img99.imageshack.us/img99/9114/mg0807nk4.jpg

I shall leave you with a 1/15th 3 wide pan:

http://img99.imageshack.us/img99/4048/mg0790gm5.jpg

[Dave_G]

top stuff

they look like they lack a bit of contrast on my monitor.

not a fan of the experimental stuff unfortunately - the corvette in the trees is nice though

[Owain Shaw]

I actually thought these were probably some of your best work Felix, some of the really slow ones work rather well, particularly in the extended selection I saw elsewhere ... not all of them but, they are a lower percentage shot so you just have to try them and see what's what.

[FelixP]

Thanks Owain and Dave!

Owain: I do have a thing for the slower shots now, as I think they are so much more dynamic and variable. Shooting 1/100 with a 90% keeper rate is just, well tame it seems, and the extra challenge and different results at slower speeds makes it much more interesting I think. I realise they are rather hit or miss though, some people like them, so don't.

Dave: Thanks! I don't think my monitor is very well set-up, but I didn't want to really crank up the contrast and lose details in the black, at least on my monitor! I must've seen you as well, sitting on the outside of Druids with the 120-300. I was to see more of those lenses!

And, as I was there for Saturday and Sunday, I'll total 16 images, so here's another 8 more generic ones for you all!

Corvette's, again:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v214/VLB/wtcc/_MG_9855.jpg

Thompson lifting a wheel, I quite like this angle, I believe it is "borrowed" from Az!

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v214/VLB/wtcc/_MG_9686.jpg

Sideways on the power overtaking at Druids:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v214/VLB/wtcc/_MG_0658.jpg

Ever seen flames from a WTCC BMW? Well, now you have!

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v214/VLB/wtcc/_MG_0220.jpg

More action in the historics:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v214/VLB/wtcc/_MG_0023.jpg

Monteiro having a lairy moment: NB: I prefer the centre of the car with the number and driver to be sharp in pans, however, because of the opposite lock in this one, having the front wheel sharp instead works out well.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v214/VLB/wtcc/_MG_9540.jpg

That Corvette putting 7.2 litres of power down:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v214/VLB/wtcc/_MG_9898.jpg

Later scaring the puny little cars out of the way:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v214/VLB/wtcc/_MG_9951.jpg

Hope you enjoyed those too! And more comments are welcomed as always!

[despot]

The second batch are more to my liking. The Corvettes are very nice.
Andy

[Owain Shaw]

I'd go along with that Felix, they just aren't all going to work all of the time but, you've got some good ones there, I like 6 (the ambiguity and difficulty of the shot) and particularly 7 (lovely light, colour and tone, hard not to like) and 8 (the varying speed of the cars, racing in motion, is a great effect) of the original set.

[cryton]

I really like the slow pans.Must work my way down to 1/15. I particularly like the historics..real character.