What makes a great Motosport Photographer?

[weka2000]

Ok this is open to a vast lot of opinion but what Im wanting to find out is how to take a high speed sport and to give it some "feeling"

Ive searched a lot and found that a lot of photos including mine are static when infact they should be full of motion and convay the feeling of high speed motorsport. However you cant always pan i.e comming into a corner after breaking.

Here is a few samples of what I got last year to give you an idea as where I am at with the subject

http://motorsport.tonysearle.co.nz/gallery.htm

So what does a good MSP (motorsport photographer) look for ?

Any help would be great

[ryant35]

You can pan on comming, zoom out as you shoot with a slow shutter.

Example: 1/500sec, to give a little bit of background & wheel blur. It's not the typical panning, but the truck does stand out from the background.

http://i88.photobucket.com/albums/k173/ryant35/CORR/IMG_5838.jpg

[weka2000]

So are we talking about a small amount of zoom ?

[Moppie]

However you cant always pan i.e comming into a corner after breaking.



Of course you can, you just have to match the camera movement to the car, and shoot from the right angle.



So what makes a great motorsport photographer?
Well heres one: http://photography-on-the.net/forum/member.php?u=11916

And here is another: http://photography-on-the.net/forum/member.php?u=97541


Both have completely different styles.
Kennys photos are technically perfect, and all follow a traditional formula of head on shots, 3/4 pans etc.
Clifes work is very different, more abstract and experimental with new angles, crops, slow shutter speeds etc.

But, they both do a great job of telling a story with their photos.
They both include in the frame only what you need to see, and in both cases they go to great lengths to find the right angle, track position and focal length to do that.

They also both understand motor sport, and have been around it for a long time, so they know what elements are needed in a photo to tell a story about motorsport, and they know where the stories are and how to filter them out of everything else that is going on.

Unfortunately I don't think it is something you can learn by reading a book, or a forum.
You actually need to spend years of your life around motorsport, and have a deep and unending passion for it.
You have to get involved in it before you can fully understand it, and only when you fully understand can you learn how to tell the stories that come out of it with photos.

To make a comparison, the great landscape photographers don't pick up a camera, read a book, then go and take a great photo on the South Islands west coast.
They live there if they can, or travel there as often as they can, and spend as much time there as they can.
They immerse themselves in the environment and the landscape.
They learn and understand how it changes with the seasons and the time of day.
Then they find with in the landscape a story they can express with a photo.


Of course you can still be a good or succesful motorsport photographer with the right gear and technical knowledge.
But true greatness requires something more.

[Tessa]

Just my 2 cents...

Many people make the mistake of always shooting standing upright. Don't. Try different heights, get down as low as you can go or climb somewhere higher and shoot down for a change. Cars at 3/4 angles look nice, but not if that's all there is. Shoot them coming straight at you, going past you, driving away. Vary the height and angle.

Don't always crop tight, instead find a place where the road goes up or down, has a nice s-curve or a turn, something interesting or just plain sky for the background and shoot wide, making the car part of the scenery. Shoot the car through a mass of spectators, shoot it with a pit wall, crew members or an official with a flag in the foreground.

Use the light available. Shoot the car as a silhouette against the setting sun, play with long shutter speeds (handheld, or with a tripod, or maybe with second curtain flash) in the dark. In winter when it's sunny, backlit snow thrown up by the car makes a gorgeous backdrop - same goes for huge clouds of backlit dust or water.

Vary the shutter speed. A water splash can look beautiful with every tiny droplet frozen in time - or similarly with billowing masses of "silky" waves. Experiment with panning but don't be afraid to use high shutter speeds too - like catching the moment when a drag car crumples it's back tires.

Don't just shoot the cars, shoot everything else around them too. Officials doing their job, a spectator wearing a funny hat, mechanics working on the car, a lonely used tire leaning against a wall, a driver putting on his helmet... Use different apertures, isolate the small details or get everything in focus. And don't be afraid to use a flash.

[gdrMatt]

What Moppie said :)

[Cadwell]

A great motorsport photographer is one who gives their customer the shots they want when they want.

[fishfoto]

A great motorsport photog is one who has a sixth sense of what is about to happen in front of them and plan for it.

Check out www.markjrebilas.com/blog

Mark covers all sorts of professional sports, having returned from the Olympics he's doing a lot of NFL games now, but still hitting the NASCAR circuit and just nailed an incredible motor boat wreck. You can frequently see his work in Sports Illustrated and ESPN The Magazine

[GSH]

A great motorsport photographer is one who gives their customer the shots they want when they want.

Here endeth the lesson.

[Simon Harrison]

You can pan on comming, zoom out as you shoot with a slow shutter.

Example: 1/500sec, to give a little bit of background & wheel blur. It's not the typical panning, but the truck does stand out from the background.



The truck is luminous orange - it will always stand out from the background, unless there's a pile of other luminous orange things there :lol:

[Bosscat]

Action, light, drama, triumph, heartbreak, humour, intensity, are all elements that make a great shot IMO

I don't think there is a definitive answer to the question though, as its such a subjective medium, and everyone sees it differently.

[weka2000]

Cheers guys. All helps. Im not wanting to be the "greatest" just get better photos for the drives/riders and at the same time learn to think out side the box.

:lol: Moppie :lol: ...... stop teasing me about moving to the south Island ..... you know I have to wait for my mother inlaw to move on :rolleyes:

[Mike Hoyer]

A great motorsport photographer is one who gives their customer the shots they want when they want.

Yeah, that, if you're in business.

If you're shooting for yourself, whatever makes you happy.

[Revhard191]

As a person who does race and enjoys photography I often know when and where to find some great shots, as I know the Apex's of the turns and more often the corners that take some great concentration and driving technique. I was just asked last night how much I would charge to go out and take some pics of a upcoming Drifting Driver who is a friend of my aunts.

Again, as a person who really enjoys taking pics, this is a great opportunity to get more practice on many technique that I have read here. I am not sure what to charge for a full day out and also how to sell the pics in the end. If anyone has any insight to helping me I would greatly appreciate your advice. Again, they just landed a tire sponsor and others are now coming aboard, so again, I don't want to over charge for anything as this is a prime opportunity to make a very good friend and client.

I also often talk to some of the drivers and ask them what type of pics they like and then often go from there and in the end, they seem to be very happy with the results.

Any advice you may have please feel free to comment.

Cheers, Angel

[DC Fan]

There's more to racing photography than the skills and techniques to capture peak action. Motorsports' attraction is its intensity, and that intensity can be seen in the faces of its participants. To tell the story of a race, those faces need to be seen.

http://www.fansview.com/racing/10252008b0492.jpg

http://www.fansview.com/racing/09282008a0953.jpg


http://www.fansview.com/racing/07202008e0383.jpg

http://www.fansview.com/racing/07132008b0435.jpg

Of course, none of these images compare to great pictures such as the shot of a disgusted Denis Hulme, stalking back to the pits with his car's broken halfshaft in his hand, or the reaction of Jim Clark after learning teammate Alan Stacey had been killed at the Belgian GP. But they do help to tell the inner story of a race.

[weka2000]

Im discovering really quickly that it helps to understand what is going on and about to happen. Im not in to cars or bikes, however I love been out there.

Oh I also got a intro to the pro guys .......... that was an experence :lol:

[Revhard191]

There's more to racing photography than the skills and techniques to capture peak action. Motorsports' attraction is its intensity, and that intensity can be seen in the faces of its participants. To tell the story of a race, those faces need to be seen.

Of course, none of these images compare to great pictures such as the shot of a disgusted Denis Hulme, stalking back to the pits with his car's broken halfshaft in his hand, or the reaction of Jim Clark after learning teammate Alan Stacey had been killed at the Belgian GP. But they do help to tell the inner story of a race.

Good Point! I have often went thru the pits taking many pics of our local Karters as well as other races that I attend. I normally take pics of the cars and often time post them up so our racers can see them. Maybe next time I will start to post up the pics that I have taken of them while talking to their tuners and also of the kids with there parents.

Thank you for sharing!

[stormjury]

I agree with all the above statments. For me as a driver aswell as a Photog (yeah I know very expencive hobbies hehehe) I find I am usually in a different position to other shooters out there and taking a slightly different angle and shot.
Some shots:

isnt easy shooting through tyre smoke
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3243/2998769971_3300b8fbcd.jpg

getting very close to the action!! :)
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3193/2999607128_9c7fffa9bd.jpg

Capturing what others don't see
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3079/3102664384_2e22c80736.jpg

Incar is also an interesting (rhd car)
http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1397/753739366_dcc0cd7dcc.jpg

Capture action even at night
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3020/2960812613_ede6cc04be.jpg

[Revhard191]

I agree with all the above statments. For me as a driver aswell as a Photog (yeah I know very expencive hobbies hehehe) I find I am usually in a different position to other shooters out there and taking a slightly different angle and shot.
Some shots:

Capturing what others don't see
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3079/3102664384_2e22c80736.jpg


I really love this picture, the silhouette of the cars that were there and the way they took off.....I especially like the tire marks or the graphics on the white vehicle. I have been shooting for a buddy of mine and he does PR work for 5 different drifters here in the USA. I have had the great pleasure to be on the fence at many events and I have been able to take some remarkable shots with my fish eye, and wide angle lens's. It is pretty difficult to take pics with the smoke and with 20 other photographers all going for the same shot. It is great to be out there with the pros and since I am new, they have taught me quite a bit and helped me out at the track with my setting to get better shots. And these are the guys that are getting paid decent money, and it is good to hear my name called out by them at the different events that I have attended and they joke with me and all hang out out at the track when we have time for some food. I am starting to get more and more into this addiction and with the help of some key friends to get me into events, it is even better to see some pics that I have taken on some HERO Cards that they sign and hand out to the fans... Accomplished hard work.... :)

I totally agree, my wife keeps telling me that I have WAY too many EXPENSIVE HOBBIES.....I race, built cars, customize our daily drivers, Photography, and the every day experience of living in Southern California where EVERY THING is EXPENSIVE.....but I manage to get things by the wife and the okay to buy new lens's when I can....it is just hard with the economy now with soo many lay offs and what not....

Cheers,

Angel

[Ruckus99ss]

Timing
1/400 shutter
http://ruckus.smugmug.com/photos/465518398_CFyqk-L.jpg
http://ruckus.smugmug.com/photos/465519872_3DnNU-L.jpg

[stormjury]

I totally agree with timming!!! Great shots!

[Arctica]

Here endeth the lesson.
Only if the lesson is to become a pro photog.
The majority of sports photographers are amateurs shooting for friends and family or for the passion of the sport and want to improve for their own sakes
Its not all about what goes on on the track...there's the highs/lows and emotion of pitlanes/service halts/spectators.
The photographers at GEPA are some of the best sports photographers in the business. Their main clients are Redbull (covering every sponsored event )and KTM images.
Their Grand Prix photography is second to none , we have some many of their photos on canvas at RBR adorning the walls and there isn't one that you wouldn't want at home on yours.
Granted you need decent equipment and the knowledge to use it but you also need an 'eye' for the unusual and not just the 'usual'.

[Arctica]

Just my 2 cents...


Many people make the mistake of always shooting standing upright. Don't. Try different heights, get down as low as you can go or climb somewhere higher and shoot down for a change. Cars at 3/4 angles look nice, but not if that's all there is. Shoot them coming straight at you, going past you, driving away. Vary the height and angle.

Don't always crop tight, instead find a place where the road goes up or down, has a nice s-curve or a turn, something interesting or just plain sky for the background and shoot wide, making the car part of the scenery. Shoot the car through a mass of spectators, shoot it with a pit wall, crew members or an official with a flag in the foreground.

Use the light available. Shoot the car as a silhouette against the setting sun, play with long shutter speeds (handheld, or with a tripod, or maybe with second curtain flash) in the dark. In winter when it's sunny, backlit snow thrown up by the car makes a gorgeous backdrop - same goes for huge clouds of backlit dust or water.

Vary the shutter speed. A water splash can look beautiful with every tiny droplet frozen in time - or similarly with billowing masses of "silky" waves. Experiment with panning but don't be afraid to use high shutter speeds too - like catching the moment when a drag car crumples it's back tires.

Don't just shoot the cars, shoot everything else around them too. Officials doing their job, a spectator wearing a funny hat, mechanics working on the car, a lonely used tire leaning against a wall, a driver putting on his helmet... Use different apertures, isolate the small details or get everything in focus. And don't be afraid to use a flash.

Great advice Tessa.
One wise old photog once said... 'Its like Sex, you can shoot as if in the Missionary position, fulfilling but 'safe'. Or... you can shoot in the Kama Sutra style, try something different, experiment and then you'll realise how much more exciting it can be':D

[e-flores]

They also both understand motor sport, and have been around it for a long time, so they know what elements are needed in a photo to tell a story about motorsport, and they know where the stories are and how to filter them out of everything else that is going on.

Unfortunately I don't think it is something you can learn by reading a book, or a forum.
You actually need to spend years of your life around motorsport, and have a deep and unending passion for it.
You have to get involved in it before you can fully understand it, and only when you fully understand can you learn how to tell the stories that come out of it with photos.

To make a comparison, the great landscape photographers don't pick up a camera, read a book, then go and take a great photo on the South Islands west coast.
They live there if they can, or travel there as often as they can, and spend as much time there as they can.
They immerse themselves in the environment and the landscape.
They learn and understand how it changes with the seasons and the time of day.
Then they find with in the landscape a story they can express with a photo.


Of course you can still be a good or succesful motorsport photographer with the right gear and technical knowledge.
But true greatness requires something more.

+1!!! i couldnt agree with you more! it helps out a ton more if you have been on the track. it will help you to remember emotion and context that will be able to help you tell the story as well.