Petit LeMans

[tetralogy]

I will going to Petit LeMans for the first time this year. Can some of the POTN members share their favorite spots for shooting at this track?

Thanks,

Eliot

[dinanm3atl]

Spectator that is shooting or shooting for Media?

[57bronco]

I received this in a email from Road Atlanta a few weeks ago.

Best Places to View During the Petit Le Mans

With Petit Le Mans powered by Mazda2 being a 10 hour/1,000 mile race, there is plenty of time to watch from several fantastic viewing areas! Make sure to stop be each to see the world’s best sports cars battle at speeds up to 200 mph!
The Esses: This historic spot between turns 4 and 5 is one of the most photographed locations by race photographers. There is plenty of fence line so you can get up-close and personal! This is also a great place to camp!
Spectator Hill: At this location you can join thousands of fans and have a great view of the cars racing down hill towards you through the Esses. It’s the best view on the track and a fun party atmosphere. A jumbotron screen is placed across track to allow spectators to watch the live feed so you can follow the race completely!
The Back Straight Away: This long, straight shot allows the race cars to get up to 200 mph with unbelievable passing! Anywhere along this straight is a great place for picture taking…if you’re fast with a camera!
Turn 10 Seating Bowl: Large terrace seating overlooks the tight left-right turn combination of 10a and 10b with a large jumbotron screen featuring live feed to keep you in the loop when the cars are out of sight. At night you will watch the bright fire red rotators light up as the race cars break hard from the straight away to the demanding left turn!
Turn 12/Front Straight: The last turn of the lap drops from 1,015 feet above sea level to the sharp right turn into the front straightaway, over the start/finish line. This is a great place to watch the start of the race and the end!

[zerinS4]

I dropped you a PM with a photo walkthrough of the track from a few different vantage points I shot last year. I have many more shots from previous years but I need to fix a database issue with my site first ;) Hope it helps.

[dinanm3atl]

I dropped you a PM with a photo walkthrough of the track from a few different vantage points I shot last year. I have many more shots from previous years but I need to fix a database issue with my site first ;) Hope it helps.

Cool. I am shooting you a PM. I have shot Road Atlanta a whole bunch but seeing it through someone elses eyes would be great.

[FatAlbert]

Eliot,
I managed to get down to the inside of turn 1 at the Kawasaki Challenge last year and got some good shots of the bikes accelerating up the hill. You're quite close so you don't need a huge lens. Also depending on the time of day you might want to try the hairpin at the top of the course. The major problem there is that your shooting into the sun for much of the time. Don't know what the crowds will be like for the Petit LeMans but I was able to walk/drive around quite freely to get to the various vantage points.

Enjoy the Racing!

FA

[dinanm3atl]

It will be busy!

Some of my spots that I like.

From the hill at the top of the course you can shoot down towards the esses.
From the hill in the middle of the course you can shoot down into the esses. Gives a top 1/4 view of the cars. Great place to pan.
Good spot to pan coming out of Turn 5 and going up the hill towards Turn 6.
Turn 6 and 7 are lower speed right handers before the back straight. Lots of brakes on Turn 6.
Big braking in turn 10A. Good spot 10a and 10b.
Climbing hill to turn 11. You don't need a long lens to pan. Cars are right there.

[emilcf]

I will going to Petit LeMans for the first time this year. Can some of the POTN members share their favorite spots for shooting at this track?

Thanks,

Eliot

It really depends on how long a lens you have. Road Atlanta is a pretty good track to shoot at as a spectator if you have 2-300mm or more but 400mm+ if you want to be able to fill the frame (on a crop camera) without having to crop too hard in post. Less than 300mm or even 200mm still gives you plenty of options though, especially if you don't mind cropping a bit harder.

And don't forget to bring a shorter lens for the paddock and vendor village - there's so much more to the experience than just what's happening out on the track.

Some suggestions for spots to shoot at below. I'm sure I've forgot some, but these should be the most of them - at least unless you have 400mm+. If I have the time I'll see if I can post some examples of the different spots.


Turn 1: Inside turn 1 along the fence between pit-out and where the catch fence starts. 3/4 front shot coming out of the turn or panning as they pass. 100-200mm
Turn 3: At the track access road through the gap in fence. 3/4 rear shot shooting through the gap. A lot of cars will lift rear tire when going over curbing (200-300mm) or 3/4 towards you (100-200mm)
Turn 5: Two options. 1. Rear shot going up the turn 5 hill from down behind the toilet/bath building (250-500mm). 2. From Spectator hill coming into turn 5. Either group shot through The Esses (100-200mm) or single car coming into the turn (300-400mm) or panning as they're going up the hill (200-300mm)
Turn 6: Going into or through the turn you're up higher than the track, so gives you a bit of an angle (50-150mm)
Turn 7: Can't remember exactly what your options are from behind the fence, but should be able to get them from the side in the apex (100-150mm).
Turn 10a/b: Plenty of options here both from inside and outside of the track. Anywhere from 100-500mm.

[dinanm3atl]

Another good list. Here are some examples and where they are taken from. Just random ones jumping through my flickr. Some of them are really old when I first started shooting haha

Exit turn 10b and climb to Turn 11 - Don't need huge lens
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4140/4755762968_671237c57f_z.jpg

Turn 5 to turn 6 - Spectator Area - Again don't need a large lens
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4135/4755124775_ec0f3c2e3a_z.jpg

Hill overlooking exit of Esses - Longer lens to fill frame - spectator
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2517/3980216545_64cb1b1397_z.jpg

Turn 5 looking towards large spectator hill
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3462/3980218881_2a00ba6733_z.jpg

Spectator Fence looking down esses - longer lens will fill frame
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2363/2429142395_506b46b523_z.jpg

10a and 10b - Same spot as pan above. Longer lens to fill frame
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3193/2429937954_1117be3f7e_z.jpg

[count_schemula]

I will going to Petit LeMans for the first time this year. Can some of the POTN members share their favorite spots for shooting at this track?

Thanks,

Eliot

You have ~10 hours to shoot the race, so you will have plenty of time to shoot the race from all the kool angles.

However, to me, the highlight of the whole day is in the paddock before the race starts. Getting so close to the cars, and feeling the energy and pre-race buzz, then they fire up the cars and drive slow through the crowd on the way to the grid. During this time you can get some crazy awesome shots.

Some of my favorite shooting is the 1-2 hours before the race has even started.

[dinanm3atl]

Agreed. I'll be down there for the grid and paddock.