Your First Ever Forest Rally Photos

[Simon Harrison]

I've been doing some planning for the Riponian rally next weekend, and dug out some photographs from back in 2004. These were taken on my first ever visit to the forest to watch a stage rally, and the stage is one of the ones I'm considering going to next week. Up until then, I'd only ever been to circuits and hillclimbs. Needless to say, it only took one visit to get me hooked. Here's some of the photographs I took: -

#1 An Escort going sideways - don't see that very often!


#2 A very nice Subaru on the brakes.


#3 Another sideways Escort, this time of mk I persuasion


#4 Kev Proctor is an extremely rapid Subaru


These were all taken with a 10D and a Canon 70-200 f4 L. Looking at the pictures I kept as 'keepers' from the event was interesting - most would now have been deleted pretty much straight away .

Anyway, if anyone else wants to add pictures from their first time in the forests, then please do. It would be interesting to see them.

Cheers,

Simon.

[ManuGD]

Very nice pictures!
I haven't got any forest rally photo, only tarmac ones...
But I'm waiting to others to post their photos, I'm sure they would be amazing.

[thumper 8]

My first rally was last fall. Only one major rally per year in these parts - the Pacific Forest Rally. I am jealous of you guys in the UK who seem to have a rally or hillclimb every weekend!

I was happy with some of the shots and managed to sell a few, but I was also experimenting throughout the day.

The daytime shots were OK but the night shots were a lot of fun experimenting with settings. I was restricted access - I had no credentials for the event, so I was shooting from the one and only spectator area for each stage.

Typical daytime shots:





The night shots were fun - I tried to get some tack sharp shots with flash (all handheld in freezing temps) but the results were mixed. I also tried panning with flash and experimented with shutter speed and ISO - much based on a thread posted by someone on POTN re: night rally shots.

None of the night shots were great, but I was trying to get some wheel blur while panning with flash ... and keep the shot sharp. The results were not great, but it was fun experimenting. I learned a lot so the results should be better for at 2009 rally, and think I will have full credentials too with access to other areas...and I will take my monopod next time! One thing I did learn: man, those rally lights are bright in the middle of nowhere!

Typical night shots, not great but part of the learning curve:

[Welby]

Here's one from my first forest rally.

[howaboutnow]

How cool are those!!! How do you find out about these events? Are there specific websites?

[Simon Harrison]

Keep them coming guys. It's also interesting to read what trials and tribulations you had. I was clueless on my first visit to the forest on so many things, and still am on some LOL!!

Simon.

[darren h]

They are good shots Simon if they were your first, i'll have to search through the hard drives to find my first digital ones. Are we including scanned film images or just digital

[Simon Harrison]

Originally Posted by darren h

They are good shots Simon if they were your first, i'll have to search through the hard drives to find my first digital ones. Are we including scanned film images or just digital

First from a forest stage, not my first motorsport photographs. If you're first shots are pre-digital, get them posted!

Cheers,

Simon.

[thumper 8]

Originally Posted by howaboutnow

How cool are those!!! How do you find out about these events? Are there specific websites?

If you are in Canada, check out this site for some basic info re: upcoming events. Google Cdn Rally Championship for more sites.

The first event of the year was this weekend.

One other thing I learned: dress warmly... I can get damn cold when you are there for hours in the woods.

[Cadwell]

Mmmm... I was a late starter to forest rallying. Here are a couple from my first outing (the 2005 Wyedean) that I am not too embarrassed to have seen in public

#1 EOS 1D Mark II and Canon EF 50mm f/1.4 USM (which is much to slow for sports work)


and

#2 Canon EOS 1D Mark II and Canon EF 70-200mm f/4L USM (which I no longer own)


Talk about not knowing what I was doing

Edit: Amusingly I shot the same car yesterday - http://photography-on-the.net/forum/...d.php?t=643263

[GSH]

I'll discount the 2006 Riponian as i only went to Lightwater Valley, so the 2006 RAC in Dalby must count as my first "proper" Forest stage..


An Escort being Escort-like..


A lovely old 'Tina..


Lancia Fulvia with optional roof rodent.


Another MK2..

[Big Ant]

My first rally with a camera, my trusty 350D. Had no idea what I was doing, look at the settings

A lucky shot that got my first picture published and led to my first ride in a WRC car

[thumper 8]

Originally Posted by Big Ant

A lucky shot that got my first picture published and led to my first ride in a WRC car

Great capture.

I notice from the focal length of many rally shots on POTN (70mm in the shot above) that in the UK and Europe you can get very close to the action.

My experience so far in Canada is that the spectator areas must be designated by a liability lawyer - behind safety tape nowhere near the action. I am used to shooting trackside close to the action. Hopefully I will be a little closer to the cars next year when accredited... or I will need to bring some longer glass.

[howaboutnow]

Originally Posted by thumper 8

If you are in Canada, check out this site for some basic info re: upcoming events. Google Cdn Rally Championship for more sites.

The first event of the year was this weekend.

One other thing I learned: dress warmly... I can get damn cold when you are there for hours in the woods.

THANK YOU!