Press only areas.

Bumped into a local newspaper photographer while at the track today. We got talking about cameras etc and I said how good it would be to be 'the other side of the fence'. He told me to grab my gear and 'climbed' over the fence. To be able to be 10 metres nearer the corner and 5 metres nearer the track made all the difference in the world. I would never have been at the right angle to get this photo. And I think this photo is superb (I would though wouldn't I)

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Great photo! So how come you didnt get on the other side of the fence in the first place? Do you get in trouble if you're caught or what?

Yep you can get some really great shot from shooting "on the other side of the fence", BUT.........

That was abit nautey jumping over the "safety" fence .And i think it was wrong for the news paper photographer guy to say to you, to jump over .

I hope you was insured to go on the other side of the fence

Nice shot though!

Dan.

AGENT 99 wrote in post #2060766
Do you get in trouble if you're caught or what?

If you're lucky yes.

If you're unlucky you get hit by a stray wheel / car / bike, then you're totally uninsured and in big trouble.
Personally i feel better getting good results from a Public area than blagging my way trackside when i shouldn't be there.

OK, I knew I was going to be flamed for what I wrote. I didn't 'blag' my way in, the photog came up to me while I was sat in my car as he saw my camera. He was using a Nikon but I won't hold that against him. I followed him where he went as he's been there thousands of times before. The fence is only as high as say Coombe fence was 15 years ago, just a leg over. The flag marshalls/fire marhsalls know him and allow him to get his newspaper shot on club days. Stray wheels/cars/bikes they would have gone straight on at that bend. It's a slow 20kph 1st gear corner. We were a good 50 metres down the track. As for standing in public areas wasn't it Keith O'Dor (or Matt Neal?) who vaulted Donningtons high fence and if you had seen the GT3s at Pukekohe, you'll know. I have also been involved in motorsport since I was 5 years old so I am more than aware of the dangers. (Flame suit back on...)

Perhaps I should have posted in the critque thread!!!!

"Let he who is without sin cast the first stone .... "

Nice shot, on 2 wheels, pretty impresive!

Still a cool shot

If you get invited it'd be impolite to turn them down

If you're in a dangerous position the marshals will soon let you know by pointing you to a safer place or kicking you out.

NordieBoy wrote in post #2064812
If you get invited it'd be impolite to turn them down

It's a Kiwi thing.

There are some very defined 'no go' areas in case of those bouncing wheels and runaway bikes and it was 'only' a club. He did say on the Grand Prix day and the like he'd have to got to the COC and get his bib etc.

I think you need an explanation as to the response you got, which was done well without flaming imo.

As a professional photographer, at least in the US, we are seeing more and more "non-professionals" working with credentials. There are folks shooting their first event (I know we all had one, its not about that) and more and more folks that think they know what they are doing. There are more folks that fail to ask questions and there are more folks that think its cool and are really nothing more than fans with good seats.

These guys are getting themselves in trouble and therefore getting ALL of us in trouble. We are in danger of losing shooting areas that those of us that know what we are doing are working smart to those that wander in and ignore rules or simply dont care to ask or pay attention.

Just this past weekend I watched an area that was supposed to be open only to those photographers that travel with the ALMS (and therefore know what they are doing) get inundated with amateurs, first timers and others that were not supposed to be there. They either did not attend the required photo meeting to hear the announcement, they didnt understand or they simply didnt care and said "screw it, those guys arent any less likely to get hurt than I am." I dont know why, but it happened and if the track officials find out about it, its likely that will never be open to us again.

So you have to understand, when we hear about people "jumping the fence" or going into "red zones" without proper permission, it gets our blood pressures up as we are already getting restricted more and more due to the track insurance companies and when folks who potentially dont know what they are doing get into areas where they could get hurt, it could put a quick end to access altogether. Insurance companies dont care whether you were allowed to be there or not, someone simply got hurt, so someone else can too.

You got a great shot and you're right, sometimes access makes all the difference, sometimes it doesnt though. I would just suggest to you in the future to try to make sure you do it legally, both for your own safety and for the sake of the pros to keep the ability to do our jobs.

Hope you understand the responses a bit better now, it wanst personal I'm sure.

Now take that shot, shop it around and get a real press pass next time.

I generally shoot at Mosport in Canada, since one of my friends is a Flag Marshall I sometimes luck out on regional weekends and get a trackside pass. I also got a list of rules with that pass the first time I shot an event so that saved me from making some stupid mistakes. It took me 2 events to get comfy with being on that side of the fence. Now that I have that exposure however I can see how the pro guys can get annoyed with people just jumping over.

VWPILOT is right on in his response.

The above quote from your response is proof to me that, as VWPILOT says, too many people don't belong there. When you are near the track a stray wheel/bike/car can still come into that area. That is one reason why that area is fenced off and supposedly restricted.
If I would have been there, I would not only have turned you in but this newspaper guy as well for inviting you to "jump the fence". Obviously you nor he understands the danger of racing, no matter how slow they are going.

vwpilot, thank you for your response. I understand what you are saying and feel there needs to be some sorting out who can and can't be where in your areas...and quickly.

Indyjeff, Oh dear, I don't know what to say...

I don't think you read the post quite well enough. He has been doing what he does, standing where he does, thousands of times and is very well aware of the dangers. I have been involved in motorsport one way or another since I was five so I am very well aware of the danger.

Just in case you missed it.

The most dangerous thing about going into press/media areas is the competitive photogs looking to rip off a limb at the first sign of weakness.

Your only hope is to show up with better equipment and better contacts and establish yourself as the alpha photog or face almost certain humiliiation and alienation from the pack.