Milan Dragway - T&T 10/06/10

The track wouldn't let me shoot from the area past the tree so I couldn't get any frontal wheelie type shots.. Kidna bummed about that, but I think a few of the pics still turned out okay.

Gallery

A few snips:

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I'm lucky in the sense that our track will let me go almost any place I'd like to go. That being said, I'm not interested in dying any time soon, either. I haven't shot at a track that wouldn't let you go as far as the 60 foot lights, but I suppose limiting it to the tree makes it easier for them to keep track of you. My preferred location for bikes is between the tree and the starting line, much like your first image. This keeps their extremely bright headlights from messing with the autofocus quite so much, which happens far too often to me with bikes and sports compacts.

My preferred location for cars is usually between the tree and the 60 foot lights. It all depends on the lens and the car. If the car really carries the front wheels a long distance, like I expect this weekend, then I like being farther out. Most cars don't keep raising them up very far out and I can catch them from the tree.

I'd suggest letting the track crew get to know your shooting behavior for a while. When they are convinced that you don't take chances and don't interfere with the races, then they MIGHT loosen the reigns on you a little. If you plan to keep doing this, then a relationship with the track crew is essential.

They limited me based on the resident photographer complaining to the staff that I was taking pictures. He's intimidated by amateurs apparently, even though I'm not selling my pics or getting in his way. Whatever.

Good point about the headlights. That can definitely screw up the auto-focus.

All in all I just like variety. Being closer to the 60 is good for wheelie shots, but you only need so many of those in your collection.

Ah! Since I am the track photographer I don't have that problem.

On the other side of that coin, I tend to share. If someone else wants to shoot, as long as we don't get in each other's way and they are well behaved in terms of safety, they are welcome on "my turf." Of course, I'm not trying to wring every penny out of the deal and I certainly don't make a living at it. I might have a different attitude if I did. I figure I'm there to shoot for the track and if I make a few bucks along the way, well so be it. I have shot at other tracks where there is a track photographer. When that is the case, I try to chat with them a bit and make sure I have the ground rules straight. There is a track I shoot at several times a year that has a regular photographer that sells on line like I do. When I shoot there, I promise not to put anything on line for a decent period of time, which according to him is a week or two. He doesn't have anything to worry about. I shot there in August and I still haven't put any of those pictures up. Too busy with my track's stuff. But I digress.