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06/11/2005 11:17:07 AM · #1 |
I'm going to see some drag racing in a few hours (MOPAR Canadian Nationals - Top Fuel and Funny Car)...any tips on photography?
I went to the website of the track and the photos are unimpressive so if I collect some decent images I'd like to send them along and ask if they would ever like me to do some work for them.
The neat thing is they are opening up the pits today as well so I got photo ops in there, too!
Thanks in advance for your advice...
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06/11/2005 11:24:10 AM · #2 |
Wear hearing protection :)
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06/11/2005 11:25:26 AM · #3 |
Thanks John...I just about forgot to buy plugs!
How about photos, have you ever shot these races?
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06/11/2005 11:28:36 AM · #4 |
I have never photographed a drag racing event. I have done quite a few oval track stock car races though. I suppose my best tip would be to shoot most of your shots at the starting line area. Those cars are moving too fast within about 1 second after they start to get easy photos. If you shoot them coming towards you with a wide aperture, you will be lucky to get them in decent focus and sharp.
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06/11/2005 11:34:57 AM · #5 |
it might be cool to use a neutral density filter, so you could expose the scenes longer and get more smoke/spinning tires.
i've never shot such an event.
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06/11/2005 11:39:07 AM · #6 |
They are also having a "Nights of Fire" where the world champions race at dusk...so I'll try some stuff then, too...
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06/11/2005 11:45:38 AM · #7 |
well, i guess i'll just have to try it and show you guys the results...
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06/11/2005 11:53:22 AM · #8 |
Is John Force going to be there? If so you have to get a pic of him. Great Driver and never know what will happen, he holds nothing back.
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06/11/2005 11:58:38 AM · #9 |
I'm not sure...this is where I'm going:
www.grandbendmotorplex.com
I don't know much about drag racing...some of the names that will be there are Clay Millican, Bruce Litton, and Doug Foley, Mike Janis, Al Billes, Harold Martin, Rob Atchison (that's who gave us the tickets, Erickson Mfg), Mark Thomas, Terry McMillen...
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06/11/2005 12:47:18 PM · #10 |
If you are going to try and sell/give pictures to the track.
-Get pictures with signage in the backgroud/foreground.
-Get people shots.
--Shots of lil kids getting autographs
--Shots of people holding their ears
--If the grandstands are setup so you can do this, take a picture from the top and backside of the stands looking into the pits, a wide angle shot that shows how crowded everything is.
-Get pictures to the track ASAP. If the track updates their website frequently, they will want pictures Monday morning.
The typical "ideal" drag shot has the following elements in it.
-Front tires off of the ground
-Back tires crinkled from acceleration
-Fire or raw fuel coming from the exhaust. (Yes, you can see fire even during the day if the light is right).
Any 2 of the above makes a good picture, get all three and you nailed it.
Forget about getting any kind of parachute shot, you won't get close enough for it.
If the "tree" is in your shot, only show a green light. Red lights don't make good pictures, no one wants to see how they messed up.
Crank your shutter speed way the hell up. Keep it at a minium of 1/750sec. as long as you can until the light fades out where you can't maintain that shutter speed, or if you are being creative. Shooting at 200ISO and even 400ISO during the day is not uncommon. So be alarmed if you find yourself changing ISO settings during the middle of the day.
When the top fuel cars / funny cars come out, people will rush from the pit area to the grandstands to get their seats. Once those two classes run, people will leave the stands and head back out to the pits again.
You can view my gallery of some drag events that I have shot at:
NHRA SummitRacing.com Nationals
ACDelco Las Vegas Nationals
Message edited by author 2005-06-11 12:52:53. |
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06/11/2005 01:00:29 PM · #11 |
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06/11/2005 01:03:14 PM · #12 |
Oh...do you sell back to the sponsors as well?
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06/11/2005 01:18:54 PM · #13 |
| Selling back to the sponsors is a viable option that I never persued. Currently I shoot for the track. |
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06/12/2005 02:28:56 AM · #14 |
Well, I had a lot of fun...I found that options were limited without a pass (even with my 80-200). I mean, I got some neat shots...but there would have been a heck of a lot more possibilities if I had gotten one of those orange vests!
I'll post a few soon...thanks again for the advice!
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06/12/2005 04:23:13 AM · #15 |
Okay, here we go:
The guy who invited me...Pat Ryan:
Pat is the crew chief of the Erickson car driven by Rob Atchison (Defending World Champion):
The "make-the-track-look-good" photo:
Vehicles that just shouldn't drag:
 
And some more choice ones:
  
  
  
I've got more but it's 4:30 in the morning and I need to sleep now...these are quick edits but I'd love to hear your thoughts!
Message edited by author 2005-06-12 04:29:59.
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06/12/2005 06:07:22 AM · #16 |
nice work, mike! looks like you have a great start on building the portfolio that will help you get an orange vest. good luck!
Message edited by author 2005-06-12 06:07:40. |
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06/12/2005 06:26:43 AM · #17 |
I have no idea how those drag queens can work that clutch with those high heels.
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06/12/2005 07:40:06 AM · #18 |
| Hey Mike, the joys of being on the other side of the world. I just got home from work and found this thread. Drag racing is hard to photograph at the best of times. It looks like you got some good results from where you were. You do need to get trackside to get better. Jason has some great drag racing pics in his portfolio and have a look at mine as well. It's all about timing, hesitate for a fraction of a second and they are out of frame. Burnouts are a lot easier, they seem to sit there for ever sometimes. As Jason said keep your shutter speed as fast as you can for as long as you can and keep them as sharp as you can. The darker it gets the harder it becomes, slower shutter speeds and flash don't work as well as day light. Top Fuel cars are realy long and getting the whole car sharp is hard when it gets dark, which is when they are at their best visualy. No doubt you would have learned a lot already today and will have a better start next time. Good luck getting a pass. |
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06/12/2005 09:05:59 AM · #19 |
Originally posted by Jason:
Selling back to the sponsors is a viable option that I
never persued. Currently I shoot for the track. |
how much do you get for the pics |
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06/12/2005 10:06:35 AM · #20 |
| I guess this is too late for the event you were going to, but I'll tell you what I know for future stuff. I am a little new at this, but my boyfriend drag races and I have been working on getting some good shots for him. The "burn out"(where the smoke rolls from the tires) to get the tires to stick to the track is very popular with the guys. Also, there is a man who takes photos there and sells them. He uses a step ladder (with permission I'm sure) that he positions to one side of the track next to the wall. It looks like he uses a nice zoom lens of some kind ( sorry, not sure what, haven't got to talk to him yet). Anyway, he gets them "coming off the line" as soon as the light turns green. This is an important shot from the front angle because if the car lifts up, the guys want to have a picture of it doing that. It's all about bragging rights! The photographer sells 8x10's for $20.00 each. He has note books that he leaves on a table with proofs of the past months for people to see if he got a shot of their car. Looks like he's been doing it a while. Timing is everything here, so learn to watch the lights like the racers do. My boyfriend and his friends especially enjoy the short video clips that my camera can capture. Good luck ! |
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06/12/2005 11:36:26 AM · #21 |
a bump for west-worlders...please take a look at my post with photos and let me know your thoughts. It was my first drag racing event that I've ever attended, let alone photographed..
And Jason, your advice was right on. Thanks!
Message edited by author 2005-06-12 11:38:59.
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06/12/2005 12:17:02 PM · #22 |
Originally posted by pixieland:
... Anyway, he gets them "coming off the line" as soon as the light turns green. This is an important shot from the front angle because if the car lifts up, the guys want to have a picture of it doing that. It's all about bragging rights! |
Bragging about wasting energy and torque in rotating the car vertically instead of propelling it forward? A wheelie looks good, but is inefficient in getting across the finish line faster.
I think this guy is burning oil, not rubber ...
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06/12/2005 12:33:14 PM · #23 |
Originally posted by BigR:
Originally posted by Jason:
Selling back to the sponsors is a viable option that I
never persued. Currently I shoot for the track. |
how much do you get for the pics |
Now I can't tell you that. =) I can say that I would not be able to make a living off it alone. I would have to supplement the money the track pays me with something else. |
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06/12/2005 12:54:13 PM · #24 |
| you have some really nice shots, there. Nice job, looks like a great day! |
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06/12/2005 12:55:53 PM · #25 |
Ok, so now should I send a dozen to the track (with my copyright watermarked in the bottom right corner) and query their interest?
Where can I go from here (if anywhere)?
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