amateur photo thread.
- Thread starter Conbon14
- 1,852 comments
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- 1,931
- Recklinghausen
- n_blkr
Thank you very much!
Here's the good part: there were three JPS style cars on track. Here are the other two:
DSC00875 by NBLKRVISUALS, auf Flickr
DSC00120 by NBLKRVISUALS, auf Flickr
DSC01029 by NBLKRVISUALS, auf Flickr
DSC00968 by NBLKRVISUALS, auf Flickr
- 16,491
- United Kingdom
A few from the British GT Practice at Silverstone yesterday. Had tickets for today as well, but Jesus do I hate Silverstone ... literally couldn't bring myself to go.
Trackside air-conditioned boxes for millionaires to buy ...
The peasants get locked grandstands and legionnaire's disease...
Trackside air-conditioned boxes for millionaires to buy ...
The peasants get locked grandstands and legionnaire's disease...
- 235
- United Kingdom
Couldn't agree more. Worst track in the UK for spectators in my opinion, overpriced and absolutely soulless.
Still, you managed to find a few decent spots for pictures!
- 16,491
- United Kingdom
Yup, I'd pretty much agree. That's not to say other venues are perfect, and I understand safety acts as impetus for some decisions, but as the UK's 'flagship' circuit, the experience it offers is nowhere near good enough. I'd literally rather go anywhere else - I'm local to Silverstone, it's a shame Knockhill is so far away!
Silverstone can't really get much worse for amateur photographers than it already was, mostly because of catch fences - which is just unavoidable as an F1 venue, but with more and more fences creeping in at MSV circuits, it really does suck the fun out of the experience, especially when you're having to perch yourself atop other fences, in the rain, to try and get a clean shot. They've recently removed some of the photographers windows in the fences at Silverstone too.
Scaff
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- He/Him
- ScaffUK
Castle Combe for the win for photographers, you can walk around the entire circuit, loads of spots you can photograph from that look over the catch-fencing and the most open paddock of any circuit I've been to. Well worth a trip with a camera or six.
- 235
- United Kingdom
Lydden Hill tops Castle Combe for me; waist high fence for 95% of the circuit and a short distance between the spectator areas and the track. There is a small section closed off at the moment (for tree felling), otherwise you can get around the whole thing.
Goodwood is mainly low fencing around the perimeter as well (the general layout there is very reminiscent of Combe to me). Some of the spectator lines are a little further back, but still a ton of decent spots.
Brands Hatch was great, but they are slowly ruining all the best spots. Still the best of the MSV circuits for spectator photography in my opinion, but I wonder how long that will be true.
Snetterton had a few good spots, but I haven't been there for a few years, so I am not sure if that is still the case. Still a few low fences at Croft and Thruxton, but only a portion of the track is walkable, so limited options there. Haven't been to Donington for a lot of years, but all the spectator areas I went to were a long way from the track and I was lacking sufficient zoom!
Low fencing at Blyton but very limited spectator area (and also the most bland background of any circuit in the UK!). I'm yet to get to Anglesey and Knockhill, I understand they are both a bit bleak but good for fencing. I really want to try Cadwell, as I have seen a few great shots from there.
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- 1,931
- Recklinghausen
- n_blkr
Reading all that really makes me want to travel to the UK for a race or two in the near future. But I'd need to know before hand which series won't require a press card or letter of intent.
EDIT: I do know that the NASCAR Whelen Euro Series doesn't require both, since I've been photographing at the season finale at Circuit Zolder the last two years.
EDIT: I do know that the NASCAR Whelen Euro Series doesn't require both, since I've been photographing at the season finale at Circuit Zolder the last two years.
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- 16,491
- United Kingdom
Surely if you've got creds fencing doesn't matter anyway?
- 1,931
- Recklinghausen
- n_blkr
In like "You've got good creds, here is your accreditation" or just turning up to a race and shooting through the spectator fencing?
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- 16,491
- United Kingdom
Sorry, I've confused myself with what I said, I'd misread what you wrote. Off the back of what we were talking about I thought you'd be behind the fence anyway. Not sure about getting accreditation here, there's obviously different ways of going about it, I'd imagine it's all very similar to over there.
Shooting through the fence is always an option though, it's what 99% of the people trackside end up doing, there's just better places to do it than others.
Just followed you Flickr by the way.
Oulton Park for me. Since they closed off Stirlings and chucked all the catch fencing up on the GP loop at Brands I haven't actually been back.
Cadwell is pretty good, as with Oulton, the topography really helps. Snetterton is still very open, but as with Silverstone, the backdrops are generally pretty dull.
- 1,931
- Recklinghausen
- n_blkr
No worries. ^^
Maybe I need to look into it for next year, since I'm already fully planned out for this year. Still got half a dozen events coming up this year in Belgium and the Netherlands, should I be accredited for all of them.
Shooting through the fence... yeah that's what I always did before getting serious about everything. Sure, depending on the track there are a lot of ways to take beautiful images (Take Spa for example, the last corner befofe Pouhon. Shooting down that hill can create some great pictures), but ever since I got accredited at an event for the first time in 2022, I never wanna do it another way. I'm that passionate about the hobby I do, I guess.
And thanks! Reminds me to properly update and tidy up my Flickr page. 👀
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- 16,491
- United Kingdom
Ha, fair enough. I'm stuck in limbo where I hate being a slave to the viewfinder at events, instead of just enjoying them, and sucking as a hobbyist photographer and wanting to be better!
- 1,931
- Recklinghausen
- n_blkr
Feel 'ya. 😁
Though, when I attend events with friends I find myself leaving my camera at home more often. I'm there to have a good time with them, not for just taking nice pictures.
- 235
- United Kingdom
In my (very limited) experience, getting accreditation in Europe has been much less hassle than in the UK. I have only shot rallycross in Europe, but just a few circuits have asked to see public liability insurance. Every tarmac circuit I have shot at in the UK has wanted to see PLI, some up to the value of £5 million.
I have never shot trackside at an MSV circuit: tried to get accredited for an event (at Brands Hatch) a few years ago and the application process was so convoluted that I gave up and just shot from the spectator areas.
Done a few motocross, speedway and grasstrack events (trackside) in the UK as well. They have been a very mixed bag in terms of the process of getting accreditation and the actual experience whilst I have been trackside. Speedway and grasstrack have proved so unpredictable in the past, that I have shot more recent events from the spectator areas!
Don't blame you. I still love the circuit, but it irks me every time I walk around the GP loop seeing how much they have ruined it for spectators, especially those with a camera. All for a series that didn't come back again
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- 16,491
- United Kingdom
@Nico_Ble99, this seems a relevant consideration.
I've been offered creds twice by people already with access, I've taken neither up on the offer because it's not a situation I wanted to go into half-assed feeling like I wasn't supposed to be there.
I do like Brands and I will go back, it's just so frustrating. I'd say we are past peak amateur race photography in the UK, though I suspect it won't be long before some casual in flip flops is taking better photos than me on their phone 'cus it's got AI fence removal!Don't blame you. I still love the circuit, but it irks me every time I walk around the GP loop seeing how much they have ruined it for spectators, especially those with a camera. All for a series that didn't come back again
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- 235
- United Kingdom
I haven't looked at the MSV media process for a while now, so it may have changed; I suspect it likely has as, when I was looking at accreditation, evidence of print media was a big part of it. That seems less relevant these days.
"half-assed feeling like I wasn't supposed to be there" is a pretty good summary of the time I have spent trackside. My first opportunity to go trackside came as a prize to a photography competition; it is a long tale, but everything that has happened since has really been a consequence of that. I was just an enthusiastic spectator with a camera then and I still feel the same now!
If you get the chance, then I would urge you to say yes and see where it leads you. It is meaningless really, but I get a massive kick being able to stand alongside the professional photographers and journalists who I respect the hell out of and being able to peep behind the curtain of the motorsport I love.
My view on this is very old fashioned, as my personal preference is to avoid any post-processing if possible (as I feel like I am cheating to get a photo!). The use of AI is like another level on this to me!
- 1,931
- Recklinghausen
- n_blkr
It does indeed. I did it during the WEC race at Spa last year and it turned out fairly well, I think I have posted a picture of the Glickenhaus hypercar blasting down the old start/finish straight here from that day.
Also just photographed from the stands or the roof of the pit buildings in Assen one time in 2021, before I started applying for accreditations.
Over the last two years, I have picked out my races / series I'll apply for media accreditation. For me, it's the Creventic 24H Series, International GT Open, NASCAR Whelen Euro Series and (I never thought it would be possible as an amateur motorsports photographer but here we are, hah) MotoGP. Track-wise, it's usually either Spa, Zolder or Assen. Though, I have applied for accreditation when the NWES returns to oval racing @ Raceway Venray in June as well. Creventic, GT Sport (Int'l GT Open host) and even NASCAR are very "open" when it comes to handing out credentials. A press card can be provided during the application process, however it's not necessary to have one to get accredited. I have tried applying for VLN (now NLS) and ADAC GT Masters once, but Germany bureaucracy is at it's peak when it comes to series hosted in Germany or races at German race tracks in general. Without a press card and letter of intent, you're getting nowhere. And don't forget your outreach on the web and your socials. Even when I applied for the NWES round in Oschersleben last year, I still needed to be accredited by the race track, despite being granted permission from NWES media officials themselves. But do let me know if you want to know how I got MotoGP credentials. The story is quite interesting.
That's exactly the way I feel about it as well. Sure, I'd really like it if all that leads me to some great opportunity one day. But even if that will never happen, it's a privilege to just be there, do what I'm passionate about among utter professionals and make myself a better photographer every time by trying different angles, techniques or simply by being inspired by some well-known motorsport photographers and then trying to get as close as possible to even remotely recreating a picture the guy has taken once. Of course, while still being the car-nut that I (or we) are and enjoying the sights, sounds and excitement motorsport brings to us.
- 8,831
- Ottawa
- Automotive_Buff
Also side note, I am PISSED that I missed the solar flare event from last Friday. I was so tired from work I slept from 6 PM til 5 AM the next morning. I wake up to a news article that says we can expect aurora lights in the southern regions of Ontario due to this solar flare and it said they will occur Friday and Saturday. I thought okay I had time to still see it that night and NOTHING.
Damn you work exhaustion and CBC news!!
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- 19,462
- HSV
It was also a (possibly) once-in-a-lifetime event in Alabama and my neighbors saw it around 9-10pm. After a long week at work, we were zonked out by 8pm, but the following nights offered no aurora lights. My better half has been more upset about this than me, which is also rare.
All the more reason to get that off-season Alaska trip planned...
Scaff
Moderator
- 29,042
- He/Him
- ScaffUK
I was given a Zenit EM with a 58mm f2 Helios 44M-4 and as well as finishing off a roll of undetermined age Agfa film in it, I also used the Helios on my Olympus E-M1 II via an M42 to M4/3 adaptor. It gives an effective focal length of 116mm and you can get an absurdly shallow depth of field and background blur up close as a result.
A few shots from my first mess around with it on the Oly, just shots in the garden, but this is going to get a lot more use.
A few shots from my first mess around with it on the Oly, just shots in the garden, but this is going to get a lot more use.
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