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Getting trackside
- Thread starter fred w
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- kev
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I went to cadwell on saturday to take some images of my mate who is running a bike in this seasons bsb, i was turned away from certain parts of the track because i hadnt got any insurance. I have no web site , wasnt going to make any gains from the shoot and it was my first time at a motorsport event so why do i need insurance??, surely i carnt do any damage with a camera just photographing bikes. I was asked several times during the day if i was the offical tog and could i take photos of partners etc on their bikes which i declined, seams like turning up with a 400 2.8 made me an offical tog but why do i need insurance? none required when i turn up with same equipment at airshow and low level stuff
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Where were you when you were "turned away"
Any photographer that is "Trackside" needs £5M PLI regardless of why you are shooting.
Trackside is also used for those areas where the public are not generally admitted.
At Cadwell that is areas like behind the pits and that area from the Med Centre towards Hall Bends on the inside of the circuit. The area forward of the the assembly area going towards the track.
Most clubs discourage the public from the assembly area.
Any photographer that is "Trackside" needs £5M PLI regardless of why you are shooting.
Trackside is also used for those areas where the public are not generally admitted.
At Cadwell that is areas like behind the pits and that area from the Med Centre towards Hall Bends on the inside of the circuit. The area forward of the the assembly area going towards the track.
Most clubs discourage the public from the assembly area.
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- kev
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First time at cadwell so not sure where your talking about but walked to the left hand side of the cafe and over to the right near a small grand stand just before the hill bit, I did ask a cadwell park employee at 8am where i could take photos and his reply was anywhere around the outside of the track but not inside. bur why do i need insurance to take photos?
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- Dex
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You need insurance if anything happens to you or a competitior whilst you are trackside causing injury or something else more serious.
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- Richard
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You don't need insurance to take photos, you need insurance to access those parts of the track.
When things go wrong during motor racing things can get ugly pretty quick. If a competitor has to react differently because of your presence then any accident could end up with partial or complete blame landing squarely at your feet. If the circuit let you access that area without insurance to cover any potential lawsuits then they would have to accept some liability too. They would have to pay out damages. So they are mitigating their liability by insisting you have the relevant insurance.
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- Nat
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I'm one of the lucky ones. My uni have been really supportive in getting me trackside. Instead of having to provide 3 publishments and a personal PLI letter, I've been able to gain accrediation for Anglesey Circuit and the Silverstone Classic Event by supplying a letter from my course tutor and PLI from the university which I've covered by.
If you want to get some close in shots I suggest going to smaller events that dont have barriers etc (The Big Bike Rally Challenge) and taking some there. But like Richard said things can get ugly pretty quickly so you need to be on your toes!
Nat
If you want to get some close in shots I suggest going to smaller events that dont have barriers etc (The Big Bike Rally Challenge) and taking some there. But like Richard said things can get ugly pretty quickly so you need to be on your toes!
Nat
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- kev
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ok then would i still need insurance if i stood infront of the cafe at cadwell of was in one of the public stands with my camera kit ?
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- James
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I tried the same route few years ago but wasn't that lucky, I guess it depends from the press officer really.
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- Nat
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I've had a few places turn me down, but they said it was on the basis that they only had a certain number of passes and the professionals got first dibs. And that's fair enough. Oulton Park did say that if I brought the letters with me I could sign on at Race Control for track days and testing
I spent most of the day today at the Big Bike Rally Challenge on the track or as close as I could get to it without getting stone thown at me. It was great! Little events like that allow you to get closer without anyone saying anything. I made a few contacts too which is really helpful!
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- Nick
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At the end of the day the reason you need PLI is that - that is the rule. Their circuit their rules.
5m PLI is standard on almost all circuits now, it doesn't even cost that much and will allow you to legitimately get trackside on (some) track days and test days.
5m PLI is standard on almost all circuits now, it doesn't even cost that much and will allow you to legitimately get trackside on (some) track days and test days.
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- Vlad
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Popular motorsport = publications wanting to send someone along
If it wasn't for most of those people, the publications would never actually run the story and photos...I know for sure that team press releases aren't something most papers will run or even rewrite.
Besides, you only saw that scene for the first lap of the first race, its not like it was like that all the way around the circuit!!!
If it wasn't for most of those people, the publications would never actually run the story and photos...I know for sure that team press releases aren't something most papers will run or even rewrite.
Besides, you only saw that scene for the first lap of the first race, its not like it was like that all the way around the circuit!!!
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- kev
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Thanks Nick , so a rough ball park figure how much does it cost to get 5m pli
i see aadokido it but might give them a try later
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- David
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its always amazed me how easy it is to get trackside tbh.
but i cant see it lasting much longer. As soon as someone gets hurt we'll all get banished back to punter side.
especially when you have scenes like this:
Snigger - sorry but that is one of the funniest sights I have seen for a very long time. . . . I knew there was a reason I aim for the other parts of the circuit on the first lap.
Thank you sire - you have made my day with that shot
.DAVID.
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I would've thought most publications would like a pic of the first corner of the first race of the year, particularly when something dramatic could happen there??
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- Vlad
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Yes, indeed - we had specific requests for that very shot actually.
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- David
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Yes, I understand completely but - it's still a funny shot! you can here the cacophony of shutters from here.
So I guess the race was to see who could get there memory card back to the media center and off to print 1st?
.DAVID.
So I guess the race was to see who could get there memory card back to the media center and off to print 1st?
.DAVID.
Gary
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simply business will broker it for approx £60.. and if you know someone who already has insurance with them you can get cash back too
I wouldnt insure my toenail with photoguard.
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- Vlad
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simply business will broker it for approx £60.. and if you know someone who already has insurance with them you can get cash back too
One day they might even mail the cheque ;-)
Gary
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but most of those publications can get that first corner shot indirectly from the official photographer of the series.. I hear they arent bad either
another reason there are so many photographers at the first corner is that a lot of them cover the grid and the first corner is the closest corner to the grid.
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Yes, do the grid shots and then you've got to hot foot it somewhere. First corner is closest, and the one that possibly got the most drama, and for the first race the sun wasn't ideal unless you like shooting into the sun.
The marshals were not allowing people higher than this - I shot the two formation laps from one of the slots higher up, but were then ushered down towards the bottom of paddock hill.
The place I was hoping to shoot from was where Adam Morgan went into the barrier...
The marshals were not allowing people higher than this - I shot the two formation laps from one of the slots higher up, but were then ushered down towards the bottom of paddock hill.
The place I was hoping to shoot from was where Adam Morgan went into the barrier...
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As much as I know some people (not BTCC) would like to have just the official series photographer and everyone else buy copies, this hopefully will not happen
Like I said earlier in this thread, I firmly believe that motorsport only gets page space because of the passion of the photo-journalists that provide it. Left alone to their own devices, most newspaper editors would overlook it.
All except the "rich old bloke racing", race series rely on publicity to keep the money rolling. No publicity, no advertising market. No advertising market, no sponsorship. No sponsorship, no racing...
A certain other race series would love to bin photographers, but they know they can't because the series will suffer if they do. Doesn't stop them making it hard though!