Goodwood FOS 2022 questions

snerkler

snerkler

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Toby
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Bit early I know but I've just booked tickets for the Goodwood Festival of Speed for Saturday and Sunday and have a couple of questions.

1. What lens(es) would be best for the 'on track' action? I currently have the Tamron 70-180mm f2.8 and Sony 100-400mm GM, which would be best (shooting on FF)? Also something else to throw into the mix is that ideally I'd like to swap the 70-180mm for the new Sony 70-200mm F2.8 GM II which I could use the 1.4xTC with if needed. For 'paddock' shots I have the 45mm f1.8, is this OK or do you need something wider due to not being much room to get a shot?

2. Where are the best places to stand for the hillclimb? Looking on flickr there looks like a variety of great locations, however I don't know if all are accessible to joe public? Such locations are like these I've found (open to other suggestions obviously)

1.

Porsche 962 - Goodwood Festival of Speed 2021 by Ed Weatherby, on Flickr

2.

Goodwood Festival Of Speed by Dan Fegent, on Flickr

3.

Goodwood Festival Of Speed by Dan Fegent, on Flickr

4.

Goodwood Festival of Speed 2016 by Paul Holtom, on Flickr

5.

Goodwood Festival of Speed 2016 by Paul Holtom, on Flickr

6.

Goodwood Festival Of Speed by Dan Fegent, on Flickr

7.
https://flic.kr/p/nRPrka
View: https://flic.kr/p/nRPrka


8.
https://flic.kr/p/M2C2w7
View: https://flic.kr/p/M2C2w7
 
Hi - I've been to FOS several times and most of the track action pictures above will probably have been taken by someone with media access.

Unless you are willing to get there early enough and camp at a spot on the hay bales it very difficult to get good track photos once it gets busy.

It is possible but I find a good nose round the paddocks followed by watching the track action works well. Get there early would be my advice

Having said that the rally stage is well worth a visit - the jump was good until they put loads of annoying distance markers on wither side of the stage, but the chalk soil does a great job of filling in the shadows under the car (a bit dusty when dry though).

A few photos from 2018 https://flic.kr/s/aHskBpvVjF
 
70-200 with the TC would be my choice, possibly with something even wider in the bag/pocket. You can always crop in to get extra apparent reach but stitching to get a wider view is less easy!
 
Willid1 said:
Hi - I've been to FOS several times and most of the track action pictures above will probably have been taken by someone with media access.

Unless you are willing to get there early enough and camp at a spot on the hay bales it very difficult to get good track photos once it gets busy.

It is possible but I find a good nose round the paddocks followed by watching the track action works well. Get there early would be my advice

Having said that the rally stage is well worth a visit - the jump was good until they put loads of annoying distance markers on wither side of the stage, but the chalk soil does a great job of filling in the shadows under the car (a bit dusty when dry though).

A few photos from 2018 https://flic.kr/s/aHskBpvVjF
Click to expand...
Nice shots, so Goodwood's not a great place for track action then? I see a number of your shots are at 400mm.
Nod said:
70-200 with the TC would be my choice, possibly with something even wider in the bag/pocket. You can always crop in to get extra apparent reach but stitching to get a wider view is less easy!
Click to expand...
Thanks
 
To expand a little...

It's usually hard to get results as good as those you can find from professionals who have better access to better spots so I'd look at their results rather than spend a lot of (often fruitless!) time peering through the VF trying. Not sure what access to the pits and paddock is like but that's where I'd rather be for detail shots.
 
Nod said:
To expand a little...

It's usually hard to get results as good as those you can find from professionals who have better access to better spots so I'd look at their results rather than spend a lot of (often fruitless!) time peering through the VF trying. Not sure what access to the pits and paddock is like but that's where I'd rather be for detail shots.
Click to expand...
Thanks, understood (y). It's the same everywhere you go, for example I'm never going to get the same shots as media at Donington and Silverstone etc
 
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MFlip said:
If it helps I managed these without media access from spectator areas: Fos 2021

Of those only the A4 was shot from a ticketed grandstand when one of the FoS guides let us up without tickets at the end of the day.
Click to expand...
Wow, these are special. This is the style I’d love to shoot but alas my skills and eye for competition aren’t good enough.

I assume it’s easy enough to find your way around to the different driving sections?
 
snerkler said:
I assume it’s easy enough to find your way around to the different driving sections?
Click to expand...

Well the hill climbs pretty straight forward. I'd give exact places but it seems to change every year I go in terms of visibility, with different barriers or bridges appearing. For the rally stage I spend most of my time on the inside. As you head up the hill through the trees to the right of the hill climb there's usually a foot bridge which allows you to cross the rally track. If you walk straight forward as you come off the bridge (well head in roughly that direction using which ever paths are available anyway) you'll come to the return leg of the rally stage which is where I tend to find my preferred angles.
 
MFlip said:
Well the hill climbs pretty straight forward. I'd give exact places but it seems to change every year I go in terms of visibility, with different barriers or bridges appearing. For the rally stage I spend most of my time on the inside. As you head up the hill through the trees to the right of the hill climb there's usually a foot bridge which allows you to cross the rally track. If you walk straight forward as you come off the bridge (well head in roughly that direction using which ever paths are available anyway) you'll come to the return leg of the rally stage which is where I tend to find my preferred angles.
Click to expand...
Thanks (y)
 
I’m famous :banana:
 
2 and 3 are the end of the start straight and a bit of a squeeze to get in there iirc. Not sure how close the actual spot you can get as I think it’s next to a marque and usually has a photographer or 2 stationed there.

The rally stages are pretty easy to navigate with quite a lot of access. Just walk around a bit.

My shot was 2/3rds of the way up the hill and it’s not unusual to be 10 deep, hence the slow shutter to get rid of the spectators. There is a grandstand there and the food is cheaper too. From there, keep going to the off road and rally stages. Then finally the top of the hill where the drivers gather, do donuts etc.

prepare for a LOT of walking. Well over 20000 steps

For the paddock, it’s busy which is why I go Thursday. The weekend will be packed so get there as early as possible.

enjoy (y)
 
damianmkv said:
2 and 3 are the end of the start straight and a bit of a squeeze to get in there iirc. Not sure how close the actual spot you can get as I think it’s next to a marque and usually has a photographer or 2 stationed there.

The rally stages are pretty easy to navigate with quite a lot of access. Just walk around a bit.

My shot was 2/3rds of the way up the hill and it’s not unusual to be 10 deep, hence the slow shutter to get rid of the spectators. There is a grandstand there and the food is cheaper too. From there, keep going to the off road and rally stages. Then finally the top of the hill where the drivers gather, do donuts etc.

prepare for a LOT of walking. Well over 20000 steps

For the paddock, it’s busy which is why I go Thursday. The weekend will be packed so get there as early as possible.

enjoy (y)
Click to expand...
Thanks very much. I was going to go for all 4 days but with hotels etc it was too expensive.

I’ll just have to get my elbows out ;)
 
Shot 1 is from the spectator side of the bales. I went a few years ago and it was a scotching day, we managed to get a spot right next to the bales which was shaded from a tree opposite. The S bend throughs up some great action, I have shots of a drift car with the back end comming off. The straight is also where a lot stop to show boat, many of the bikes and cars will do burn outs from this spot
 
AgentOrange76 said:
Shot 1 is from the spectator side of the bales. I went a few years ago and it was a scotching day, we managed to get a spot right next to the bales which was shaded from a tree opposite. The S bend throughs up some great action, I have shots of a drift car with the back end comming off. The straight is also where a lot stop to show boat, many of the bikes and cars will do burn outs from this spot
Click to expand...
Thanks, which straight is that?
 
AgentOrange76 said:
The Molecombe? its the straight that goes up to the finish,
Click to expand...
Thanks, I’ve never been and it’s sometime difficult watching on TV to work out which bit’s where (y)
 
It will be really busy at the weekend.

My advice would be to walk around on Saturday, to get a feel for it, see everything and choose where you will shoot from on Sunday. Then on Sunday go to your chosen spot and stay there for the day to secure your spot.

The rally stage is my favourite for photography and is usually a lot quieter.
 
Here's a set of snaps I took at the 2012 event, most of the track shots were at Molecombe on the outside of the bend with the close-ups in the queueing area before the start. The statics were in the paddock (obvs). https://flic.kr/s/aHsjAkqqSd

When my boys were young (late 90s) we visited regularly and would happily spend all day behind the start line chatting to the drivers who were waiting for their start. I went again with the wife year before lockdown and said "never again", the place was packed solid and, seemingly, with families, most of whom had no interest in the action.
 
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