Oval Track Legends - am I getting there?

[mark.roper]

Since I started my motorsports photography "journey", about this time last year, I had in mind the kind of image I wanted to capture, I'd already found a number of super photographers around the 'net posting amazing images and it was those, to an extent, that inspired me to buy a camera and give it a go in the first place. However, despite lots of practise and research, I wasn't getting anywhere near where I'd hoped to be, and was even close to giving up trying.

This weekend I think I've finally managed to capture something close to what I had in my head last year.

Bearing in mind this is not the usual "motorsport" others around here capture, this is grass-roots stuff, short Oval racing which has been around for a long time but which I never seem to find the kind of images you see of other motorsports. I don't want to be the next Jonny Henchman, but I wouldn't mind being the first person to take "Jonny Henchman-esque" photographs of this particular sport.











Apologies if car #114 features heavily, that's my step-son!

 

[RichardC27]

Apart from the second one, yes these are very good. Great sense of motion, sharp, good colours and nicely processed. I can see what you were trying with the second one but the car in the foreground is too distracting.

 

[mark.roper]

I can see what you were trying with the second one but the car in the foreground is too distracting.

Thanks, yeah, I don't want to *just* take side-on panning shots, I figured that one had some additional interest.

Richard, you're another photographer who inspires me, and you often take photos with some foreground as opposed to background interest, not sure how I do that with this subject matter as it's cars going round in circles with not a lot in the centre of that circle to provide a foreground.

 

[RichardC27]

Thanks, yeah, I don't want to *just* take side-on panning shots, I figured that one had some additional interest.

Richard, you're another photographer who inspires me, and you often take photos with some foreground as opposed to background interest, not sure how I do that with this subject matter as it's cars going round in circles with not a lot in the centre of that circle to provide a foreground.

First of all thanks, I'm not sure I've ever been called inspiring before so I'll take that as a huge compliment! I think I've started trying to play around with depth of field a bit more in my photography, and using a bit of foreground interest to lead the eye through the image to the subject. Now I'd imagine this is much easier to do on a nice wide open circuit than a short oval so not sure how you could achieve that. The other thing I'm trying to work on is do get much better at pits, paddock and overall event coverage stuff, rather than just cars on track. It's something I'm not that good at so I'm making myself do more of it. So maybe taking some shots around the paddock and assembly area as well as the cars on track would allow you to get a bit more creative with your photography.

 

[PINNACLE]

Super set and some great panning with a nice sharp car. Having the fences so close really does bring out the movement of the cars and gives a pro's perspective of being inside the track. The second one is not the best of the bunch though if the car was another Legend it might have worked.

 

[mark.roper]

Super set and some great panning with a nice sharp car.

Thanks!

Having the fences so close really does bring out the movement of the cars and gives a pro's perspective of being inside the track.

Yes, that's one of the more pleasing elements, these were of course taken from the opposite side of the track, from outside the fence.

The second one is not the best of the bunch though if the car was another Legend it might have worked.

I've tried that already, but wasn't as pleased with the results :-



I guess the real hero of the set in the OP is the light, glorious summer evening light can't be beaten!

 

[GAZA62]

Well done on these Mark I could never pan at those shutter speeds and great light and colours in 4 my favorite of the bunch.

 

[mark.roper]

Well done on these Mark I could never pan at those shutter speeds and great light and colours in 4 my favorite of the bunch.

Wow, thanks Gary, I really appreciate that comment coming from you!

 

[mark.roper]

Just noticed I have this one :-



Does this work better as "image with foreground interest without being ruined by it" ?

 

[Nod]

Yes, in a word. The previous effort had the subject too blocked by the foreground car.

My only slight criticism is that although the cars are obviously moving, there's little drama to the shots. Is it possible to get them while cornering? Maybe with a "spot of oppo" on?