Wales Rally GB 2007 Epynt / Services / Trawscoed

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niki265

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Some excellent pics posted from last weekend all! First time I've been to this event for ages, and first time I've tried taking any rally pics in anger. I slept in the car at the stage both Fri and Sat nights, and couldn't believe how many other folks were doing the same! Friday night was fun on exposed moorland in hail, thunder, 40mph gusts, heavy rain and 0 degrees.

All pics taken with a 40D and the 17-85mm IS kit lens (only one I have at the mo). With the variable conditions, I was often shooting at high ISO (640+) to keep the shutter speed up, so many pics are too grainy. I'm also a bit peeved that a lot of them appear soft. Is this due to poor technique, conditions, lens?

As I'm lacking zoom, I had to do some fairly aggressive cropping with some. I've also tweaked most of them in PaintShop/Digi Photo Pro and may have overdone it a bit, but the EXIF info should still be intact if you're interested.

I had a bad case of shutter-itis, snapping over 900 pics in two days. 6.5 fps is dangerous in the hands of a novice! Lots of throwaways, but perhaps 60 or so half decent ones (which are here). They won't set the world alight, but they're the first pics I've taken with this camera which have given me a real buzz.

Anyway enough blurb, here are my favourites. C&C welcome.

1
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2
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3
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4 (very soft & grainy)
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5
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6
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7
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8
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9
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10
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Thanks Spence. I snapped a whole series of the punctured tyre, but most were blurred.... I think the cold had affected my eye to index finger communications :p

Sleeping in the car was somewhat pikey and rather uncomfortable, but meant I definitely got in (I've been stuck in traffic and missed stages in the past) and was only a short walk away from the stage.
 
Thanks Rhubarb. The sun did make occasional appearances at Epynt for the morning. I chose that stage because of the jump, open spaces and that the second running would be dark, as I wanted to try some tripod based longer exposures.... However, a combination of weather, dehydration and feeling terrible meant I didn't bother in the end though. I'd certainly go back there next year.

Did you do much post processing to your pics? They're excellent! I was at Epynt, but not by the jump for the second time around...
 
Love the pits shot! Not one you see often and great light too! Even the technicians have a slight blur! Very clever shot
 
Thanks for the comments folks, much appreciated :)

Tim, I tried a few in the service area. As it was dark, all the light was from the pit bays only and I didn't bother with flash. It's a shame they had the fencing across the car, but I'm happy with the result. The IS really came in handy at 1/10 handheld.... this one wasn't too bad either at 0.5" handheld. I like the way the torch light is shining on the mechanic's feet in the lower left corner :)

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I like 1, 7 and 8 some of the shots with the gravel getting thrown up are good. I think with some of them your shutter speed was too slow? its hard with motorsports as you want to have a fast enough speed to stop the car but also the sense of movement in the wheels and background, I would say somthing like 1/400-500th too get that effect just upto trying it. HTH Nice set (y)
 
#16 is my favourite by far it looks great.
 
Thanks for the comments Ally. All the EXIF data should be intact, but yes I was shooting at fairly slow shutter speeds from 1/60 (#11) to 1/320 (#1) for most of the moving shots. Mainly due to very changeable weather/low light.... and I was trying to keep the ISO speed down. Perhaps a faster lens would also help?
 
Cheers Mole2k. As with most of them, I've done some tweaking in PSP and #16 was one that I thought I may have overdone a little. Glad you like it :) In a perfect world, I would have liked the shot to have been a zillionth of a second later so that the glowing exhaust was pointing into the lens more, and maybe asked the pro tog to move his ass outta my shot ;)
 
I really enjoyed the series Niki,very well done on capturing the atmosphere in obviously foul weather.:clap:

The pit shots really convey the work on the cars at service .:clap:

Considering your lens restriction you did really well,and obviously got close to the flying stones.

Top Work .:)
Pons:
 
Great shots! I can almost taste the mud and smell the brakes.
 
Well, for what it's worth to you, I think you've done a darn good job. Number one is a cracker for sure, and you've tried brilliantly with the others too. Would be very pleased if I'd taken some like that. Well done. :)
 
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