On May 28, 2012, at 10:17 PM, Doug Franklin wrote: > On 2012-05-28 14:13, Walt Gilbert wrote: > >> I'm not absolutely certain on that, but from what I was told, I'll only >> be about 50' from the starting line in the stands. > > Then it sounds like starting line shots will be your bread and butter that > night. > >> I have no idea how >> much leeway you have to walk around with a camera once you're in your >> seats. though. > > The problem I run into most, even with credentials, is that all too often > there's a fence between me and the action. I haven't shot drag racing, but > that's a real problem at the road courses.
No fences between the credentialed photo area and the starting line at most dragstrips. It's usually just a low concrete wall and a guardrail. There's a fence between the photo area and the spectators, but from halfway up or higher in the grandstand he should be able to shoot over it. > >> Thanks for all the tips, Doug! I got pretty decent at getting starting >> line shots at the local drag strip, but those cars don't accelerate >> anywhere near as quickly as the top fuel dragsters and funny cars at an >> NHRA event, so I figure that ought to be a challenge. > > One of the tricks there is to catch one in that instant just before it > actually starts moving forward, when the tires are all wound up around the > wheels, with as fast a shutter as you can manage. :) > >> It's been a while >> since I took any drag racing shots, so I figure I'll take a lot of bad >> shots before I get the hang of it. > > I always start out rough and get better during the event. That's why I shoot > a lot at the support races before the main event. > >> I took a look around the NHRA photo archives for some inspiration, and >> have lots of time to bone up between now and then. Just being at the >> event will be a lot of fun, so I won't be too disappointed if I don't >> come back with a world-beater shot. But, it would be nice to have >> something to show for it when I get back home. > > I don't know how easy it is to get access, or if it's possible at all, but > I've always wanted to set up at each end of a drag strip with long lenses. > > -- > Doug "Lefty" Franklin > NutDriver Racing > http://NutDriver.org > Facebook "NutDriver Racing" > Sponsored by Murphy > > > -- > PDML Pentax-Discuss Mail List > [email protected] > http://pdml.net/mailman/listinfo/pdml_pdml.net > to UNSUBSCRIBE from the PDML, please visit the link directly above and follow > the directions. -- PDML Pentax-Discuss Mail List [email protected] http://pdml.net/mailman/listinfo/pdml_pdml.net to UNSUBSCRIBE from the PDML, please visit the link directly above and follow the directions.

