Photography Tips – Introduction
For me the camera is a sketch book, an instrument of intuition and spontaneity, the master of the instant which, in visual terms, questions and decides simultaneously. In order to “give a meaning” to the world, one has to feel involved in what one frames through the viewfinder. This attitude requires concentration, discipline of mind, sensitivity, and a sense of geometry. It is by economy of means that one arrives at simplicity of expression
Henri Cartier-Bresson
You might know what lens to use, the exposure and shutter speed settings, but if you are not fully prepared, or in the right place at the right time, your results are not going to be as good as the could be. A passion for the subject and careful planning of what to shoot, when and where are essential to maximising the limited time you have available to get the pictures you want.
There are of course all the practical and logistical aspects of preparation which again are widely covered elsewhere. Having the right equipment available, in a serviceable condition for example, and making sure you have battery packs and spares available. Not being able to take photos because of a lack of preparation, when, for example, you have just flown half way round the world, is unforgivable.
Lets first of all start with a little background research. There are many excellent motor sports photographers, plus a few who are really special, and their extensive body of work is readily accessible via books, magazines and the web to enjoy, study and analyse. Just as great writers are avid readers of other peoples work, so should photographers study the pictures produced by those who have made a success in this highly competitive industry.
The reason why this is so important is not just to study the technical aspects of their work, but to try and understand the research, planning and in-depth knowledge of the sport that went into the making of those shots.
Why was the photographer stationed at a particular part of the circuit at that time, how did he or she know that the car was going to react in the way it did, and why they had the correct settings and focal length of lens to capture that immortal image?
For every great shot, there is a lot that any budding photographer can learn about the thinking that goes into its creation.
You should build up a knowledge base of the styles and techniques that are used by the top professionals, and eventually you will be able to spot the pictures taken by your favourites on sight. My own personal favourite motor sport photographers are Paul-Henri Cahier and Rainer W. Schlegelmilch, and I usually don’t need to look at a credit to spot their work. There are others which are much more well known, but commercial success does not rely on skills behind the camera as much a business acumen.
Of course, like all budding writers, you should not forget the “classics”. If you are serious about your photography, then the work of the great photojournalists such as Cartier-Bresson, Capa, Doisneau and Eisenstaedt should be essential study material as well as those who specialise in the sport.
I’m going to deal the other major factor which is and in-depth knowledge of the subject in a subsequent article, but for the time being, let’s look at how you can analyse the work of your favourite photographer in detail, starting with considering the background to an individual shot.
Keke Rosberg - Brands Hatch 1986
Lets analyse the picture above, and although it was taken by the writer, I’m not claiming to be a particularly great photographer, just pretty average. Technically, it was taken with a 600mm Canon lens at around 1/250th of a second on Fuji Velvia 100asa film. I can’t remember the exact settings, but those are probably pretty close.
In the mid 80′s Williams were sponsored by Canon and as a result of their involvement they provided a free professional equipment loan service to accredited photographers at most Grand Prix. For a junior photographer such as myself, this was a godsend. Some of the best shots I have captured were taken with 10′s of thousands of pounds worth of kit provided free by Canon.
When this picture was taken, there was no such thing as autofocus lenses, and light meters were an essential piece of kit in a photographers bag. You needed to be able to track focus the cars in the viewfinder, carefully timing your shots to try and ensure they were in focus. As a result, the number of usable pictures from a roll of film was at best, variable, and given the cost of film stock and processing, unless you were reasonably competent, your fixed costs per shot could be very high indeed. Modern digital technology has made this problem largely a thing of the past.
But what went into getting this shot? It was taken at Brands Hatch, at the entry to Druids Bend. As a photographer studying the picture, my first thought would be to establish at what time of day it was taken. This is because many shots of cars like this are not necessarily taken during the race, but in practice or qualifying. Using the tools available on the web, Google Maps and the Autodesk Solar Position Calculator, you can quickly establish that the picture was taken in the morning, and therefore was during practice.
Brands Hatch - Google Maps
The shadows cast on the ground indicate the sun is to the right of the car, behind the photographer, and it is also fairly low in the sky. As we know the race was held on 13th June, and the latitude and longitude of the circuit can be found at Google Maps, we can use the solar calculator to see the angles of the sun for each hour of the day. This confirms that the photo was taken between 10 and 11am. But why is this important?
Autodesk solar position calculator
I chose to station myself at Druids for part of this practice session because I had done the research beforehand, and knew where the sun would be, giving rich, saturated colours, and being a slow corner, I could use a slower shutter speed than normal, allowing me to use top quality 100asa film. The angle of the sun also gave good definition to the car, improving the overall impact of the shot. Obviously if you are familiar with a circuit, you already know the dynamics of the sun at the different corners, but if you are going to a circuit for the first time, this kind of research is essential.
The first time I realised the importance of this kind of approach to taking pictures at motor races was at the 1985 British GP at Silverstone. Before first practice early on Friday, I noticed a fair number of photographers were headed towards Becketts, so I thought I’d follow them as they clearly were going there for a reason. When I got there I found that the sun at that time of day was at the best position to get great shots of the cars entering the corner. When I got home after the race, I got hold of a map of the circuit, and using solar angle data from text books, I plotted the movement of the sun in the sky around the circuit during the day. It proved to me that the experienced photographers were on to something, and knew beforehand that this was a good place to be at this time of day. It was a valuable lesson.
What else can we see in the photo which makes it stand out as a good picture, as opposed to just an ordinary snap? Motor racing is a dynamic, fast and exciting sport, and the photographer should try and capture a shot which is appropriate to the subject. Taken with a faster shutter speed, the picture would be static, lacking in any aspect which implies speed. The blurring of the Goodyear logo on the tyres provides that clue that Keke Rosberg was moving, at speed, and not stationary.
The angle of the driver’s head, leaning onto the corner, seeking the apex, is another clue, as is the position of his hands on the steering wheel. Without these clues, it could have been shot in the studio, a static, lifeless picture of a guy sitting in a racing car. Taken at another point at this corner, we would not necessarily have captured all these element within the photograph. Planning where at the corner to shoot, and when to capture the moment is something you will learn, both by practice, and by studying the work of others.
Making a motor sports photo come alive with action is one of the key skills to learn if you want to create good, or hopefully great pictures.
I hope that this is a good example of the planning that goes into getting a specific shot. It wasn’t luck or chance, but the result of a whole series of decisions made prior to, and during the the event.
Part 2 of this series of articles deals with my number 1 rule of successful motor sports photography, know your subject. You can read it here.
Copyright © 2010 by Brendan McFarlane, all right reserved. If you wish to use any of these images, or content on a motorsport community website, a watermarked version can be made available, please notify me first.