Shooting motorcycles at VIR in March - need suggestions

TristanPTristanP Registered Users Posts: 1,107 Major grins
edited January 30, 2007 in Sports
My brother will be racing on the North course in the WERA events March 10-11 and I'll be renting a 400/5.6. I'll also have my 70-300 and maybe a Tamron 17-50 for pit shots. Never having been there before, does anyone have suggestions for good places to shoot from considering the lenses I'll have with me? My other brother has been there with his vidcam and will be a help, but I'm looking for photographer's input. Thanks in advance!
panekfamily.smugmug.com (personal)
tristansphotography.com (motorsports)

Canon 20D | 10-22 | 17-85 IS | 50/1.4 | 70-300 IS | 100/2.8 macro
Sony F717 | Hoya R72

Comments

  • oldtimeoldtime Registered Users Posts: 331 Major grins
    edited January 30, 2007
    TristanP wrote:
    My brother will be racing on the North course in the WERA events March 10-11 and I'll be renting a 400/5.6. I'll also have my 70-300 and maybe a Tamron 17-50 for pit shots. Never having been there before, does anyone have suggestions for good places to shoot from considering the lenses I'll have with me? My other brother has been there with his vidcam and will be a help, but I'm looking for photographer's input. Thanks in advance!
    I will most likely be there, unless you have a pass to get inside the fence, the best places I have found are turns 3 4,5 and six--- The snake heading towards bridge , corner at top of roller coaster as they start down , sometimes you can get on the bacony overlooking front staight and get some good ones from there

    This was shot turn 4 300mm outside fence
    99552495-M.jpg

    front staight off of balcony
    99144119-M.jpg
    top corner heading into roller coaster
    78099963-M-1.jpg

    Hope this helps
    Mark
    D-50, D2H,D300
    Nikon 50mm 1.8D
    Sigma 120-300 2.8
    Sigma 70-300-4-5.6
    my Galleries
    http://oldtime.smugmug.com/
    http://www.sportsshooter.com/members.html?id=6707
  • HarveyMushmanHarveyMushman Registered Users Posts: 550 Major grins
    edited January 30, 2007
    FYI:
    track_map.jpg

    Based on my experience from the wrong side of the fence:

    In the morning you’ll want to be on the west side of the track, which is also the highest section, at the top of the “Roller Coaster” . . .

    89787552-M.jpg

    89726008-M.jpg


    From the top of the Roller Coaster you can walk down the hill along the track . . .

    89704297-M.jpg

    89726830-M.jpg


    Or you can walk the other way, against the direction of the track. With a long lens you may be able to get some neat shots of the bikes as they work through turns 9 – 12 . . .

    89789744-M.jpg


    Keep walking to the exit of Turn 7, which is a good spot, although the lighting is rarely ideal . . .

    89998382-M.jpg

    89791054-M.jpg


    In the afternoon I pretty much restrict myself to turns 3 – 7 . . .

    Braking for Turn 4:
    89743992-M.jpg

    Turn 4 Apex:
    89745498-M.jpg

    89773329-M.jpg

    Same turn, from the fence in the above pic:
    90011528-M.jpg

    Turn 5:
    89745766-M.jpg


    After 5 comes the “Snake,” which is always intriguing, even if I’ve never snapped a pic I’m happy with there:
    90012067-M.jpg


    I hope this helps. If it doesn’t that’s okay—I enjoyed the trip through my smugmug. :D All the above were captured with my D70 and slow-focusing 75-300 Nikkor.
    Tim
  • TristanPTristanP Registered Users Posts: 1,107 Major grins
    edited January 30, 2007
    Help immensely - thanks a bunch!
    panekfamily.smugmug.com (personal)
    tristansphotography.com (motorsports)

    Canon 20D | 10-22 | 17-85 IS | 50/1.4 | 70-300 IS | 100/2.8 macro
    Sony F717 | Hoya R72
  • BBonesBBones Registered Users Posts: 580 Major grins
    edited January 30, 2007
    Nice work Harvey! That type of info is what I was looking for for the Fontana shoot I am doing this weekend.
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