Hobbies And Interests
Things You'll Need
Instructions
If you can afford it, purchase a photo pass for your next race. These special passes allow you to access the pits and trackside, which are the best spots for capturing high-quality racecar images. Shooting from the grandstand will result in much smaller, less-detailed images. The best shots are obtained from the area between the debris fence in front of the grandstand and the retaining walls that line the track. Wear kneepads to protect your knees from hours of kneeling. Use a monopod or tripod to keep long lenses stable during shooting.
Set yourself in position to take photos of the cars as they move around the track and come in and out of the pit area for adjustments. Attach a 300mm lens (or higher) to your SLR digital camera. Set the f-stop to 2.8 and turn on the image stabilization feature. Use the fastest shutter speed you can.
Select a spot on the track and focus the camera on it until the spot is clear. Press the shutter release button at the moment a car crosses that spot to get a clear, focused image.
Fill the frame of the camera's viewfinder with the car as it goes around the track. The only time you may want to include the track walls and surrounding area is when using a 70-200mm wide angle lens to give the impression of the speed at which the car is moving. Pan your camera with the car, following its movement around the track. Pictures should leave the background blurry and car in focus, showing its speed.
When using a long lens, frame your photo tight on the driver's head, roll bar and front wheel of the car. Capture the driver's hand on the wheel by shooting a close-up shot as the driver heads into or out of a turn.