Nice photo.  Funny how we are expected to break the laws of physics to get photos like that accepted with stock sites.  I suppose you could make your own telephoto tilt-shift lens

Hey Race ... I went to one of those races; do you think I could sell some B&W images of Kenny Roberts, Randy Mamola and "Fast" Freddie Spencer?   

PS: I can read Arai and Shoei; what more could they want?   

I worked that station last year and moved down the track this year. The camera is mounted with a remote button and on a tripod. Not the best way to take pictures. In fact a terrible way. Day before I had a 2X on the 400mm and it was interesting, but nothing useful or marginally clean.

This one and done. Keep in mind this is "Off Topic" and hardly about micro or photography at all?

Name: Tommy "Tommy Gun" Hayden
Number: #22
Motorcycle: Rockstar Makita Suzuki GSX-R1000
Class: AMA Pro American Superbike Series

No I didn't edit this, just hit it with sharpen and did some minimal gamma correction. Irfanview!

Off topic but interesting.   
Was this with the remote trigger?
I used to follow his little brother ... Nicky.

But this isn't off topic, nothing is, because we are on "Off Topic" 

Remote button from eBay, 400mm f/5.6 L, 40-D, 1/1000th, 200 ISO, manual (I usually just set for the grass or the shadows), MF, left thumb... crummy rummage sale tripod that's total junk. Duct taped the legs so they stay up and they still don't. Focal? Everything cracked and broken on it, MIJ or China, crap. Needs fresh duct tape.

Stitched panorama, (try getting this all in one shot?) Plus they are all hand held, no tripods allowed. So actually it's kind of soft, but if you don't tell, I won't?

There's no reason why a hand-held stitched pano should be soft. Quite the reverse. If you stitch together 10x12MP images to get a 60MP pano and then shrink it down to a usable 12MP it will be five times sharper than a single, hand-held shot. The wider the angle of the pano, the slower the minimum shutter speed to get acceptable sharpness, just like using a wide-angle lens instead of a telephoto.

I routinely hand-hold for panos and there is no problem as long as you don't have moving subjects or something in the foreground. I find a focal length of about 80mm on full frame is ideal, since that does tend to eliminate the foreground.

It's time for another one. No way to get 60 to 100 model releases and the logos and trademarks? Never going to happen.


Miller's at The Mile 2012

Friday, 100 degrees, climbed the ladder, and got one shot. And then pretty much all of them went out for hot laps on the track. Not just parked museum pieces, these people drive their rare collectibles.

Let me help with a little hint here:
"Poor Lighting--Poor or uneven lighting, or shadows. White balance may be incorrect."

Apart from the arguably blown-out stalagtite (oh sh*t, it is tights come down or tights go up?) if it were sharp, it would be acceptible, unless you submitted it as editorial to iStock, when they'd ask for a permission letter. If you submitted it to the main collection, it would be fine. 

Stalactites hang tight from the ceiling. Stalagmites might grow up to the ceiling.

"Tights come down", then! 
I haven't heard yours before.  Tx

And at least one property release 

Nice one!

Quote from: RacePhoto on July 13, 2012, 01:10

Friday, 100 degrees, climbed the ladder, and got one shot. And then pretty much all of them went out for hot laps on the track. Not just parked museum pieces, these people drive their rare collectibles.

Why isn't it suitable for editorial use?

because they dont understand the concept of editorial

Quote from: RacePhoto on July 13, 2012, 01:10

It's time for another one. No way to get 60 to 100 model releases and the logos and trademarks? Never going to happen.


Miller's at The Mile 2012

Friday, 100 degrees, climbed the ladder, and got one shot. And then pretty much all of them went out for hot laps on the track. Not just parked museum pieces, these people drive their rare collectibles.

Why isn't it suitable for editorial use?

It is, but it also seems that "professional" sports groups need a release or proof that I was allowed to take the photo, from the starters stand.

I don't get it. I don't make the rules. So basically Alamy and "CrapStock" will be able to sell it Editorial, IS has some kind of policy because Getty does pro sports (and has a very qualified, paid staff of pro shooters at events) SS is working on a response to my permission slip.

Honestly how many buyers want a group shot of vintage Indy Racers?

This Weekend:


Historic Can-Am

Gorgeous vintage cars!!! Our local stock car track has them running up here occasionally and they're so much fun.

Yeah and that was a snap during the Can-Am practice. One of the targets for me personally is try to get more than one car in a photo. It's not that easy!  Many, too many, one car portraits, what's the fun in that? I might as well shoot still life's of sliced vegetables?

Publications don't actually want the crash and incident shots. Strange, because everyone knows the fans do. Look at NASCAR? So these are vintage machines, "some people collect art, these people race it..." The cars were made for racing on a road course, not being polished and parked in some museum. So what is possibly the largest gathering of vintage race cars in the US every year, and that's what it was. Bigger than Pebble Beach.

Stalactites (think tight) Hang, Stalagmites (grow up) Mites grow up? And then the one no one else mentioned, the Mightymights, where they have connected.  (or is that only at some creative cave guides urging?)  They are actually dripstone or stalacto-stalagmites.

Yes there are some Buggatti's in there, I think the blue #2 back a ways is one. Some Damlier's and a Benz before they joined, a Stutz, but the majority are Indycars and the club is the Harry Miller club. People come from around the world with their Miller designed race cars. The rules now are limited to 60 entries, must be front engine. The group shot was supposed to be lined up by age, way in the back there are a few Indy Watson Roadsters with Offenhauser engines from the 50s and 60s. Every one of these cars, preserved and cared for, all gems.

If anyone is wondering, no you can't make much working sports or motorsports. The competition is heavy, same as everything else, publications scarce. The usual, long hours, low pay, but I love it, and that's why.

Here's last Saturday. Another nice little group of cars. These are rare Lola T-70s. There are of course the replica's, Fakes, continuations, almost 100% restorations, and who knows what else. Price will run from around a quarter million to a half million, depending on the heritage and provenance of the car. And these men and women are racing them. Bravo! (roughly, unedited image. You get the idea?)


Lola T-70 Featured Marque