richpips
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- Rich
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This weekend gone, I was covering a 3 hour road race. A lap circuit.
So normally, I'd drive the opposite way round to the riders, and stop every 10 minutes maybe, set up and take some shots.
This time I was informed that the narrow lanes were awkward for parking, and one of the lead cars had offered to ferry me round. So I left my car a few miles away, and took the lift.
A few shots at the start, and from the neutralised start, and then I got dropped off. Maybe 20-25 mins a lap, so I walked on a bit looking for another place to shoot from.
Minutes later, "Would you like a lift?". A race follower stopped and took me a few miles on.
I alighted at a suitable spot and set my stuff up. Minutes passed, nice weather and nice views. More minutes passed, and I thought the race was well overdue. I phoned my mate. "They're on their second lap" he relays.
We'd driven the course earlier, and as the "lift" said he'd known where he was going, I didn't think to check we were going the right way.
So I was off course, not sure how far off, and with only my feet for transport. :|
I retrace my lift and get back to the course, just as the lead group passes.
So a good 1/3rd, maybe a smidge more of the race was missed.
I grab a few shots of the followers, and next time round my mate picks me up again.
Playing it safe now I catch the riders on the penultimate lap on the hill before the finish, and of course at the finish.
So on the day all was not completely lost, but certainly the usual depth and variety of shots I would expect to get was missing.
Lessons learned? Do what you know will work.
Well meaning help and advice is great, but at the end of the day I should have made decisions based on my knowledge of the course. That means I should have taken my car, and driven it first which I would usually have done.
Then if I thought I could make it work with my motor, I would be independent. As it was I was being transported with the race, instead of against the race, which gives less photo opportunities, forgetting the chance of being dropped off in the wrong place all together by a third party.
Oh, and if it all looks as it if it is going pear shaped, don't panic, the day may be saved.
Hope this helps someone to avoid a similar stressful day.
Rich
So normally, I'd drive the opposite way round to the riders, and stop every 10 minutes maybe, set up and take some shots.
This time I was informed that the narrow lanes were awkward for parking, and one of the lead cars had offered to ferry me round. So I left my car a few miles away, and took the lift.
A few shots at the start, and from the neutralised start, and then I got dropped off. Maybe 20-25 mins a lap, so I walked on a bit looking for another place to shoot from.
Minutes later, "Would you like a lift?". A race follower stopped and took me a few miles on.
I alighted at a suitable spot and set my stuff up. Minutes passed, nice weather and nice views. More minutes passed, and I thought the race was well overdue. I phoned my mate. "They're on their second lap" he relays.
We'd driven the course earlier, and as the "lift" said he'd known where he was going, I didn't think to check we were going the right way.
So I was off course, not sure how far off, and with only my feet for transport. :|
I retrace my lift and get back to the course, just as the lead group passes.
So a good 1/3rd, maybe a smidge more of the race was missed.
I grab a few shots of the followers, and next time round my mate picks me up again.
Playing it safe now I catch the riders on the penultimate lap on the hill before the finish, and of course at the finish.
So on the day all was not completely lost, but certainly the usual depth and variety of shots I would expect to get was missing.
Lessons learned? Do what you know will work.
Well meaning help and advice is great, but at the end of the day I should have made decisions based on my knowledge of the course. That means I should have taken my car, and driven it first which I would usually have done.
Then if I thought I could make it work with my motor, I would be independent. As it was I was being transported with the race, instead of against the race, which gives less photo opportunities, forgetting the chance of being dropped off in the wrong place all together by a third party.
Oh, and if it all looks as it if it is going pear shaped, don't panic, the day may be saved.
Hope this helps someone to avoid a similar stressful day.
Rich