Shooting trackside on the Brands Hatch GP circuit

nigpd

nigpd

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Nigel
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I am at the Historics meeting at Brands Hatch on Sunday and have the opportunity to shoot trackside.

I have read some good tips, including on TP, of the best places to shoot from when on the spectator side.

As I would like to maximise my chances of some good shots during this one off opportunity, do you pros have any suggestions as to the places to be trackside? Are there any spots that can provide great opportunities that just can't be had from the spectator side?

Hopefully, armed with any info from you guys, I can spend my time shooting rather than walking round the GP circuit looking for good spots.

Thanks in advance for your help.
 
what lenses do you have?

You can get some great shots from up near the garages down onto the track if you want a slightly higher angle than a straight shot, something like this one..





But you can also get some great shots of the bends from the top section also and the in field section can make for some great wide angle panning shots if you like wider angle shots too.

Will try find some on the drive at some point, a good walk round before the racing begins will be good, when I was shooting for the 750Motor championships last year I alwas knew in my head where I would like to be for the qualifying and then the race and move to those places for the sections.

Usually the race is more exciting action than the qualifying so choose a generic setion maybe for the qualifying and then get the the action sections for the actual race
 
dalegt4 said:
what lenses do you have?

You can get some great shots from up near the garages down onto the track if you want a slightly higher angle than a straight shot, something like this one..





But you can also get some great shots of the bends from the top section also and the in field section can make for some great wide angle panning shots if you like wider angle shots too.

Will try find some on the drive at some point, a good walk round before the racing begins will be good, when I was shooting for the 750Motor championships last year I alwas knew in my head where I would like to be for the qualifying and then the race and move to those places for the sections.

Usually the race is more exciting action than the qualifying so choose a generic setion maybe for the qualifying and then get the the action sections for the actual race
Click to expand...

Thanks for the info

I have a

16-35 f2.8 II
24-70 f2.8
70-200 f2.8 II
200-400 f4 extender 1.4
400 f2.8 II
600 f4

and a couple of 1Dx's

I'm hoping that should cover my needs, but obviously wont be taking that lot with me. My thinking at the moment is
16-35 f2.8 II
70-200 f2.8 II
200-400 f4 extender 1.4
 
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Top tips:

#1 bring a pair of boots with ankle support or you will break your ankle out there! Rocks the size of footballs behind the barriers...

#2 Exit of Surtees (the medical centre side) as they go onto the big long GP straight, you get a nice low angle

#3 Exit of Westfield, on the outside, again, nice low angle

#4 Exit of Hawthorns, outside, nice low angle and if you head back onto the actual corner on the outside you can get a nice pack shot of them coming down the hill under the bridge.

Pretty much all of those are 300mm or 400mm shots on a crop body. Take something long, a 70-200 and a wide if you want to have a play.

Other than that, have a look at the photo threads for the BlancPain from last weekend, ask the guys where the shots were taken...
 
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desantnik said:
Top tips:

#1 bring a pair of boots with ankle support or you will break your ankle out there! Rocks the size of footballs behind the barriers...

#2 Exit of Surtees (the medical centre side) as they go onto the big long GP straight, you get a nice low angle

#3 Exit of Westfield, on the outside, again, nice low angle

#4 Exit of Hawthorns, outside, nice low angle and if you head back onto the actual corner on the outside you can get a nice pack shot of them coming down the hill under the bridge.

Pretty much all of those are 300mm or 400mm shots on a crop body. Take something long, a 70-200 and a wide if you want to have a play.

Other than that, have a look at the photo threads for the BlancPain from last weekend, ask the guys where the shots were taken...
Click to expand...

Thanks for the tips and I'll certainly take a look at the Blancpain stuff
 
Its on the GP circuit, so don't be afraid to venture out in the woods. Brands Hatch is more than just Druids.

If its your first time trackside, don't forget the deposit for the tabard. Media Centre middle of circuit above the pits.
 
yes definately, I fell short of that the first time I was at brands trackside, i left my card details with them and then they tore them up when I came back with the bib so wasnt too bad if you forget
 
You can always leave your driving licence behind with them as a deposit... Or like me sometimes, a handful of strange foreign paper currency :-D
 
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