Vantage points at British circuits

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delS1

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Derek
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Hi all,

I spend a lot of Sundays at Brands and love Druids for taking photos, you get pretty close to the action and for panning shots it great. However I'm sure it wont be long before some sort of fencing goes up, so I was wondering what other great locations there are for taking motorsport pics at other circuits around the UK.
I need to travel a bit further afield anyhow.

Cheers

delS1
 
Not sure how far you to want to travel.

Two very good ones are Cadwell Park, icon spot must be the mountain espically for bikes, Hall bends is another good spot and lots more and Oulton Park Matt Sayle has done a very good guide here http://www.talkphotography.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=156863&highlight=oulton+park+guide

Silverstone is full of fences and you are along way away, still there are some good shots to be had, In the complex and club are the most popular places..

Snetterton is having a major make-over so will have to see what spectator acess is like.

Haven't been to Donnington since it re-opened so hopefully someone else will fill you in there.

Castle Combe is as far as I can remeber ok.

If you are into bikes another place to consider is Olivers Mount in Scarborough, where you can get relly close.

There most be a lot of smaller circuits that I have mentioned .. e.g Lydden Hill etc.
 
At Knockhill in Scotland you can get very close to the track most of the way around the circuit. There's some high fences around the outside of Seat Curves (but there's a scaffolding platform used for TV cameras that is free to use for most events), and the chicane (there's a handy hole in the fence for taking photos but you'll need at least a 300mm lens). Almost everywhere else there is just low fencing with great visibility.
 
Mallory - good access
Thruxton - OK - two major areas, much of the circuit out of bounds
Rockingham - poor
Silverstone - better than Rockingham, but not great
Snetterton - not bad, wait and see what new fences go up
Cadwell - good
Oulton Park - good
Castle Combe, not been for a few years, so won't comment.
Anglesey - good access, no fencing, thwarted by out of bounds areas and shooting into the sun at certain times of day
 
andrewc said:
Mallory - good access
Thruxton - OK - two major areas, much of the circuit out of bounds
Rockingham - poor
Silverstone - better than Rockingham, but not great
Snetterton - not bad, wait and see what new fences go up
Cadwell - good
Oulton Park - good
Castle Combe, not been for a few years, so won't comment.
Anglesey - good access, no fencing, thwarted by out of bounds areas and shooting into the sun at certain times of day
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Am going to Snett on Sat 13th march, ( driving rather than shooting) but will have a look at that the have done view wise. The new infield bit looks promising
 
Thanks all, great response. I think I should get myself up to Oulton Park and Cadwell.

Going to Snett in March so will see how the new circuit is for photos then. What about Lydden Hill? not been for a couple of years but remember that being quite good.

Will have a look at Matts guide tonight when I get in. Lets just hope Druids is left alone for the forseable future.

Thanks

delS1:thumbs:
 
wack61 said:
Bike trackday on this saturday
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If I wasn't working this weekend:thumbsdown: I would drive up and have a look. Just checked and I think Oulton is about 2 1/2 Hrs from me so not too bad.
 
Snett was always quite good for access, but suffered from a this end for morning, that end for afternoon. The new extension is good (i've been round), but how much catch fencing will be there is unknown.

Lydden Hill has limited catch fencing.

We have a test session at Snett on 3rd, and again 18th, ready for a race w/e 19th/20th.
 
Thruxton you can shoot at the complex (campbell, cobb, seagrave)
You can also shoot between allard and here for side on panning shots.
And of course the chicane at club.

Brands Hatch has druids and a small area at clearways (on the indy circuit).
If the GP loop is being used it gives more scope - you can shoot pretty much all the way round it and there is little fencing.

Rockingham there is only one corner that you can shoot at, the hairpin in the infield, think its called tarzan ? everything else is miles away from stands.

Anyone been to Gurston Down ?
 
Kames is another one that you can walk right round unhindered, not that it's exactly a big circuit...
 
at knockhill you never shoot more than a few cm away from where the accredited media can shoot.
and there is always a hole in the only bit of catch fencing ;)

I0000MeWJYaBExo8.jpg
 
Liking the Knockhill shot:thumbs: possibly a bit of a treck just for a Sunday. What about Mallory park any good for panning shots? Thats what I love about druids, the panning shots from inside druids.

Cheers

delS1
 
Craft said:
Thruxton you can shoot at the complex (campbell, cobb, seagrave)
You can also shoot between allard and here for side on panning shots.
And of course the chicane at club.

Brands Hatch has druids and a small area at clearways (on the indy circuit).
If the GP loop is being used it gives more scope - you can shoot pretty much all the way round it and there is little fencing.

Rockingham there is only one corner that you can shoot at, the hairpin in the infield, think its called tarzan ? everything else is miles away from stands.

Anyone been to Gurston Down ?
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+1 for the club chicane, always a bit of action there.
 
andrewc said:
Snett was always quite good for access, but suffered from a this end for morning, that end for afternoon. The new extension is good (i've been round), but how much catch fencing will be there is unknown.

Lydden Hill has limited catch fencing.

We have a test session at Snett on 3rd, and again 18th, ready for a race w/e 19th/20th.
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what do you race Andrew ?
 
Knockhill is worth a trek for weekend meeting, bsb or touring cars, the weather can even be kind too, Oulton has a nice hairpin on the Island circuit that makes for overtaking/photo opportunities.
 
I visited Croft near Darlington for the British Superbikes last year. Not my best day out with the camera, and the results were not great due to a hangover and my own errors.

One success though........on the circuit about one third of the way between 'Sunny Out' and the 'Complex' I noticed a slight ridge in the tarmac. Easy viewing spot and fences not in the way, and as the bikes passed over it at speed the front wheels were kicking up. Absolutely perfect spot for anyone wanting dramatic wheelies. I might have got some great shots but for me own failings.
 
Backwheel&armco said:
I visited Croft near Darlington for the British Superbikes last year. Not my best day out with the camera, and the results were not great due to a hangover and my own errors.

One success though........on the circuit about one third of the way between 'Sunny Out' and the 'Complex' I noticed a slight ridge in the tarmac. Easy viewing spot and fences not in the way, and as the bikes passed over it at speed the front wheels were kicking up. Absolutely perfect spot for anyone wanting dramatic wheelies. I might have got some great shots but for me own failings.
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http://www.croftcircuit.co.uk/cirfac.pdf
 
Im off to Knockhill and Anglesey this year for the first times. I should have media if that makes a difference. Where are good places at them two circuits ?
 
delS1 said:
Mallory park any good for panning shots?
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I've been to Mallory twice, 1978 and 2010, it hadn't changed much but I really enjoyed myself both times, first time I got within 10ft of Barry Sheene second time I got within 10ft of some very fast bikes right in the corner of the pits

It's well worth going, great circuit
 
yes mallory isnt bad for panning. Might be even better now they changed afew bits
 
wack61 said:
I've been to Mallory twice, 1978 and 2010, it hadn't changed much but I really enjoyed myself both times, first time I got within 10ft of Barry Sheene second time I got within 10ft of some very fast bikes right in the corner of the pits

It's well worth going, great circuit
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I would have to agree with you there. I was at Mallory for the BSB meeting last June and found the hairpin was a great spot.
 
yamahatdm900 said:
Haven't been to Donnington since it re-opened so hopefully someone else will fill you in there.
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It's pretty rubbish TBH, shooting from the outside of the circuit is almost impossible due to the catch fencing. There are a few places you can get high enough to shoot over it, but that doesn't lead to the best of shots.
Things will possibly be even worse now as they're making the run off at Redgate even bigger :(
Hopefully they'll re-open the infield this season as it's about the only place you can shoot from without catch fencing in the way.

Either way, you'll need at least 300mm, ideally longer, to get half decent shots :(
 
Jim.R said:
It's pretty rubbish TBH, shooting from the outside of the circuit is almost impossible due to the catch fencing. There are a few places you can get high enough to shoot over it, but that doesn't lead to the best of shots.
Things will possibly be even worse now as they're making the run off at Redgate even bigger :(
Hopefully they'll re-open the infield this season as it's about the only place you can shoot from without catch fencing in the way.

Either way, you'll need at least 300mm, ideally longer, to get half decent shots :(
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Yep, i went for the britcar and its horrible for photos. If you have 300-400mm you can focus past the fencing but there isnt many places to get great shots. But it does make you think about taking something alittle different insted of the normal shot
 
rich_cooper said:
Im off to Knockhill and Anglesey this year for the first times. I should have media if that makes a difference. Where are good places at them two circuits ?
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Knockhill. The exit out of the chicane onto the back straight can be lairy, overtaking moves into Clarks at the end of the back straight, the drop into Duffis at the end of the main straight from inside or outside the circuit. That's three for a start, best to wander round as it does vary for the different formula.
 
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