I’ve heard it said that motor sports photography is like camera abuse as a sport
Motor sport photography presents some unique challenges. Planning ahead helps mitigate those challenges. Here are a few tips:
Plan for every possible weather condition
Bring clothing and protection for every conceivable weather condition. Even if it is blazing hot, bring a jacket. Even if there is no chance of rain, bring a rain poncho. Bring protection for your gear as well. A kitchen size garbage bag makes a pretty good rain cover for most cameras, buy a box and throw it in your vehicle. Have some bug spray in your vehicle, bring a chap stick and sun screen. Bring lens wipes and a dust blower in case you get pelted with dust. Bring baby wipes, a face towel and snacks. Stay hydrated.
You will not get to pick your shooting spot
While shooting motor sport photography, you will never have access to every part of the race facility. Some areas are off limits for anyone. You will never get to pick exactly where you want to shoot from. You will quite often be required to shoot only from certain places even if last time you were allowed to be there.
Most times you will have a limited set of choices for your shooting location. Bring a compass and use a sun tracker app to help plan for lighting. The lighting or other aspects of your photography may not be optimal. You may end up only getting to shoot from a spot where you are shooting straight into a setting sun, or worse. Bring ND filters, bring a polarizing filter for when it’s wet and the sun is in the wrong place reflecting off the pavement. Plan for everything from pitch black darkness to blazing direct overhead sunlight and everything in between.
Race tracks are BIG
Plan on walking… a lot! The bathrooms are way over there. The racer’s paddock is way over there. The podium is way over there, you get the idea. Pro tip: make friends with the corner workers and they might let you use their porta-potty. Check the supplemental regulations for the event to verify whether you can bring a bicycle or golf cart. Get online and find a track map and the event schedule the night before.
Race tracks are Dangerous!
When you enter a racing facility, you are placing yourself in a dangerous situation. As a motor sport photographer, you are expected to recognize this fact and use due prudence. Sometimes, because you are a photographer, you are given access to places ordinary spectators are not allowed. You are expected to keep yourself safe and if you get hurt or injured, oh well you knew what you were getting into.
The most important factor is situational awareness. You must pay attention to what is going on around you and expect the unexpected. Doing so while setting up your shot, pulling focus or fiddling with your equipment is difficult. Be ready before you enter a hot zone, stand somewhere protected by large immovable objects if possible and look around during lulls in the action. Take your ear buds out and don’t wear earphones, often you hear danger before you see it at a race track.
how you know you are a photographer:
- you walk around framing pictures in your mind’s eye all day
- you feel weird about going to the gas station and not bringing a camera
- you wonder how many stops your sunglasses are