Sebring credentials question... when do they typically confirm? last minute? my request was submitted weeks ago and we haven't heard anything from the track.
S T P wrote:
Sebring credentials question... when do they typically confirm? last minute? my request was submitted weeks ago and we haven't heard anything from the track.
Their page said they confirm ten days before the event. I assume by 10 days before the event they mean before the start of official practice (which is March 16) and not 10 days before the race (which is March 19.) Probably another week and a half until they send the acceptances.
Initially, just shooting to build a portfolio... but the agency I'm working with (not yet officially launched!) is brand new so I guess we'll see where that all goes. Right now I just want the access and experience... and go from there. Looking forward to posting some stuff this year and getting critique/advice... and more good stuff like what's posted in this thread.
I know I'm good with Champ Car, but I hope ALMS recognizes this new agency as well...
Ive worked for a variety of media outlets and had firsthand experience with the media access issues and its a tough situation. As a photographer I can defiantly understand the desire to gain experience and get a good portfolio, but from the organizers standpoint, Id have to consider what does letting this guy shoot benifit me, as in the orgainizaton im working for.
I would only have so many passes allowed by the event oraganizers and my job would be to make sure they are best utilized by outlets which will provide good exposure and coverage, and do so with high standards to preserve the overall "image" of the event or performer.
So with limited room at an event, I have to ask myself should I really "waste" a spot on the floor, on the sidelines etc, just to let someone in for their own personal gain ? They get in free, they get portfolio shots for their own personal gain and I get nothing from that.
Almost always we'd turn people down if they werent shooting for a publication that was going to run shots/story in a manner that would benifit us
Thats simply the viewpoint of the typical person who grants media request to put things in perspective.
Its a catch 22 I know, as you cant get a job for a media outlet until you've got a portfolio and you cant get a portfolio unless your shooting for an outlet. But if they were to allow all the people who simply wanted to get a portfolio, get experience, get in free, see the event for better location etc the place would be overflowing with photogs and the people who are actually trying to cover the event wouldnt be able to do their work.
I do mostly SCSA oval racing (ASA equivalent) but also cover classic meets, club meets and such like.
Another piece of advice you might find useful is to pack easy-to-eat food (muesli bars, bananas and such like) and a bottle of water in your camera bag as there will be little time to grab a bite to eat during the day and working on an empty stomach isn't recommended. Even the food consumption is fast at a busy race meeting!
Also, a pair of comfy, well-broken in shoes or boots (preferably leather) is a MUST to avoid blisters and don't wear anything red when working trackside as it confuses the race drivers
The Big Bad wrote:
Its a catch 22 I know, as you cant get a job for a media outlet until you've got a portfolio and you cant get a portfolio unless your shooting for an outlet. But if they were to allow all the people who simply wanted to get a portfolio, get experience, get in free, see the event for better location etc the place would be overflowing with photogs and the people who are actually trying to cover the event wouldnt be able to do their work.
Generally the best way around this is to build a portfolio shooting from the public areas of a race circuit - that is what I did and how I got noticed. If you have an "eye" for the subject and you can shoot consistently to a good standard irrespective of the limited access then it should get you a foothold on the ladder - there are always people looking to give new talent an opportunity.
Otherwise I agree somewhat with what The Big Bad is saying.
S T P wrote:
Initially, just shooting to build a portfolio... but the agency I'm working with (not yet officially launched!) is brand new so I guess we'll see where that all goes. Right now I just want the access and experience... and go from there. Looking forward to posting some stuff this year and getting critique/advice... and more good stuff like what's posted in this thread.
With ALMS, and Sports Car racing in general, it is very possible to get good shots from Spectator areas of on track action. You just have to be aware of fences and other spectators.
You also might look at what is done regionally (SCCA/NASA and Vintage) with the amateurs, and get some experience shooting them. A good portfolio doesn't have to be all professional top level material - it just has to be good, "Wow" photos.
I am a member of the SCCA - and as a member, I'm shooting for our region's publication this weekend.
Sebring is an excellent track for shooting without a credential. There is very minimal catch fencing and a lot of spots on the track that you can get shots just like the pros.
As a matter of fact, in many cases you are only a couple feet behind a working pro and getting the same image.
The only thing I would suggest is something to stand on so you can get a couple feet off the ground. There is armco barrier or Jersey Barriers that you need to shoot over. Even though you might be 5 or 10 feet behind a pro, they are lucky enough to stand at the wall so its not in their photos. If you can get up just a bit, you are golden. First year I went (while building a portfolio btw) I just used a big cooler to stand on and it was perfect.
This was from '01 and all of these are from behind the fencing. The scans suck as I was still shooting film at the time and I have gotten quite a bit better over the years, but you can see what is possible for access.
this was shot at 600mm from part of a hill in the spectator area which allowed me to shoot at a downward angle as the track was going uphill at that part.
I had full access that day but the fence was simply too close, I would of had to shoot the corner with a 70-200 at 70mm and I liked the look of the compressed long lens better
this was taken at midtrack from near the top of the grandstands. I wanted to really get the heat effect in the shot and your only allowed to shoot from behind the wall for about the first 100 feet so the grandstand photo was the better option for the day
anyways point im making is that full access or not, it doesnt mean that you cant produce some nice shots from specatator area's. At mid-ohio theres a few popular shooting spots for the media and everyone gets those shots, but sometimes its the unknown spots such as from the top of a hill with a 500 that provide some new and exisitng shots so keep an eye out for them
ignore the horrible colors in those shots as well, I BADLY need to go back and reprocess some of those. They were from before I had a calibrated monior and any idea what I was doing with PS LoL
The Big Bad wrote:
Ive worked for a variety of media outlets and had firsthand experience with the media access issues and its a tough situation. As a photographer I can defiantly understand the desire to gain experience and get a good portfolio, but from the organizers standpoint, Id have to consider what does letting this guy shoot benifit me, as in the orgainizaton im working for.
I would only have so many passes allowed by the event oraganizers and my job would be to make sure they are best utilized by outlets which will provide good exposure and coverage, and do so with high standards to preserve the overall "image" of the event or performer.
So with limited room at an event, I have to ask myself should I really "waste" a spot on the floor, on the sidelines etc, just to let someone in for their own personal gain ? They get in free, they get portfolio shots for their own personal gain and I get nothing from that.
Almost always we'd turn people down if they werent shooting for a publication that was going to run shots/story in a manner that would benifit us
Thats simply the viewpoint of the typical person who grants media request to put things in perspective.
Its a catch 22 I know, as you cant get a job for a media outlet until you've got a portfolio and you cant get a portfolio unless your shooting for an outlet. But if they were to allow all the people who simply wanted to get a portfolio, get experience, get in free, see the event for better location etc the place would be overflowing with photogs and the people who are actually trying to cover the event wouldnt be able to do their work....Show more →
Yes, I've followed this discussion in your "other" thread quite closely... and I think you are misunderstanding me a bit. My personal goal is to build a stronger portfolio... but I am not there shooting strictly for myself. What I shoot will be distributed and Sebring will get some benefit. No question about that.
I certainly wasnt trying to pass any judgement of if you should or shouldnt be there, I was simply trying to provide the POV of the people who grant media request since I have worked in that area before and I think its good information to know the "other sides" way of looking at things, since we typically always look at things from the standpoint of the photographer.
absolutely... I just wanted to make it clear that I wasn't expecting to get media access as a freelancer... as I see that my original remarks could be interpreted in that way.
yes, its up to Sebring... I understand that :laughing: I just wanted to know when they typically send notification (as its my first time dealing with them). Now I know. Thanks!
I'm just a freelancer... trying to build a portfolio. So I just walk around and try to get the best shots I can with my access. Often times there are fences in the way, but I just make the best of a situation I can. If you look at the photos I posted, there are some that are through a fence!
I can understand both sides of the situation... being a freelancer that wants access, and being a pro that wants to restrict access.
Here's a trick I learned for shooting through fences - apart from using DOF to 'blur-out' the fencing..
Use a can of black spray paint to paint the wire through which you're going to shoot.
The black wire shows up far less than the nornal silver wire when OOF.
Just rest the end of your long lens on the black wire, and it'll disapear with the DOF.
I saw a pro using this technique on an banked-oval track, where there are usualy only a few photographers windows in the wire fencing on the outside of the turns.
He could get his optimal position on the ouside of the bend, and shoot at will through the blacked-out wire.
seems a good idea but not sure if track personal would throw you out if they saw you with a can of spraypaint, even if you did have a good reason and where just "tagging" your spot lol
Just wanted to say...I agree with 99% of what you just said. I've been shooting motorsport for a few years, and while I'm not quite a pro yet, I've learned a few tricks and techniques in my time and reading your list was like reading my diary on how to shoot.
I was interested to hear your comments on AF though. I see you're using Canon gear; I use Nikon bodies and lenses, but autofocus just doesn't work for me. I've tried it a few times, and the thumbnails I get on the back of the camera are encouraging, but when I blow them up (in print or on screen) they're always just that little bit out. Enough to be unsusable. But I think that's the nature of autofocus...until they start building AF sensors that keep working while the shutter is open, surely all AF shots are gonna be just a little bit out? Or is Canon gear really that much better than Nikon?
At the moment I'm shooting using manual pre focus, with about a 20% hit rate and getting better. Mostly I shoot club level kart racing and a few motorcycle events, which has worked out fine; they seem to have about the same speed through the frame. I've tried national level karts and they were just too fast! But I'm hoping to train my eye to be able to produce sharp images consistently over a range of speeds. Do you think I'm wasting my time here?
Also I'd be interested to hear your thoughts on how to plan a motorsport shoot. At the moment I pick a corner to start with, then about halfway through the race I'll shift to the next corner that satisfies all the criteria you talked about in your original post (lighting, composition, exposure etc). I work my around the outside of the track like that, then shift to the inside of the track. This gives me a good variety of shots; different angles and backgrounds and cars and bikes going l-r and r-l. But working for magazines is hard work; getting good shots of the 1st, 2nd and 3rd place getters in each class all with the right backgrounds and in focus and correctly exposed and all different from each other so your editor is happy...well, it keeps you pretty busy huh? So if you have anymore tips on how to go about getting good shots, I'd be glad to hear them. Thanks for your reply,
