AMA Test - Laguna Seca - Photos

[Steve Allen]

Some of the AMA race teams rented the Laguna Seca track in Monterey so I went....... Here are a few photos. Some here said other photos I have posted stopped the action so I tried shooting with slower shudder speeds. These are some of the result. They give me a headache with all the background being fuzzy like on the first one and the seventh one especially...... What do you guys think? Saw lots of photographers there, smiled at all, noone said HELLO 1 guy told me to take off my red jacket that I was wearing under the blue vest they made us wear. What a friendly bunch [not].

http://www.bevelheaven.com/misc/ama_ls-6-2008/FMF_3156a.jpg

http://www.bevelheaven.com/misc/ama_ls-6-2008/FMF_3180a.jpg

http://www.bevelheaven.com/misc/ama_ls-6-2008/FMF_3228a.jpg

http://www.bevelheaven.com/misc/ama_ls-6-2008/FMF_3312a.jpg

http://www.bevelheaven.com/misc/ama_ls-6-2008/FMF_3346a.jpg

http://www.bevelheaven.com/misc/ama_ls-6-2008/FMF_3433a.jpg

http://www.bevelheaven.com/misc/ama_ls-6-2008/FMF_3510a.jpg

http://www.bevelheaven.com/misc/ama_ls-6-2008/FMF_3536a.jpg

[Neil Cameron]

Nice images Steve, although they all seem just a bit too centered. :)

Neil

[Chris Woolman]

Nice shots. Motorcycles are always fun and a bit challenging.

Regarding the red jacket comment, the other photographer was probably concerned that you looked like a big red flag to the riders on the track.

I've always been told to wear neutral earth tones and to avoid yellow, red, green, etc...

Chris

[Steve Allen]

yeah on race weekends, no red for sure, I wear beige [sp?] long sleeve shirt and pants, always. Practice days - whatever I got on is fine. The corner workers didn;t even have any flags at their stations out. I was freezing and didn;t expect cold, I always have that north face wind blocker light jacket in my truck, boy was I glad I had it. Anyways, it was the snarky way the remark was made to me, in front of the PR Director - Ed and I were talking about something and up walks mr rules enforcer. Er, OK thanks for the tip. :rolleyes: It was 100 at my house the day before and I wasn;t thinking about fog in monterey but should have expected it - DUH!

[John Thawley]

I honestly think the colored clothing thing is something a corner worker dreamed up one day after being in the sun too long. I've been to several hundred photo/safety meetings and have NEVER heard that stated.

Furthermore, you're not hanging through a photo hole waving your body like a flag. Drivers are pretty aware of what they're looking at ... flashes DO NOT bother them and I'm sure your red jacket doesn't either. Heck, I've had drivers tell me "hey, I saw you out by turn 4..." or whatever.

Not sure why people aren't friendly, though. I find most to be a good bunch.

JT

[Tim White]

Furthermore, you're not hanging through a photo hole waving your body like a flag. Drivers are pretty aware of what they're looking at ... flashes DO NOT bother them and I'm sure your red jacket doesn't either. Heck, I've had drivers tell me "hey, I saw you out by turn 4..." or whatever.


Drivers may not, but I can say with absolute certainty that riders will object to a photographer standing trackside at Road Atlanta while wearing a t-shirt a shade of orange a little too close to red . . . :o

I like #2, Steve.

[Todd Corzett]

noone said HELLO... What a friendly bunch [not].
Sorry, I didn't end-up going down there for the test... but I would have said 'Hi' (I even entered your phone number into my phone to give you a call when I got to the track). Not to be critical, but did you say Hi to anyone? :p

I've been to several hundred photo/safety meetings and have NEVER heard that stated.
You've not been to a photo meeting at Infineon (Sears Point) lately, because that's one of the first things mentioned. Like you, I don't really think it's a big deal, but I think it's a 'better safe than sorry' sort of thing. I'm sure the last thing any photographer wants to do is negatively effect the on-track action.

Some here said other photos I have posted stopped the action so I tried shooting with slower shudder speeds. What do you guys think?
I like the motion in some of the shots... like #7... it wouldn't have the same impact with a high shutter speed. There are many times though when you don't really need a slower shutter speed (thinking about #2 or #4)... but a good rule is, if you can see the wheels slower shutter speeds help add motion and keep things from looking static. Some of the classes of bikes run treaded tires as well, so that's a good time to slow things down a tad. I like the results seen here, keep it up!

-Todd...

[Andrew Wheeler]

Drivers may not, but I can say with absolute certainty that riders will object to a photographer standing trackside at Road Atlanta while wearing a t-shirt a shade of orange a little too close to red . . . :o

I like #2, Steve.

Yes! I remember that, I think that was either Josh Hayes or Mat Mladin that commented. I just go out in my Robin Hood outfit and floppy hat...maybe nude next time... :D

I think the reason why there might be a difference between car drivers and say motorcycle riders is the actual closeness to the apex in which bike riders are running (where most flag stations are typicaly situated), thus, their peripheral vision is closer to the ground, grass banks etc and as such a brightly coloured shirt could be mistaken for a flag...and of course, things are happening so much faster on a motorcycle vs a car that a glimpse of colour could easily be distracting...

Steve, i have no idea what you look like, however, if you had walked up and said hello, I think I would've said hello back...I'm kinda like that... :)

As for your pictures, the first Eric shot is rather nice, shame that it was hard to get more than one bike in the frame at the same time....!

Andrew :)

[Steve Allen]

Thanks for he comments Guys. The EB shot - #2 - is the perfect place for the first lap of a race if you can be patient and click at JUST the right moment.......... The guys literally rise up and disappear to the right in a heartbeat. That will be a difficult shot to do - getting a freight train lineup....... But MAN it would look KEWL

At the MotoGP in a couple weeks I will make sure my head is screwed on straight and do the slower shudder speeds for pans only, and faster shudder speeds for the straight on or kinda sorta straight on shots. The MotoGP and AMA Superbike guys will have slicks so it won;t be that critical.

I have some other photos I have been working on and plan on posting when I have some time. We have a new baby and I dont; find myself with any time these days.

Lastly I really didn;t mean to sound so snotty in my initial post.......................... :cool:

[Steve Allen]

OK Here are a few more from the day.

http://www.bevelheaven.com/misc/ama_ls-6-2008/FMF_3289a.jpg

http://www.bevelheaven.com/misc/ama_ls-6-2008/FMF_3169a.jpg

http://www.bevelheaven.com/misc/ama_ls-6-2008/FMF_3247a.jpg

http://www.bevelheaven.com/misc/ama_ls-6-2008/FMF_3486a.jpg

http://www.bevelheaven.com/misc/ama_ls-6-2008/FMF_3471a.jpg

http://www.bevelheaven.com/misc/ama_ls-6-2008/FMF_3481a.jpg