Guy Cosmo Elite Track Day

[John Thawley]

Went over to Palm Beach Motorsports Park this weekend to hang out with my good buddy, Guy Cosmo. Had a little fun shooting a track day event.

http://community.automotivephoto.net/photopost/data/500/medium/Thaw_284.jpg
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[Dave Verna]

Thanks for sharing -

was your car to car setup your normal?

[John Thawley]

Funny... the car-to-car stuff was exactly the same setup I used last month in Sebring. However, the results were not as consistent. I suspect (and I've always suspected this) autofocus is just no as consistent on street cars. For instance, the silver Corvette was nearly a waste. Nearly everything was soft and slightly "fuzzy." The Porsche was a little better and the AMG (I suspect due tot he grill work) was a lot better.

I've noticed this before when shooting track events with street cars. It just seems the autofocus likes to have the contrast of the graphics on race cars.

This car-to-car session never really seemed to lock-in. I liked the compositions and looks I got, but it didn't provide the consistency I'd have preferred.

JT

[Steve Stein]

That's a good observation, John. I mentioned that I couldn't seem to get LMP2 Mazdas in focus at Sebring. I think the color scheme tricked the AF. Maybe we need to go back to big chrome bumpers to help the AF out. :)

7 and 8 look a little underexposed on my monitor.Maybe it was time of day, but your EXIF wasn't listed.

What kind of vehicle were you hanging out of?

[John Thawley]

I didn't have any issue with the Mazda/Lola... in fact, I had an easier time with them this year than in the past. The whiter-than-white vinyl they use is brutal on the exposure. But the focusing was good.

I think the silver Z06 simply provided nothing for the auto to hang on to. It's just a round smooth bullet nose that slides up the windshield. And, I'm guessing the silver paint compounded the problem.

I used a Dodge Grand Caravan.

http://www.johnthawley.com/journal/2009/2/7/this-is-how-we-roll.html

[Daniel Buck]

Corvette was nearly a waste. Nearly everything was soft and slightly "fuzzy."

you can't handle the power :D :p

I like the rolling shots, I bet those are fun! I'd like to try that some day! :)

[Mike Ditz]

I do lot of car to car with non race cars, usually I can find a line or seam or badge or something fo the AF to lock onto with one of the many little red squares available. Once in a while I will use MF.

Those Florida clouds look nice in the sky but really mess up the reflections in the cars...

[Brent Smith]

I've found that with my Canon stuff it will tend to find the highest contrast objects to focus on, which makes sense. It even happens on race cars where some decals have a higher contrast than others.