Acura ALMS, Honda Indy 200 etc @ Mid-Ohio

[Tom Hitzeman]

Friday practice/qualifying shots from spectator land. I'm finding it kind of a fun challenge to find good angles outside the fence. Looking at others' shots, the crowds make great backgrounds so I may stay the whole weekend next year.

I'm still stymied as to why smugmug isn't linking EXIF data. I'm still working on it but you can get the data from the gallery at: http://f-51gtphoto.smugmug.com/gallery/9257662_WzxEA/1/618274290_7jTYy#618274290_7jTYy

Tell me what ya think.

1. Flying Lizard at the fast end of the back straight from the stands at bottom of the Esses. Severely cropped due to extreme reach with my 400mm.
http://f-51gtphoto.smugmug.com/photos/618274290_7jTYy-L.jpg

2. Cooper Atlantic Challege cars were also running this weekend. Frankie Muniz heads into Turn 9 in his Mazda-Cosworth/Swift.
http://f-51gtphoto.smugmug.com/photos/618274093_do3fs-L.jpg

3. Rahal-Letterman BMW heads downhill from the Esses; from the same location as #1 above.
http://f-51gtphoto.smugmug.com/photos/618274479_Eoph7-L.jpg

4. Lowe's Fernandez Acura in the Carousel.
http://f-51gtphoto.smugmug.com/photos/618274580_xd3GN-L.jpg

5. Risi Ferrari out of the Carousel onto the front straight.
http://f-51gtphoto.smugmug.com/photos/618274193_CnGwp-L.jpg

6. Indy cars finally came out to play at 3:15. Tony Kanaan on rails through Turn 1.
http://f-51gtphoto.smugmug.com/photos/618274392_hqbVg-L.jpg

7. Justin Wilson at speed down the back straight. IRL Honda engines at full song are a scream.
http://f-51gtphoto.smugmug.com/photos/618274667_43yNe-L.jpg

8. End of the day the Speed World Challenge cars ran their 20-min qualifying session. Andy Pilgrim tops the Esses in his K-Pax Racing Volvo S60.
http://f-51gtphoto.smugmug.com/photos/618274754_EKKhf-L.jpg

Thanks for looking and your comments.

tom

[Chris Kelly]

Tom:

I've been reminded by better shooters than me right here, so let me return the favor.

Look at your shots and see if there's anything similar. Most of them the car splits the frame in two top to bottom. I'd recrop some of these to place the car lower in the frame to see how they look compared to your work here.

Curious as to what the white "blob" is next to the Lowe's Fernandez car.

The pans are all solid.

[Tom Hitzeman]

Tom:

I've been reminded by better shooters than me right here, so let me return the favor.

Look at your shots and see if there's anything similar. Most of them the car splits the frame in two top to bottom. I'd recrop some of these to place the car lower in the frame to see how they look compared to your work here.

Curious as to what the white "blob" is next to the Lowe's Fernandez car.

The pans are all solid.

Rats! I've heard the same thing before. I think I need to recalibrate my brain. Am I cropping too close?

I had several similar "blobs" that day and I think they're secondary reflections of the headlights. Not sure if it's just the angle of incidence/reflection of the light into the filter/lens or if dirt on the lens is a factor.

Thanks for vote of confidence on the pans. I'm concentrating hard on lower shutter speeds so maybe I'm getting there.

Thanks for the feedback,
tom

[Ken Neher]

yup thats lens flare from the headlights

[Chris Kelly]

I thought lens flare initially, and there is a smaller one just inboard of the right headlight too (now that I look closer), but it just doesn't look like your standard lens flare for some reason.

Did you have a filter on the lens?

[Brent Smith]

I'd be willing to bet you had a filter on. Take off the filter when the headlights are on.

[Tom Hitzeman]

I'd be willing to bet you had a filter on. Take off the filter when the headlights are on.

Chris, Brent:

Thanks, I'll try without a filter. Live and learn, learn, learn...

tom

[Jeff Kapic]

Tom,
I agree with Chris about the compositions. Otherwise it's a nice set.
As far as smugmug goes, I think you have to go into your gallery settings and check box that will show the camera setttings. I am pretty sure that will work. That is one thing I don't like about them. I would like to have the exif I tact on my shots, but I don't like the interface that come up over the pictures.

Jeff

[Tom Hitzeman]

Tom,
I agree with Chris about the compositions. Otherwise it's a nice set.
As far as smugmug goes, I think you have to go into your gallery settings and check box that will show the camera setttings. I am pretty sure that will work. That is one thing I don't like about them. I would like to have the exif I tact on my shots, but I don't like the interface that come up over the pictures.

Jeff

Thanks Jeff. The camera settings are turned on but EXIF isn't coming with the links. I'll have to check it out with the site gurus.