2009 Monterey Sports Car Championships - American Le Mans

[John Thawley]

A few shots from this past weekend:
http://gallery.johnthawley.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=123906&g2_serialNumber=1
http://gallery.johnthawley.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=123914&g2_serialNumber=1
http://gallery.johnthawley.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=124028&g2_serialNumber=1
http://gallery.johnthawley.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=124032&g2_serialNumber=1
http://gallery.johnthawley.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=123904&g2_serialNumber=1
http://gallery.johnthawley.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=124064&g2_serialNumber=1
http://gallery.johnthawley.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=124082&g2_serialNumber=1
http://gallery.johnthawley.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=124088&g2_serialNumber=1

[Nick Koske]

Really like the first and last. Where is the last one taken...Corkscrew braking zone? The T6 shot is not quite as dramatic as the previous years when the marine layer stayed away, although I do like the reflection on the nose.

[Chris Woolman]

#5 is great! I tried to get a very similar shot (inspired by Aaron Kupferman's shots from last year), but never really had enough of a crowd to pull it off. Maybe I was just up there a little to late in the day? The crowd definitely seemed smaller this year.

Chris

[John Thawley]

#1 and #6 are pretty much exactly in the same spot. The cars, that is... not me. :)

Yep... the sun didn't do what it's done in the past. You can see the hot orange reflection on the asphalt just to the right of the car... but it never much materialized beyond that. - Hey, I don't make the light... I only capture it. LOL

The toughest shot in here was #5, though.

JT

[Eric McClellan]

#6 has a nice feel.

[Nick Koske]

The toughest shot in here was #5, though.

JT

I tried one like it last year, but I think I needed a bit slower shutter, and I got unlucky with the nose of the car landing on someone's head. Definitely not high percentage shots, but cool when they work.
http://www.pbase.com/nkoske/image/104893040/original.jpg

ooohhh just had a little earthquake here in the Bay Area...weird just talking about earthquakes at work today.

[Sevan Pulurian]

Great captures John, 1,4,5&7 are awesome. Great meeting you in the media center.

Sevan

[Jeff Kapic]

I love the colors on the 2nd shot.
Just curious about your composition of the sunset shot. Was that to stay away from the bridge?

Jeff

[John Thawley]

I love the colors on the 2nd shot.
Just curious about your composition of the sunset shot. Was that to stay away from the bridge?

Jeff

Jeff:

I shot with the 5D MK11 in order to shoot a bit looser (500mm as opposed to an 800mm crop on the 40D) and knowing I could always crop that file back if I chose to.

As the cars make the left to head up the hill they actually drop well below the foreground. So, by waiting and keeping the car in the top, you pick up more of the foreground and less of the bridge. I don't know that I was consciously thinking about that.... I was really looking and waiting for more color.

Sometimes it pays not to think too much. You've been here.... you've shot it before. There's not a whole lot you can do and you're fighting for a slot in the hole. They actually could do to cut a few more.

Bob Chapman took a different angle last year and came up with a very nice shot. Regis Lefebure decided to throw a 2x on his 500 and got a pretty nice tight look too. Early on, I went up track and squeezed off a slightly different tight look.


It's a short window and a long time until next year. And next year may be completely different as we'll be there in May.

[Jeff Kapic]

Thanks John. Your right...they could certainly open up another hole or three especially if you get there later like I did.
BTW, I like your "double barrel" approach to the starting shot!

Jeff