Brands Indy (Champ Car) May 03

Ok, here's the thing. I'm going to the Champ Car race at the beginning of May on the Brands Hatch Indy circuit. I know I'm unlikely to get decent race shots from the seats, thanks to lack of technique (this is my second ever race...), lack of a decent position, probably fences in the way, amateur zoom -> small apertures, Brands being here in the not-too-sunny UK, etc.

Anyway, the better shots I got last time were in and around the paddock, with the drivers wandering around, race cars being worked on, and the occasional celebrity. So I'm thinking of upgrading from my current Minolta Dynax 5000i to a brand spanking Dynax 5, in particular for things like the 3fps drive, bracketing, DOF preview etc.

What I'm wondering is, is anyone else here going, and any tips from anyone on shooting in the paddock, in particular at Brands? Any classic shots I can go for? These are entirely for personal pleasure, BTW, not to sell. Last time my motorsport mad friend managed to talk to a few famous people - commentators, etc - and I shot a few candids of them talking; any tips on that? I never know when to get a tight 'two heads' shot or a wider contextual one. Except of course when the scenery is bland!

So basically, any tips, any experiences, and anyone else going?

I too own a Minolta Dynax,but despite 42 years experience of photography,I no longer bother to lug it to meetings.You just cannot get worthwile shots from the public enclosures anymore. For the candid paddock shots,a small Fuji digital does the job fine.BTW AFAIK the champcars will not be in the paddock but in the pits garages.See thread re 'pits walkabout' for update on this problem!

Thanks. I think I should be able to get some shots at least on the Saturday, since there will be fewer people around (to get in the way). I don't know where I'll be sitting, and there is a remote possibility that it'll be an unobstructed view. I managed to ham up most of the panning shots I took at Rockhingham in September, as in noses and tails, but for that I blame the camera, and inexperience. I don't think a Dynax 5 would be much to speak of in the 'lugging around' stakes, given that it's an anorexic 340g! The 75-300 zoom, however...

Originally posted by Rob29
BTW AFAIK the champcars will not be in the paddock but in the pits garages.See thread re 'pits walkabout' for update on this problem!
I'm pretty sure they'll be moving the Champ cars to the paddock area in between sessions (at least they do at every other race), even when there are garages. Champ car pit regulations call for a small concrete pit wall on the inside of the pitlane, which usually makes moving cars from the the pitlane to the garages all but impossible.

As for 'pit walkabout'. That ticket is usually to get up close to the pitlane (behind tape/fence keeping the fans back from the crews), to see them practicing pit stops, etc. For obvious reasons this area is closed off during the race.

PS I have a Dynax too...awesome little guy!

Thanks Jay. Very interesting,the mystery deepens! Can anyone confirm what is to happen? That sounds like what happened at Rockingham,but Brands is a bit different in that the paddock is about 1/4 mile from the pits on the outside of the circuit via a narrow tunnnel than has to cope with pedestrians & vehicles.Thus the public are not allowed down it. A'pits walkabout' is usually arranged during the lunch interval when paddock ticket holders are allowed to walk on the track to the pits. There is no mention of such a walkabout in the timetable on the official website.

There's no 'pit walkabout' as such at Brands. CART teams will be in the pit garages in the infield, BTCC and support teams will be in the outer paddock. Be warned that the outer paddock is ticket only on Sun/Mon, think it's free on Sat. Unless you have a pass there's no access to the infield paddock/pit garages.

Looking at the schedule on the CART site there's a "Fan appreaiation activity / autograph session" on Sat 17:00-18:00 in the Expo tent opposite the pit straight and 2x30min "Fan Forums" on Sun if you are looking for driver pics.

Confirms my worst fears.All other CART meetings allow the public access. Suggest all those who have bought a paddock pass expecting to see the champcars,get together to sue Octagon (or whatever they are calling themselves now).

This is getting off-topic for this forum but sue them for what? The paddock pass does exactly what it says, gets you into the paddock.

If you've every been to a TOCA meeting at Brands you'll know the pit lane walkabout gets crowded enough. With increased spectator numbers for CART there's no way they could have done the same.

It was nice at Rockingham to get up close to the cars, but as I say, it was more about the people in the paddock. I'll try a bit harder for the other events, since at Rockhingham we watched the ASCAR race from on top of the pit garages, and I'm hoping we'll be able to watch some of the support races from the infield too. We've got paddock passes, so hopefully with all the confusion even the security people won't be sure, and we'll get a bit further than the outer paddock! Found a deal that knocks £50 off my local camera shop for the Dynax 5, I think I'll get a monopod and a bag with that!

Any suggestions on filters? I'll need to get a circular polariser eventually, but do I need it for Brands? They're mildly expensive, but then I know the sky here in the UK never has much colour, so I suppose I'll need it. Any suggestions on how to make a mild day look sunny, or a grey day look stormy?

Originally posted by redshoes
This is getting off-topic for this forum but sue them for what? The paddock pass does exactly what it says, gets you into the paddock.

If you've every been to a TOCA meeting at Brands you'll know the pit lane walkabout gets crowded enough. With increased spectator numbers for CART there's no way they could have done the same. Criminal deception? Any CART fans coming from USA & Canada will expect the same facilities they get at home.They have not seen what happens at Brands normally.i believe Silverstone had the same problem,so that they no longer sell paddock tickets but 'centre transfers' It is reasonable that if you have a paddock transfer you willbe able to gain access to the competitors in the main event.Anything else is at least fraud?

I can sympathise with the problem however.... Octagon have NEVER said that a paddock ticket would get you in to see the CART teams. If you or anyone else have ASSUMED that to be the case then that hardly warrants criminal deception or fraud. If you want to make allegations like that all I can say is I hope you have a good lawyer.

To vaguely wander toward the topic... any photography tips on candid shots, before/after the various sessions?

yeah. just have your camera ready at all times and if in doubt take a picture :)

before the sessions is great for concentrating drivers, after is good for relieved drivers ;)

Originally posted by redshoes
I can sympathise with the problem however.... Octagon have NEVER said that a paddock ticket would get you in to see the CART teams. If you or anyone else have ASSUMED that to be the case then that hardly warrants criminal deception or fraud. If you want to make allegations like that all I can say is I hope you have a good lawyer. I guess you are right red shoes,which is why they have been getting away with it for years,since the acursed garages were built.
My point is that I am ashamed that this country treats fans in this way. I had a great time in Long Beach in 1993,and was able to go anywhere I wanted. And this is very much 'on topic' People will be bringing their cameras and need to know that there will be precious little to photograph.I will certainly NOT be going-much more to see on TV -F1,F3000,Beru Top10 and the whole Brands meeting anyway.

At some races here, depending on space, there are two paddock areas. One is the place they work on the cars and have those transports. The other contains hospitality areas, driver motorhomes, etc. Usually the paddock pass gets you into the first place, but not the second. It would be very odd if the 'paddock pass' you purchase would not get you into the Champ car paddock area. I imagine Cart will make this happen if it is not in the current plans.

What the 'pit walkabout' ticket gives you varies from race to race. At the least it will get you within a shoot of the pits. (I know this really sucks if you've had an all-access pass before...)

Anyway, some Cart drivers leave the paddock areas to check out the track, mingle with fans, etc. So if you hang around the paddock area you never know... keep those cameras ready.

Last year on the Gold Coast I spent most of the CART weekend in the pits. Passes depend on what is going on, but I imagine that the set up on the Coast would make it a bit easier to get access, because a pit lane pass gets you fairly good access to the cars on the pit lane, and access the cars in their garages. The best the general public can get is a look at the cars through the back of the garages from a distance. I'd have to say that the teams are fairly open, and there aren't really that many secrets with the cars, so you get close to them and have a bit a slobber ;)

etc

and

Originally posted by Jay
Anyway, some Cart drivers leave the paddock areas to check out the track, mingle with fans, etc. So if you hang around the paddock area you never know... keep those cameras ready.

There's only one problem with that Jay. Looking through the entry list I've never heard of most of the drivers are and certain no idea what they look like. In the pits wearing race overalls at least I'll have a few clues, if they are wandering around in civvies I'll have no chance.

Can't help you there... Most people have trouble recognising even the ones they've heard of out of their overalls. They also tend to ride around on mini-bikes scooters and motorscooters with their team colours which helps sometimes.

I'd still be very surprised if you guys couldn't get into the Cart paddock area with a 'paddock pass'. That would definately be a first for Cart, and a PR nightmare.

Crash Test, I think you had more acess there than the 'pitlane pass' people in Toronto and Montreal, as they were not allowed onto the actual pitlane. Luckily I had a media pass in Montreal. I learned it takes a ton of nerve to get up close to Champcars with their engines running and nothing protecting you and begin snapping away.

Believe it. Even those of us with ToCA pitlane and paddock passes have received a strongly worded directive informing us to keep out of the Cart paddock.

Jay- They sound good in pit lane, but are a bit more impressive when they are going full bore about 2 foot away! Taking photos in the demarkation area on the footpath on the exit of the first chicane is fairly mind blowing... it doesn't matter how much ear protection you have, the sound just tears through your whole body, pretty scary stuff really! I've been doing the media thing on the Gold Coast for a few years now, and I've never bothered applying for pit lane acreditation, because there are always tonnes of rotational passes available on the weekend. Down here there is a total lack of bikes and scooters, as it is generally too crowded, and you generally don't have to go too far. The only bit of crowd avoidance you see if when they get a boat from their hotel, which is probably 200m from the pit lane... ;)

I'll admit it, I'm a bit of a whimp when it comes to getting up close and personal with the Champ cars. I'll see how daring I am in Toronto...although perhaps I should stick to interviewing pilots though.

Reading on the London Champcar Trophy website, it looks like they're selling a limited number of paddock passes because of the space in the paddock. This may be necessary if it's *that* small, but I have no idea... It does state that if you do buy one you can access the paddock (in the press release about tickets going on sale). Hopefully they'll get it all straightened out though... I have to wonder though if the organizers are way over their heads on this one.

Thanks crash test for your photos and recollections.Surfers Paradise is about the most photogenic circuit in any race series! Pity its 12,000 miles from me. Still with the money I will save by not going to any more British racing I may be able to afford the trip.

Crash Test - 2nd photo is excellent :)

It is very photogenic, but the place is getting harder and harder by the year... Every year there are fewer and fewer openings, fewer places to stand etc. Another problem is that the walls have a tendancy to move when they are hit with big fast race cars. The Champ Cars aren't that bad, although I had one scary moment a couple of years ago when Kanaan smacked the wall at the second chicane- luckily i took a few steps back a minute before the change film, heard the screech and the thump from about 1m away though!

Generally speaking, the weight of the big sedans move the walls a lot more. I know Elephino has been attacked by a few side mirrors at different times... This is a pic of the first chicane on the beach side, one of my fave spots. The drama here isn't so much the wall moving, because it backs straight onto a gutter, but the remote control TV camera! The number of times it turned around and gave me a whack, or vice versa... sometimes it would swing around to give you a dirt look... lotsa fun! ;)

Crash Test...bet it gives you back ache as well!

Well yeah! But since I'm not as suicidal as some of the other punters, I try not to stick my head through the opening. If I'm smart and organised this year, I'll take a cushion for kneeling on..

When I think about it, I've never had the nerve to stand that close to the barriers for Champ cars, but I have for Formula 1 cars in Montreal (probably shouldn't have been there with the marshalls)... oddly they don't seem to blow you away in the same way. They're much louder, but don't seem to shake the ground as much.