Shooting at Croft

[MikeHoyer]

I'm off to Croft this week, can anyone reccomend the best corners to work at, etc. Obviously I'll get some advice tomorrow, but it will be nice to know in advance...

[Ian_H]

If it's in the morning to keep the sun behind you try the outside of Hawthorns, if you get up behind the armco there are a couple of bumps just about on the apex of the corner or you could try the complex out, if you walk up past the garages there is an armco triangle which gives quite good shots of the complex on one side and the start/finish straight on the other. In the afternoon try Barcroft/Sunny in or the outside of Tower all provide good photo opportunities.
As a matter of interest who's testing this week? (PM me if you want)


Cheers
Ian

[Guidoh]

Hi Mike,

Croft is my local circuit.

I do alot of Bike Racing shooting there. I guess the aspects I look for will be simillar for 4 wheeled action.

Hairpin onto Start/finish straight.

I prefer to shoot the subjects from behind which means I'm stood on the outside of the curve behind the haybales - you'll be looking right down the start/finish straight....The subjects tend to go wide on the power here and you can get rear end step-out shots.

I also stand in the grass field shooting directly at the apex of the hairpin. This means the armoco barrier is your background but you get the subjects head-on. The marshall's are generally ok with this (you're unprotected here with no barriers etc) as long as you stay back (might need a 400mm lens which is what I use). You might get wheels off the ground here as the cars mount the kerbs on the inside.

Jim Clark Esses - from behind.

Accessible from the outside of the hairpin whilst the action is underway it is a 20 yds walk form the hairpin to the section of the track from Tower bend to the Esses. This is a flat-out (for the braver competitiors) left hander that often ends up with competitiors flying at high speed into the run off field. The shots have a bit more atmosphere from behind.

Exit to Sunny Out

You get to this from the outside of the track by walking down from the complex. It's a tight-ish right-hander where the cars will most likely mount the kerbs on the inside at the apex.

Entry to Sunny In - from the marshalls tower.

Again on the outside of the circuit, you get a good aerial view of this right hander as you look down on the corner from an elevated Marshalls post/tower. It's about 15 feet up in the air an means you can get the subjects with the track as the background as you're shooting from above.

Clervaulx

You can get some dramatic action here as this is the 1st corner off the start/finish straight. You tend to get subjects flying off into the gravel trap in front of you as they overcook their braking

Hawthorn

This is a bit of an off-camber right hander. Head on shots can be good from here.

Hope this helps Mike,

Give me a shout on info@copeimages.com if you need any more help.

Have a look here for a circuit plan to help you reccy before you arrive http://www.croftcircuit.co.uk/circfac.php

Most important peice of advice.....WRAP UP WARM!!!!!! Croft is a flat circuit and the wind howls across the back section cutting right through you....Hat, gloves and waterproofs are a must.

Have fun,

Regards, Guy

[MikeHoyer]

Many thanks, very comprehensive!