Getting up to speed on autocross photography
Register for free to read more of the latest local news. It's easy and will only take a moment.
Caithness-based freelance photographer JAMES GUNN offers some tips on how to capture the fast-moving action of autocross racing – and sums up the atmosphere at the most recent event
With autocross being the only fast sports action this summer it has given me the opportunity to sharpen up my skills on capturing the thrill and essence of motorsport. There have been a few spectators taking photos at races and I was invited by this newspaper to pass on some tips.
Your camera should be able to shoot at least five frames per second. Having to shoot from a safe distance (most likely from within the spectator area) means that a telephoto lens of at least 300mm focal length is required in order to capture a good close-up image.
The main aim is to avoid static-looking images and give an impression of speed. Study a few races to work out which corner is best for creating a cloud of dust or a spray of dirt. Tight bends are usually the best ones.
Then study the background and, if possible, move into a position that avoids bright, distracting colours. Tall trees or bushes in full leaf give good plain backgrounds. It is also best if the sun is shining over your head or shoulder towards the bend.
Shutter speeds of at least 1/1000th sec are needed to “freeze” the dirt or dust as it flies through the air. Increasing the ISO setting (i.e. the sensitivity of the sensor) may be required on dull days. Using the camera in fast shutter mode gives a range of photos as the car flies round the bend. Then simply pick the one that gives the most dramatic image.
Another trick is to use the panning technique. This is where you move (or pan) the camera at the same speed as the car when it passes in front of you. The car has to be travelling perpendicular to you, i.e. right to left or vice versa. However, the shutter speed has to be slow in order to get the right blurry effect. You can switch to TV mode and set the speed to 1/60th sec or even slower.
Another way is to be in AV mode and increase the f-stop number until the shutter speed drops low enough. Again, set the camera into fast shutter mode to get lots of images as you hold down the shutter button.
If you get it right, the car will be in sharp focus and the background will be nice and blurry. Lower shutter speeds give more blur and hence a faster sense of speed. It takes lots of practice and the success rate can be as low as two per cent – so lots of deletions!
Big entry at Stemster Farm shows increasing level of interest
LIKE the fourth round in early August, the fifth round of the 2020 Caithness Autocross Club championship was held at Stemster Farm, near Halkirk, on August 23 by permission of the Coghill family. The family had particular interest as one of the racers was George Coghill Jnr in his Ford Focus. The family generously waived the two fees for renting the field and the club will be donating the money to local charity and good causes.
The track is the most scenic on the race calendar as it is located on a long slope running down to the tree-lined Loch Scarmclate. It was in the reverse direction from round four and was deemed to be faster as it had smoother bends this time. The practice session in the morning was marred by rain which made the track very slippery. However, when the racing started at 2pm the weather was dry and overcast and the track had dried out. This meant that all five rounds have been held in dry conditions, which must be a record in itself.
An entry of 43 drivers was thought to be the largest in around five years and shows the increasing interest in the sport. The entry was matched by the largest crowd ever seen at a race.
The large spectator car park was full by the time the races started. With the roped-off spectator area being so large, there was no issue with everyone being able to maintain a social distance. The burger van was particularly busy all afternoon and had a constant socially distanced queue.
Gary Elder, the favourite for fastest time of the day (FTD) in his twin-engined Mini special, only lasted one second in his first race as his driveshaft broke as he took off from the start line. This left it clear for Gary’s main rival, Lenny Humphries, to clinch FTD in his special yellow buggy.
Many drivers commented that it was the best and fastest track they had ever raced on and that the whole atmosphere was just fantastic.
