Dario Franchitti and friends at Laguna-Seca

This was my first time photographing motor racing. I have lots of

pans but for this roll I tried a longer shutter speed and no panning

to get the motion blurs.

 

This is a fairly serious crop (original at 200mm had way too much

background). Also I raised the contrast a good deal in Photoshop.

Does this give an effect similar to pushing Tri-X?

 

I'm interested in any and all comments, including composition,

exposure and cropping.

 

Thanks,

 

Euan

This is strictly a personal comment, some may have put it another way around...

 

If you have a lot of cropping to do, you might want to take the subject out of the center of the picture (laterally). This may allow to dynamise the photo and reinforce this sensation of speed created by the blurred cars at the foreground and background. A flatter cropping (less height, more width) may also have the same effect...

 

This is taken into consideration of what you cropped. If it is really distracting, then you may be better as you are now...

 

Try, then you'll see!!

 

Julien Marchand

I like the image. But my criticism is tainted because I am a big Franchitti fan. I like the composition of the blurred cars ahead and behind his more focussed Reynard. Nice. Gives the sensation of the speed into and out of the corner while showing the point of the apex.

 

Is this taken at the Andretti Hairpin?

I like your cropping job and the way you have the middle car in focus and the others blurred. It gives the impression of speed. Wonderful job! Lorraine Foster

Very good cropping comments. I would like to add that it is a common approach to make a moving subject seem to leave the frame, to give it more motion. But I can also see why you cropped it as is, because of the symetrical (and very nice) lines, that hold the subject in attention. I also think that the grain effect works well, and lends it a nice texture that is refreshing to look at.

You can't see any grain here, and you did well to add motion blurs. THe B&W's interesting, and makes you think more about the relationship among the cars than the cars themselve. However, I think Laguna Seca, which has some of the hardest light on the entire circuit, should be shot in color. I'd have liked to have seen the action 1/2 second later, when Dario would be more clearly visible.