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It takes professionals like Griffin and Crisp years to hone their techniques. NASCAR is a specialized kind of sporting event and practice is paramount in successful images. If you're planning on shooting a NASCAR event, or want to pursue a career in race imaging, here are some tips to make your shooting more productive:
Depending on your track location, use a 20mm to 400mm lens. Telephoto lenses are more desirable from the infield and stands while wide angle lenses generally work better in the pit area.Use shutter speeds that will accomplish your shooting goals. For high speed stop action, use shutter speeds of 1/1000th of a second or greater. If you want to pan a shot, use a maximum shutter speed of 1/125th of a second or slower, depending on the effect you want for the image.Practice your panning technique before you go to the track. Hold the camera level and move evenly across the scene. Remember too that one shot in 10 will be a good average for panning shots. The best results are achieved when the subject is even with your field of view and moving across the frame from left to right or right to left evenly.Bring extra film and memory cards with you. Expect to shoot a lot of images. The color, action and uniqueness of NASCAR lend itself to high shot counts.Call the track in advance and see if there are any pre-race pit tours that will allow you to get closer to the drivers and vehicles for more detailed shots.Remember that sometimes the details are as interesting as the overall scene. If you're shooting at a track that has an infield area, secure a high vantage point and shoot over the fences. If you're not able to do this, shoot with your lens directly against the fence and use a wider aperture to shoot "through" the fence with minimal distortion. Remember that the more you stop-down the lens, the more apparent the pattern from the fence will be. Many fans will bring buses and RV's to the infield and offering your photos for their high point of view will often gain you a good spot.Cameras that can shoot 5 frames a second or greater are preferable because the action happens so quickly. However, if you have a camera with a slower frame rate, you can still make fantastic images with good timing. If you're using a camera with a noticeable shutter lag, be ready and keep the shutter halfway depressed when anticipating action. Doing this will dramatically increase your ratio of good shots to bad. Practice your timing by shooting children at play. It'll make nice family photos and you'll be ready on race day.Remember that no one has perfect timing for every image and that you won't get every single shot. Give yourself several opportunities to get it "right."Remember that safety is paramount and that there's no shot worth risking your health or life for. Shoot smart and be safe!
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