BTCC @ Thruxton

[dunganick]

So it was BTCC at Thruxton this weekend. After finding some new angles at Donington a few weeks ago i upgraded Thruxton to my least favourite circuit on the calendar. So given the predicted weather for the weekend - you can imagine how much i was looking forward to this event.

Anyway, Saturday actually went pretty well, despite my fears, the reduced kerbs at the final chicane were actually fine - still providing lots of 2 wheeled action (the only saving grace for this circuit) So i spent most of the day shooting stock - the 2 wheeled shots are probably my most sold images over the whole year.

Sunday on the other hand was what i can only describe as shocking. Race 1 was soaking - literally, but still i got lots of decent images that i liked and a few crash shots which is rare for me. However on walking out of the media room that was more like a steam room, i discovered that the 7d would not stop taking pics. I quickly dumped that camera in the media centre and headed out with the 1d (at this point i moved the rain coat from my 7d to the 1d - which usually goes it alone without issue) on going to use this camera i discovered the shutter wheel would not work. So i could only shoot shutter priority at 1/100 or Apperture priority at F3.2. I managed a few very boring pics during this race. Thankfully a friend lent me a 1d for race 3, but i really wasn't feeling the love for thruxton at this point.

Never the less i am fairly happy with the images for Thruxton, i found a few new angles that i think with a decent crowd would be brilliant - but thats one for 2013 if i have any cameras that work lol

I am also running a promotion (if you can call it that) where the most liked or shared image on my FB page after each meeting will be given away as a desktop/wall paper by the next meeting. So head over here to 'like' http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150713558488583.393235.274273023582&type=1

Here you can download the last round wall paper here with the password 'free' : http://sportstock.photoshelter.com/gallery/2012/G0000vkRWwNZ49Rw/C0000C.zvajelxh8

I'm just off to Camera hospital now, but here are some images for you to look at.

1. Sparks

2.

3. More sparks

4. Whoops

5. Barely any crowd to play with

6. Making the most of this angle before the camera broke!

7. Slightly different take on the usual podium shot

8. New angle

9. Old angle

10. Gilham going 'hard' in the barrier before he goes 'home'

11. New old angle

12. one more just because - i don't have much else left lol

 

[Nickson]

Awesome pictures!

Was watching it on TV

 

[Goodj]

It looked so miserable over there yesterday.

I felt sorry for all you peeps in the rain, kudos on the photos though, look good!

 

[JamesBryan]

Great pics as always Nick :approve:

Bad news on the camera front. Is the 7D completely dead then? :dapprove:

Hopefully you get the shutter wheel working soon too.

 

[Matt_90]

Sounds like you had a nightmare of a day mate! Shots look good though and I hope you get your gear sorted!

 

[Revels]

I love 6.

 

[sneeks]

Fantastic set of photos, love #11

 

[Silent_Scone]

Some great shots there

 

[SharkyUK]

I actually made a comment to my missus that you'd probably be around there somewhere soaked and chilled to the bone...! Still, it didn't stop you from getting another set of excellent photos (even with the camera issues). Thanks for posting them up as always.

 

[JackJack]

Great shots as always!

 

[DanFreemanPhoto]

Epic panning!

I remember thinking if any togs got that Gilham crash, on the replay I saw a tog in your position so it must have been you!

Fair play for staying out in those conditions, at least it was proper wet....rather that then just grey and dull, which just creates boring pics.

 

[Shifty.]

Great pics again mate, wanted to play with my new camera as we go to thruxton every year and was really looking forward to trying some panning but the weather meant it stayed in the car! We left early as we were so wet n cold and after camping and getting no sleep we were shattered so called it a day! So disappointed as its a day I look forward to every year, have decided to try driving a bit further to another circuit this year.

 

[Habitual]

Amazing pics. Well captured with that Gilham one.

 

[dunganick]

Awesome pictures!

Was watching it on TV

Thanks! Watching on TV was definitely the best way!

It looked so miserable over there yesterday.

I felt sorry for all you peeps in the rain, kudos on the photos though, look good!

Cheers, it was one of the more wet events I've ever shot. Not something I'm in a hurry to repeat.

Great pics as always Nick :approve:

Bad news on the camera front. Is the 7D completely dead then? :dapprove:

Hopefully you get the shutter wheel working soon too.

Thanks James, The 7d and 1d were dead by the end of Sunday. Both were left overnight by a dehumidifier and (rather embarrassingly) both would not work before i took them to the camera repairer, but after a 15 min drive in the sun - worked perfectly!.

Nevertheless, i have asked for them both to have a strip down and service - any water damaged parts be replaced and the weather seal on the 1d inspected - as it should of been able to survive this weather. I suspect the issue was actually the rain cover - the cameras sweat inside them. I think this is actually worse than the rain! The 1d was fine right up until i put it in a cover.

Sounds like you had a nightmare of a day mate! Shots look good though and I hope you get your gear sorted!

haha yes I've had better days mate! Cheers!

I love 6.

Cheers Mr Revels - that seems a popular shot.

Fantastic set of photos, love #11

Cheers!

Some great shots there

\

Thankyou

I actually made a comment to my missus that you'd probably be around there somewhere soaked and chilled to the bone...! Still, it didn't stop you from getting another set of excellent photos (even with the camera issues). Thanks for posting them up as always.

Cheers mate, much appreciated

Great shots as always!

Thankyou

Epic panning!

I remember thinking if any togs got that Gilham crash, on the replay I saw a tog in your position so it must have been you!

Fair play for staying out in those conditions, at least it was proper wet....rather that then just grey and dull, which just creates boring pics.

I had literally just wandered over to the marshal post and saw him going in - but the marshal debris fence was in the way, so i stuck the camera around it and sprayed a few shots in the general direction. About 10 missed but somehow i got this one in focus. I actually enjoy the dark/wet conditions, i can do slower pans with shallower DOF without any ND filters (which i still don't have!)

Great pics again mate, wanted to play with my new camera as we go to thruxton every year and was really looking forward to trying some panning but the weather meant it stayed in the car! We left early as we were so wet n cold and after camping and getting no sleep we were shattered so called it a day! So disappointed as its a day I look forward to every year, have decided to try driving a bit further to another circuit this year.

Definitely make the effort to go to another round. Brands Hatch or Oulton Park would be my recommendations. Both circuits far exceed any of the others in terms of spectator viewing and facilities. They are actually nice places to be, not some building site as at least 2 or 3 of the circuits seem to be at the moment.

Amazing pics. Well captured with that Gilham one.

Thanks Tom!

 

[JamesBryan]

Thanks James, The 7d and 1d were dead by the end of Sunday. Both were left overnight by a dehumidifier and (rather embarrassingly) both would not work before i took them to the camera repairer, but after a 15 min drive in the sun - worked perfectly!.

Nevertheless, i have asked for them both to have a strip down and service - any water damaged parts be replaced and the weather seal on the 1d inspected - as it should of been able to survive this weather. I suspect the issue was actually the rain cover - the cameras sweat inside them. I think this is actually worse than the rain! The 1d was fine right up until i put it in a cover.

What cover do you use?

Could be like you say, a humidity build up inside the cover. Wrap the body in silica gel packs haha

 

[dunganick]

What cover do you use?

Could be like you say, a humidity build up inside the cover. Wrap the body in silica gel packs haha

I use those disposable ones, clear polythene bags with a pull cord on one end. It was all i've ever needed - until it wasn't lol

The 1d has never had a cover, 2 years of Rugby/Football matches (which it always rains at) and 3 seasons of BTCC and this is the first time it got 'treated' to a cover.

A friend had an issue with his 300 F2.8 IS last year while it was inside one of the ThinkTank covers, there is no way the lens got wet - so it must of been condensation.
I'm not really sure what to do in future. Lots of guys just use a chamois leather over the body and that seems to keep the worst off the body while you aren't using it.
[h=3][/h]Ironically, my 70-200 2.8 isn't weather sealed and just soldiered on regardless.

Speaking to the camera repairer yesterday, he mentioned most 'weather sealed' bodies don't respond well to humidity, he mentioned a D3 that died while on a safari as apparently it was just too humid :S

Hopefully it will all be back early next week with only a smallish bill and the AF is getting calibrated on the 7d while it is away, so hopefully that will be a bit more impressive.

 

[JamesBryan]

I was under the impression that all L glass was weather sealed to a point.

I'll have to be careful now...

 

[Riad]

Great as always Nick!

See you @ Oulton

 

[Wick]

2, 7, 11 for me! Really like the composition and colouring in those 3. Nice set

 

[v15ben]

All great shots as always and you definitely tell the story of the event. The weather looks shocking though!
#1 is my personal favourite.

 

[dunganick]

I was under the impression that all L glass was weather sealed to a point.

I'll have to be careful now...

Likewise with the 1d tbh. L glass is tricky, only some is weather sealed. Some also require filters to be fully sealed.

Great as always Nick!

See you @ Oulton

Thanks mate!

2, 7, 11 for me! Really like the composition and colouring in those 3. Nice set

Cheers Wick!

All great shots as always and you definitely tell the story of the event. The weather looks shocking though!
#1 is my personal favourite.

Thanks Ben, it is something i really need to concentrate more on, it has got a bit put to the side in my pursuit of unique angle. But I'm glad i still manage it in some capacity

 

[v15ben]

It is a difficult balance I guess though as at an event like that, there'll be so many togs going for a unique angle that one will be hard to find. You certainly seem to manage it from the shots I've seen on here though!

 

[Andy.]

One of the nicest things about your images is that it is clear that you put some thought and effort into them, rather than doing what so many others do and just fire off as many as possible from the side of the track and getting them out as fast as possible.

A mate of mine has started doing reportage work, and was publishing them for free on one of the national news sites. He also goes for interesting angles and puts some effort into PP where needed to make his images really stand out from the crowd. He was contacted by one of the press agencies and they have now given him a contract and pay for any work of his that they use.

It seems to be a fine line to walk as a pro event/ news photographer, of being able to take pride in your work and putting some extra hours in, or just doing the bare minimum required for the paycheck. All the local togs I have spoken to mostly shoot using the green box, couldn’t care less for composition and regularly publish OOF shots with dodgy white balance in the papers. Joe Public couldn’t care less, so they don’t either.

 

[ukaskew]

Great shots Nick and good to catch up with you yesterday. I'm a sucker for a perfect pan so #5 ticks all the boxes.

Impressed you nailed a few crash shots, I guess you suffer from the same problem as me of always being on completely inappropriate settings to nail a sharp crash.

 

[dunganick]

Great shots Nick and good to catch up with you yesterday. I'm a sucker for a perfect pan so #5 ticks all the boxes.

Impressed you nailed a few crash shots, I guess you suffer from the same problem as me of always being on completely inappropriate settings to nail a sharp crash.

Good to see you too Chris!

You're not wrong about the crashes. I have pretty much filled my quota for the year now, so expect nothing but blurry crashes from this point forward