Insider cheat: How to take race photos without press access

To Chris's credit, all the photos used in this story are ones he took without any sort of special media access.

My favorite part of going to a race is the paddock hands down.  You do have to keep your head on a swivel and be respectful of the people working, but getting to see the cars and equipment up close is so cool.

I'm a little confused. What is a photo vest? Does photo vest = press access?

Nighttime is the best time from my experience to shoot in the garages. This is when teams are thrashing to repair a mechanical failure or replace body panels after a crash.

Are their garages lit enough to not use flash?

That's why I goto the drag races. Spectator pass gets you everywhere but against the wall and starting line. But if you know a team you can get on their "crew" and get access to both. Of course doesn't apply to the clown show called NHRA. But even then with a large enough lens you'll get 95% of the same shots.

In reply to RadBarchetta :

A photo vest gets access to better unobstructed views of the track, you have to work for a media outlet and be approved by the track and or sanctioning body to get one. If you have been to a track and seen photographers with vests with numbers on them that is what I am referring too. Photo attached for reference. 

In reply to j_tso :

At Daytona at least the garages are very well lit. Here is an example. 

Have a really big lens helps a lot. Also some tracks are way better than other's for pics. If you have the right gear, you can get some great pics at COTA and Road America. Leguna Seca is pretty good too. Hill Climbs and Rallies are awesome for pics too. I've gotten some great ones at PPIHC and 100 Acres. 

You'll get a different view from the all of the different pictures that are published. 

As I tell people, work with the gear that you have.

No long lens? No problem. Instead of taking marginal on-track photos, spend your time in the garages. You should get good results there. 

And if you do bring a long lens to Daytona, shoot from the tops of the infield bleachers.

Thanks, Chris, for sharing the handy advice. 

Also, no photo vest for the photos in our piece on International GT. All of those images were taken from spectator areas.

This also makes me excited to see how some of 35mm film photos turned out–all I currently have for my K1000 is a nifty fifty, perfect for garage photos.

Also my first time shooting at night, so we'll see how that went.

In reply to Colin Wood :

I am very excited to see your 35mm film photos from the Rolex! 

I got a ton of pretty good photos from the GA side of the fence a couple years ago with a cheap Nikon D3300  For the garages and other closer-up things I used my prime lens, but for the cars on track I rented a 200-500mm lens which got me some great shots from the infield bleachers.  The best part is that I could have the lens shipped to Daytona Beach, pick it up at a UPS store, and then I dropped it off at a UPS store on the way home.  Didn't have to travel with it and - more importantly - I didn't have to pay to rent the lens for the days I was traveling!  I think it was about $100 for the rental plus a couple bucks to have the UPS store receive it for me.

David S. Wallens said:

As I tell people, work with the gear that you have.

Yeah, but some foreknowledge on what gear to bring is useful!  If the track is hilly (like Laguna Seca) then you can often get a shot over the fence by climbing a hill, but you're going to need a lot of lens to do it.

The portable step stool idea is interesting, any suggestions on which one to get?  It seems like there's a tradeoff between portability and the amount of stability you get while standing on it and trying to compose a photo.

In reply to codrus (Forum Supporter) :

I have a step stool like this one: Link

It works well but you do have to be careful of what surface you set it up on. Using the fence as something to lean on helps a lot too. 

You should rent these little stools out from the GRM rent. Flying scum class on Frontier from CT, I had no room for such things, or even a proper long lens really. I Still managed to get some cool shots though.

Are there any local camera rental places in Daytona?

Commenting to make sure I find this thread later.

Sensor/film sensitivity equivalent to ISO 3200 to 6400 should in most cases be sufficient for these sorts of environments, I would think, especially when shooting with glass with a max aperture of f2.0 or faster.  

I really want to work on this sort of thing in 2023 and need to find local events to shoot if possible.

In reply to ChrisTropea :

For local events–meaning Daytona for us but without the crowds–I'll bring my aluminum folding work platform since I already own it. It's kinda big, but if the crowds are thin, I can just park near the fence. (Also, if you have an SUV, you can kinda shoot from an open door, too.)

In reply to Nukem :

I don't know of anyone locally renting big glass. We have a used camera shop but not really a pro-level shop. Colonial Hobby and Photo in Orlando is probably our closest full-service camera shop. 

Don’t underestimate the view from the grandstands. From that perspective, you can see almost anywhere on the track, and at night you can capture some stunning views. If you, like me, are afraid of heights, then stick to the lower levels as the upper seats are terrifying.

If you do manage to temporarily push aside the sensible voice in your head screaming at you to not climb any higher, the view from the very top of the grandstands is definitely worth a look. For reference, here's a quick panorama I captured on my iPhone during our Grassroots Motorsports Experience Midnight Tour:

In reply to Nukem :

I used borrowlenses.com and had them ship it to a UPS store in Daytona Beach.  I just picked it up there when I arrived and dropped it off on my way out of town.

Very excited to see Colin's film shots, too. I'm doing a (non-car) shoot this weekend–two, actually–and should bring my A-1. 

In reply to Nicole Suddard :

I can see myself from here.

In reply to wae :

Thanks! Seems like a solid option. That Orlando shop might be another (I fly into Orlando, because the flights are cheap).

Not long after I started shooting more seriously, I stumbled onto an article about a small folding aluminum ladder that doubled as a dolly. At the time I was starting to do model shoots that required a bit of equipment and wardrobe.  The ladder/dolly solved two (or more) problems for not much money and without taking up much space wherever I had it.  At the time I was also shooting car-related events and subjects and that ladder was brilliant. I could carry gear easily and also use it to either gain access or have a different point of view - or both.  I still have it and use it today, almost 20 years later.  

Exactly like this:  https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1004335-REG/travel_smart_by_conair_ts32lht_ts32ht_ladderkart_stepladder_hand_cart.html/overview

No longer available through them but it seems to be available at other (sketchier) online retailers.

I have a plastic folding stool that fits in my carry on luggage (I fly from Seattle), and I believe that it's 12" high. The stool just fits into my backpack, so it's easy to carry around the track. The stool's just tall enough to look over the fences at DIS, but I'm 6' 1", so if you aren't as tall, you'll need something taller.

This year my buddy and I went to Home Depot on the way to the track from Orlando Int'l and he bought an orange HD five-gallon bucket. You can carry stuff in it, then tip it over and stand on it to take pictures over the fence. And it costs only $5! After a while, the small diameter of the bucket makes it uncomfortable to stand on, but that could easily solved by buying TWO HD buckets. They stack inside of each other so they wouldn't take up any more room carrying them around the track, and you could put them next to each other to stand with one foot on each bucket. 

In reply to RacerBoy75 :

Love the two-bucket solution.

Also, at least some of the fences at Daytona have been replaced–and with taller ones....

Nukem said:

In reply to wae :

Thanks! Seems like a solid option. That Orlando shop might be another (I fly into Orlando, because the flights are cheap).

If looking for camera/photo gear in the Orlando/Daytona area, some more options:

Kiwi Camera

Reformed Film Lab

Colonial Photo & Hobby

Clem's Classic Cameras

No association, YMMV, etc., etc. 

In reply to msterbeau :

That looks really cool. I am going to have to try and find something similar. 

That's why IMHO shooting hill climbs and rallies are so fun. You can get some great pics. 

Here's another cheat to add to Chris' list.

Want to shoot some action but don't have track-side access or a long lens?

Get the cars as the head to/from the track and/or grid.

And, yes, flying a GRM sticker during the IMSA race. :) 

In reply to David S. Wallens :

I'll also add Harmon Photo to your list–it's where I get my film developed, at least, and they seem to have a pretty good selection of new and used cameras and gear.

Knowing where the light is helps.  Shot with Nikon COOLPIX at the International Hairpin on the spectator side of the fence

Colin Wood said:

In reply to David S. Wallens :

I'll also add Harmon Photo to your list–it's where I get my film developed, at least, and they seem to have a pretty good selection of new and used cameras and gear.

Yes, them, too!