FINAL ALMS Race this weekend - Laguna Seca

He was the dork alongside Dallenbach doing the commentary. If you didn't see the broadcast, you would have missed him.

He's another one of NBC's corporate sports stooges.

 

I've got to say that the NBC coverage of the race sucked worse than any race coverage I've seen in a long time. If I didn't know better I would swear that only the LP1 and LP2 cars were on the track, and that they were the same class. Speed may not be the best but it is soooooo much better than the ass-clowns at NBC!

 

Some shots from the weekend from the cheapy camera. Don't have the GOOD camera shots downloaded yet. Over 1000 shots on Saturday. I will download tomorrow. Also got a ride Saturday night after the race around the track in the SKIP BARBER bus. Paddock Security had to run 3 of the Michelin guys around to try and find some tire tread that came off one of the cars about halfway throgh the race. No luck find that in the dark. They were a funny bunch too. On Sunday, the wife and I got the real ride around the track. She was able to ride in the Mazda RX-8. I was in the CX7(????). The Mazda Minivan more or less. Still had a good ride in it. Just not the same as last time (The 1st Time) in the RX-8. I had the sickest feeling when in that car.
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Great pictures. I haven't watched the race yet because I've been busy with work. Hope to watch it later tonight. Lucky for you to be able to go!

 

Nice pics, thanks.
What's with the Ford? Looks like a bad photoshop job, sort of levitating above the rack there.

Last race, no bang, kind of a wimp out end to the season.
Big transition year next year has me slightly fearful. With money tight Id be happier if '09 was a consolidation year working on better visual media etc.
Instead folks thought '10 as the target with '09 just the venue for change. That's a bit away from the mind-set that's made this racing so welcoming and successful.
Hope they know what they're doing?

 

Glad you guys like the pics. I have more than I know what to do with still on my 40D right now. Need to download into my external hard drive. I have close to 3000 pics from 3 events at Laguna Seca that I need to get onto a website sometime soon.

It was a lot of fun! I was there and the race was intense. I watched from several spots over the 4 hour period. Made sure I was at the Start/Finish line when the race ended. Nest year I am definately going again. I can't Wait.

The Jacks are down making the car look like it is floating!

The race had an outrageuos number of Yellow Flags. While up at the Corkscrew I saw several cars spinout or go completely offline into the dirt. Fun to watch though.

 

I will remember all my life Alex Zinardi passing on the dirt inside through the Corkscrew. Shock and awe indeed!
Think its probably the best corner you guys have over there.

On to next year.
Lets hope Hindie and radioLM don't rest on their laurels.
ALMS needs online sound and vision for all rounds. If a more professional treatment can't originate from IMSA and there's no company involved to build it like motoGP etc have, its down to innovation from individuals to take things further. There was a huge difference between following Mosport from here in OZ and the rounds after it. Especialy following the last round. RadioLM didn't treat their call as a radio commentary as online audience needed without video coverage. Hindie assumed you could see the action and we couldn't.
Still we now have time to talk to them with our feedback.

 

Not sure if anyone is still interested, but I have some pics from this race too. If there is interest, I can share some more.
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Is Penske running the RS Spyders next year??? My DVR did not record the race, whos in and whos out next year???

 

I have a friend who worked on a pit crew for one of the LMP1 teams this season. He has heard that it is very probable that Penske will be pulling out of ALMS next season. Because of this, rumor is that Porsche will pull out of prototypes entirely. This will leave Dyson Racing without a car. Dyson may field a Lola again. Of course, at this point this is all just speculation. But it would be a shame to lose the Porsche prototypes, those are some pretty cars.
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The shot of the Risi Ferrari off at the corkscrew is a very nice shot. Not knowing what you used to get it, I would suggest cropping the car and the sand. This would make for a more dramatic shot and you would be able to see the wheel in the air.

Nice shooting keep up the great work.

Bruce

 

thanks for the compliment! im glad you like the shot. i took it with a nikon D300 so it should still look good if i crop it. i havent done much work on these photos yet, as i took over 1000 and i have had a few other projects that i had to work on first. i actually have a complete series of the risi car starting at the top of the corkscrew then showing him going off track then all the way down thru the gravel trap and back on course. i have a few other photos from the race posted at www.murraymoranphoto.com.

 

Your photos are very very nice! I definately need to get myself a wide angle soon. I use a Canon EOS 40D. I also shot over 1000 pics on Saturday. I could have easily shot double that if I had a wide angle to get some shots in the paddock. Keep up the great work. I am going to see if next year I can get down on the other side of the Corscrew fence for some really great shots. When I was at the Historics back in August, over the 4 days I shot around 1000 shots. But, that included Concorso Italiano. As far as the Historics, I shot over 400 Shots from the Corkscrew of just the 8 Laps Toyota Race of Champions. On the Front Straight at the Pit Wall I took about 300 or more of Mario. Each Pass I would get around 40 or more shots. Plus all the shots I took before he got in the car, as he left, as he came back in and when he got out of the car in the garage. My first race this year was MOTO GP. I shot over 100 shots from turn 11 gate. That was in less that 10 minutes. Next year is going to be a lot of fun for me. BTW! All of my pics are currently sitting on my External Hard Drive until I update my Computer to a Mac with Photoshop. Once that happens, I will get a website up for everyone to see my stuff.

 

that was my first time at Laguna Seca and i absolutely love that track. i was there from thursday thru sunday, so i really got to check out the whole track. that let me figure out good spots for shooting pics. because we were there early and because my friend on the race team has some good contacts we were able to ride around the track for a lap in the Vitesse Program's Porsche 911 GT3. there is nothing like taking the corkscrew at speed! what a great weekend. i will be back again next year! btw, i was shooting with an 18-200mm lens and a 10.5mm fisheye lens. great lenses, but i would like to pick up one a little longer, maybe a 400mm to get real close to the cars.

 

Used to shoot motorsport with nikon gear for 35mm in the pre-digital days when nikon ruled.
Found their 500mm reflex mirror lense was really good for the task. Its small size and light weight allowed hand held shots you'd never get with a conventional optics tele'.
The big trick is restricting yourself to what you can carry easily and avoiding the temptation to take every lense there is, I found.
Used to base everything around their 43-86mm as my std lense. Sometimes take a wide angle but not much less than 24mm. Fish-eye shots don't sell well I found.
At the other end I'd take a 70-200mm or 70-300mm, depending on whether the 500mm mirror came or not. Usually the 70-200mm and the mirror lense. With a 2x convertor in the bag that allowed the 500 to become a 1000mm on the odd time it was needed. With an extendible mono-pod that covered most shooting and weighed light enough that you'd actually move around and get your shots.

Your shots show a real talent.

 

thanks for the kind words. i am always glad to hear comments or criticism of my work. its the best way to learn and improve your skills. the fisheye may not be marketable, but it was fun to play with. i got some shots that i thought came out pretty cool with the effect. i have also heard that nikon's software can flatten out the fisheye images so you have a normal image that has a super wide angle of view, but i havent tried that yet. i really like the 18-200 lens because it is extremely versatile. i was able to use it in the pits and paddocks as well as all around the track. with the variety spots that you can shoot from at laguna seca, there were only a few times when i really wanted a longer lens. being able to just carry the 18-200mm let me be very mobile. its nice and light so it is easy to handle hold without a tripod or monopod. that track was one of the most fun locations i have shot photos at.

 

As I implied its predigital days I last worked with a camera and the gear has come a long way.
Especially the tele zoom lenses. Really, post processing has opened up another world where the very long lenses of my day aren't needed. One can do all that and more in photoshop.
You still need an eye though and fortunately you have one.
Cheers

 

if anyone likes my photos that i have posted here and is interested, i would love the chance to do a photoshoot with any of your cars. i am looking to expand my portfolio and i would appreciate any help you all could give me. you can check my website www.murraymoranphoto.com for more examples of my work. i am in the san diego area and am willing to travel to los angeles, orange county, and riverside county. cheers!