I know this is off topic so if you feel the need to delete it there will be no hard feelings. ....but, check out the old guy almost getting collected by Steve Gasparrelli's TA/FC at this weekends Winternats. Most younger guys would have been running for cover. Not this guy. I'd love to see HIS photos.
That's crazier than this... <object width="445" height="364"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/6TcIRvLnquA&hl=en_US&fs=1&border=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/6TcIRvLnquA&hl=en_US&fs=1&border=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="445" height="364"></embed></object>
I think He's interviewing the driver: "So it's one of those days,,you're going backwards over the barrier at 100mph backwards and tearing up a $300K car while several million watch,,,,,how do you feel?"
I've been in situations like that many times. One thing, is all that happens so fast, you really don't have any time to do much. if anything at all. Most lens setting used at the races are not the same depth perception as the naked eye. A zoom will tell the brain one thing and a wide-angle lens will tell the brain something entirely different. To compensate for that, I learned to shoot with both eyes open while shooting. I learned it back in my days at Lions in the 60's, almost the hard way. Leaving both eyes open, leaves my left eye to tell me the real distance of an oncoming object while the right eye does the work through the camera lens. Another interesting thing about this photo is the cl***ic positioning of his feet. Any drag photographer will take a position before a car's launch where his feet are in a position that will be the most "natural" as the car p***es to (in this case) his right. I always stand with my feet positioned so as the car travels towards me my feet do not have to move as the car goes from my left to my right (or visa versa). You always want your feet to remain stationery so as not to be stumbling or moving your body as a car travels by you. You try to train yourself to shoot with both eyes open (for safety sake) and only move your body from the waist up, Gotta try to keep the feet still. Another reason to keep both eyes open, is you never know what "action" is going on outside of the range of your camera's viewfinder., especially if there is more than one car in on the action. If you have your camera, with a telephoto lens, trained on one car. but to the left the other car does a wheelstand or starts to do something wild, you need to be able to move your camera quickly to where the better shot is taking place. It'll be interesting to see the video of this run, not only to see the photographers action, but also see why that car got so turned around in such a short period of time...something had to have broken...
I don't have much experience shooting at the starting line like Mazooma1 has but I agree with everything he wrote. I shot a lot at the top end, mostly at Divisional races and learned quickly to keep both eyes open; but also to listen. What you don't see on TV or on video is the large number of small pieces travelling at high velocity when a car hits the wall or blows the engine at speed. The parts are too small and moving too quickly to see so you have to learn to listen for them and at least get low or preferably get behind something and duck as soon as you hear them coming. Shrapnel travelling at high speed has a distincitve buzzing sound that you only need to hear once to remember. I have a souvenir spark plug that blew out of Darrel Gwynn's car at the Texas Motorplex and landed about ten feet from me.
Talk about getting the shot !!!!! We need his photo in the News not that celebrity "****" they show us everyday...
That's pretty cool. When I was younger there was a fella there was a fella shooting pics at the Winter Nats. That was back when a 35MM was the the stuff. Anyway long story short there was a door slammer that got loose and jumped the rail. This guy was trying to escape and fell on his back, held the shutter and let it auto load. The car went right over the top of him, but didn't land on him. His sequence was a little out of focus but cool to the bone. Them guys that stand on the rail and shoot drag racing have got to be either nutz or have nerves of steel. People die at races all the time. But holding your ground is how you get the money shots. Cool pic never the less.
I did a lot of shooting back in the 70's with **** Wallen (http://www.racingcl***ics.com/) at sprint car races, Indy stuff, etc. He always told me (especially at sprint car races) ..."if everything goes real quiet....duck and run!".......it always meant that a car was getting airborne....
I worked for Diamond P watching the camera man's back out at Ennis, TX (what a joke). I helped with the first boom camera - we sat up right next to the cars as they would turn on the nitro. Very scary **** the ****ing ground would move. Getting to my point... Eddy Hill's car blew the motor and I ended up with a wrist pin. Really fun stuff!! The best part of that day was listening to the producer curse the other camera men for not getting the shot!! And also when they would see a hot chick in the stands they would have to focus on a kid and pan out to the big breast.
The car made an immediate hard turn to the right after wetting the right rear. Car then barely missed the tree then rolled on it's side and into the opposite wall with the underside of the ch***is and it's momentum almost flipped it over the wall. The impact unlatched the body and with it's throttle stuck wide open, the car bounced along the top of the wall {see photo}. The car then fell on the track and spun back towards the centerline about 200ft out before coming to a stop, the engine still screaming for a few seconds. The driver walked away. Who says NHRA is boring and overpriced.
Holy S!!t. He came out of the left lane???? WTF musta lost a right side drive component and some serious right side traction issues. Any video of the crash?
He's probably saying.."Hey that's not a wrap, that's really painted on!" LOL. Stunning picture. Lippy
Wow! Great explanation of your experience. I know photographers use both eyes and I never understood how that worked out, especially when I've tried it on my own. I can see how this technique would be a great advantage. It must take some time and practice to orient your eyes to work in a individual capacity that way. The gentleman shooting event surely was sprayed with bits of concrete as it seems. It interesting to look at all the spectators too. A lot of expression in the frame of the picture posted. It looks like someone might have bailed off the A-frame ladder a lot quicker than the older photographer to escape the event. Who got the shot though? The ol man has got some big balls!
I've been trying to convince him and Dean Lowe to do books with little positive action from either. I guess we'll just have to be satisfied their posts here on the HAMN.
For anyone wanting to see the video of that crash, record the re-air of The Speed Report on Speed at 2:00am tonight. At the very end of the show, the clip is #5 of "The Fast 5" video compilation.
That photog is Andy Wilshire of the UK. Super cool dude. If you watch the video of that accident, Gasperalli continues down the huardrail backwards and nears yet another photog. It's my brother, and HAMBer MarcG. I have yet to see his pics, but his wife wasn't too happy that he didn't run either. Hahahaha. He said he said his destination was dependant on which side of the guardrail the car was going to end up on. As soon as he knew it was headed back on the track, he just stook his ground and kept shooting. The sad part about the accident is Thee drivers father (Lou) recently had back surgery. He panicked at the sight of the wreck and slipped in the oil. That **** is slicker than snot. Hopefully he's OK.
I don't think a younger guy could have run away! From the looks of where it happened,he wouldn't have been able to get three steps...
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