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|| SportsShooter.com: Member Message Board
Would you shoot? Or Run?
Peter Wine, Photographer, Photo Editor
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Ian L. Sitren, Photographer
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Palm Springs | CA | USA | Posted: 8:34 PM on 12.15.09 |
| ->> Actually it looks like he made a good call, the car had lost momentum and was not coming over the wall. And had it been coming over, perhaps his better option would have been to duck down into the wall and let the car go over and past him. Had the car really been moving he would not have out run it. |
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Patrick Meredith, Photographer, Assistant
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Austin | TX | USA | Posted: 9:06 PM on 12.15.09 |
| ->> I think that is silly..... My life isn't worth getting a photo of a wheel. |
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Rob Bye, Photographer
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Winnipeg | MB | Canada | Posted: 9:08 PM on 12.15.09 |
| ->> This subject has been discussed by the regular group of photographers at our local track. The consensus seems to be that you're better to duck down, but not right next to the barrier. I've had a few cars get squirrelly and come toward me, and each time I just stayed put, and continued to take the shots. I prefer to shoot from my knees, so getting under cover - if it comes to that, won't take long. Never had one hit the barrier in front of me quite like that! |
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David Harpe, Photographer
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Louisville | KY | USA | Posted: 9:47 PM on 12.15.09 |
| ->> It looks like he was shooting with a fairly wide lens. Distances can really trick you when you're wide, and it's really easy to not realize something is close until it's stupid close.... |
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Scott MacDonald, Photographer
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Salinas | CA | USA | Posted: 9:55 PM on 12.15.09 |
| ->> Whatever my fight-or-flight instinct caused me to do, my next conscious decision would likely involve finding clean underwear. |
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Matthew Sauk, Photographer
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Sandy | UT | United States | Posted: 10:09 PM on 12.15.09 |
| ->> wow, wow. I wonder what he felt like after that accident. |
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Alan Look, Photographer
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Bloomington/Normal | IL | United States | Posted: 10:10 PM on 12.15.09 |
->> run. Staying to get a great photo to please an editor and then not being able to send it is about as smart as staying up all night cramming for an 8am final only to fall asleep and miss the test.
What kind of a test is this again? |
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Adam Vogler, Photographer, Photo Editor
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Kansas City | Mo. | USA | Posted: 11:38 PM on 12.15.09 |
| ->> I'd take option C, and duck. There's just no way your going to get clear on your feet. I have to think that behind and a bit away from the wall is your best bet, and I was so advised by some people who know a lot more about shooting motor sports to do just that in this sort of situation, my first few times out. |
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Mike Doran, Photographer
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Petaluma | CA | U.S.A. | Posted: 12:30 AM on 12.16.09 |
| ->> We have this discussion at Infineon Raceway every year it seem's when the NHRA shows up. When I shoot TFC or FC I am always on one knee and I get 3 to 5 frames before I duck behind a wall. My life is worth more to me than getting drilled with something whether it is the shockwave which takes a toll on your body or a piece of the racecar. Each car puts out in the neighborhood of 7000 to 8000 horsepower and you can only imagine what it feels like after you have it roll over you. |
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Scott Serio, Photo Editor, Photographer
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Joe Cavaretta, Photographer
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Ft Lauderdale | FL | USA | Posted: 5:15 AM on 12.16.09 |
| ->> here's your vest back, sorry about the pee stains. |
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G.J. McCarthy, Photographer
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Dallas | TX | Lower 48 | Posted: 9:36 AM on 12.16.09 |
| ->> If this guy is married, he's sleeping on the couch for weeks. |
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Chuck Liddy, Photographer
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Durham | NC | USA | Posted: 10:11 AM on 12.16.09 |
| ->> I almost never call anyone stupid for things they do when shooting photos. Lord knows, lots of people think I'm stupid for places I go and chances I've taken whilst making images. But after watching the video and seeing the stills I kinda came to the conclusion Mr. Willsheer was a)actually caught off guard and wasn't really clear on how close the car was to him....or b) was WELL aware and said "screw it" if it's going to take my head off I'll have a great photo for prosperity and youtube". I mean looking at the photos...the last one is basically of the tire. In any case he is WAY too close for my chic%$nsh&t butt. I have a dear friend who was hit with a very small piece of a disintegrating race car and his shoulder was messed up for 30 years until he had surgery and it still wasn't much better. If the wheel or any of that sheet metal would have come off that funny car this thread would have a much more somber tone I'm afraid. |
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Matthew Sauk, Photographer
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Sandy | UT | United States | Posted: 10:21 AM on 12.16.09 |
| ->> When looking at that it looks like something is spewing out of the car, fuel? If that sparked or started on fire when it hit that wall I don't think he would have made it. |
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Mark Loundy, Photo Editor
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San Jose | CA | USA | Posted: 10:32 AM on 12.16.09 |
->> There is no way that the guy had time for any rational thought. You can see in the video that his instinct did cause him to step away from the car, but only after it was moving away from him.
--Mark |
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Mark Loundy, Photo Editor
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San Jose | CA | USA | Posted: 10:36 AM on 12.16.09 |
->> BTW, The first time I shot from that position, the sheer energy coming from the top-duel dragsters (through hearing protection) caused me to step away, turn around and take me well past the calling for my mama stage.
--Mark |
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Jack Megaw, Student/Intern, Photographer
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Pittsburgh | PA | America | Posted: 10:57 AM on 12.16.09 |
->> I've watched the video and looked at the pictures a few times - if you look carefully the car isn't even coming towards him until it gets on its side and starts rolling - all when it is about 3/4 away across the track from where it started. For a while it looks like it's just going to spin and not roll at all.
Through the wide glass I can see that he misread the movement of the car - but who wouldn't have at least the slightest temptation to try and get 'that picture'?
-Jack |
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Karsten Moran, Photographer, Photo Editor
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New York | NY | United States of America | Posted: 12:01 PM on 12.16.09 |
| ->> he wasn't in a good spot to take the picture, he was in a good spot to [b]BE[/b] the picture |
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Jerry Foss, Photographer
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Rancho Cucamonga | CA | USA | Posted: 12:28 PM on 12.16.09 |
| ->> I was standing about 20 feet down track from him (right about where the car hit the wall) and I chose to run. Normally I would have just ducked behind the wall, but his throttle was hung wide open and the car was on its side coming straight at me. In that case there is a very good possibility that the car could roll over the wall. If it does that and you choose to duck, you stand a good chance of having a car on top of you. If there's one thing I've learned in my 17 years of shooting for NHRA, it's that anything can happen when there are race cars inivolved. |
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Jason Orth, Photographer
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Lincoln | NE | USA | Posted: 1:08 PM on 12.16.09 |
->> I'm in similar, though not as dramatic situations every season (though at some places, there's no wall). I bolt every time and will continue to. It's enough of a risk being there - I'm not going to add to it.
BUT! I'm not sure it was a choice. As Mark Loundy said, there was no time to react and I'll bet the finger was already pressing the button. Anyone who's been shooting that long knows when things are looking out of the norm and starts shooting before they notice where that car is going. Seeing the action from that little window in the camera will slow that process down on top of it.
Thank goodness nobody was hurt. |
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Vasiliy Baziuk, Photographer
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Rochester | NY | USA | Posted: 1:48 AM on 12.17.09 |
->> If you are that close you have no time to run.
I had a close call few years ago as I, and another photog were shooting IRL. The car came out of turn one at Watkins Glen International Speedway and the driver (I remember it was Danica driving) lost control of the car and it headed right for the railing about 10-15 feet where we were standing. I remember turning around and taking no more than one-two steps before I heard the impact and then the wind from the car hit us. These cars move FAST! you have no time to react and by the time you react the whole this is over. |
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Will Lester, Photographer
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Ontario | CA | USA | Posted: 2:42 AM on 12.17.09 |
| ->> Though I was not on the starting line, I was in the media center, and saw this whole crash happen. No excuse for what this guy did, it was just plain stupid!! I've been shooting NHRA events for over 10 years and have never seen anything this blatant, or that clueless, before. A number of photogs made the correct choice and cleared the hell out of there, pronto!!! These are the kind of actions that screw the rest of the photogs over by reducing access due to one clueless photog. I'll take the top end (safety-wise) anyday. And ya know somethin, his photos arent all that anyway. |
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Israel Shirk, Photographer, Assistant
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Boise | ID | US | Posted: 3:01 AM on 12.17.09 |
->> > No excuse for what this guy did, it was just plain stupid!!
I know! He should have grown wings or teleported instantaneously to Tahiti or SOMETHING! I mean, you can get a really really long way in half a second! |
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Will Lester, Photographer
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Ontario | CA | USA | Posted: 3:34 AM on 12.17.09 |
| ->> You bet Israel, that "half a second" could be the difference between life or death in this sport. Speak of what you know! |
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Dave Lintott, Photographer
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Wellington | Well | NZL | Posted: 7:33 AM on 12.22.09 |
->> you have to have faith in your reflexes if you're going to shoot sport up close. if you're just doing it to bank the cheque then go sit in the stand. i hung on the outside of the nz moto-x grand prix first corner couple years back and they mixed coming into the corner, i had bikes flying either side of me while i skipped about like a mouse in a frying pan. i got great shots that day but if i'd been nailed i'd just have to grin and bear it.
nobody lives forever. if you shoot with passion you will be where you want to be. |
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