Knockhill Racing Circuit

Sonea Fifer

Sonea Fifer

Sonea Fifer

Soldato
Joined
13 Dec 2006
Posts
6,944
Location
On the forest moon Endor
So I've booked the weekend off work and am spending it at Knockhill with the intention of stepping out of my usual photographic comfort zone and trying something new. Any petrol heads or other keen amateur photographers please feel free to leave any comments or constructive critiscm. I'll update this thread again Mon/Tue with more pictures when I've had the chance to process them.

Until then here's a few shots I've processed from earlier today?

















 
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You might get more 'photographic' critique in the Photography section tbh but I post in both!

I do a fair bit of car photography and do the odd magazine feature (ala below),

1472884_565823550762_185550438_n.jpg


Generally I find motorsport photography is either very vibrant (magazine shots etc.) or true to life (more 'official' photography, - more towards the very vibrant due to the type of subject. The first two are good shots, you have about the right shutter speed (certainly no faster), the composition is a little odd having the car so low in the frame. The later shots it's hard to pick out the foreground from the background - try to find maybe less busy backgrounds or use a smaller depth of field, at the same time keep in mind the context of the photo, No.3 has a nice simple backdrop but with a bit of track and tyres which fits the photo, the brown/gold mini could be anywhere and the big van next to it really pulls focus.

My only main criticism is the post process doesn't make the photos 'pop'. For example the whites are all quite grey and there is a lot of darker tones which on all but the brightest monitors you won't even notice.

Edit - when seeing the first two out of the forum context the composition does work better!
 
unrealrocks said:
You might get more 'photographic' critique in the Photography section tbh but I post in both!
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I'm not necessarily just looking for feedback on my shots - I'm also looking to share my pictures with fellow like minded people who appreciate nice cars. :D

unrealrocks said:
I do a fair bit of car photography and do the odd magazine feature (ala below),

SNIP /IMG][/QUOTE]

Well done on getting your shots published - I've had a few of mine published in local papers and in photography magazines as well. But like I said previously though, this is my first attempt at motorsport photography and if anyone has any suggestions or feedback I'll take it on board and try to learn from it. :)

[quote="unrealrocks, post: 26256304"]The first two are good shots, you have about the right shutter speed (certainly no faster), the composition is a little odd having the car so low in the frame. The later shots it's hard to pick out the foreground from the background - try to find maybe less busy backgrounds or use a smaller depth of field, at the same time keep in mind the context of the photo, No.3 has a nice simple backdrop but with a bit of track and tyres which fits the photo, the brown/gold mini could be anywhere and the big van next to it really pulls focus.

My only main criticism is the post process doesn't make the photos 'pop'. For example the whites are all quite grey and there is a lot of darker tones which on all but the brightest monitors you won't even notice.

Edit - when seeing the first two out of the forum context the composition does work better![/QUOTE]

Thank you again for the tips - it really is appreciated. And in the meantime here's a few more shots I managed earlier today:

Apparently this is putting out over 900BHP:

[URL=http://s1240.photobucket.com/user/SoneaFifer/media/13_zps3ba83b0c.jpg.html][IMG]http://i1240.photobucket.com/albums/gg496/SoneaFifer/13_zps3ba83b0c.jpg[/URL]

Who brakes first:



Fast Scooby was fast:



And so was this Ginetta:



Proper old school:





And when I got bored watching the Minis I took a wander around the car park and came across these:

More than you can afford pal:



Betting the owner has never lost this in the car park:



A few bikers turned up:



As did the BMW owners club:







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small world

I was up there today for a mosey as the wife had got me a 360 Modena voucher, and the 3 series in your "who's going to break 1st ?" is a local BMW specialist who quoted me for fitting some Eibach springs on my car 2 days ago :)

Sadly there was a big event on today and I decided to head home and go back when a bit quieter/cheaper

pics and subjects all look good to me
 
Always enjoy watching the SMRC races, good variety of cars out on the track.

I used to be into photography a bit but decided that I'd rather watch the racing than take pictures :)

Nice pics nonetheless.
 
Thanks for sharing the pics, I've been going to Knockhill since the first BTCC meeting of 1992, was up a few times for the SMRC last year and I was up for a reverse track day this year.
The white Cayman is really quick and sounds good.

M3 - it's really quick, I know the garage on the side of it MBA in Pumpherston, I know the owner Paul, sure it's his car? and not just sponsoring it?

The Focus is indeed Charlie Shaw's, both he and Andy Gallacher used to race in the SMRC, quite a thing to see 2 Ford Focus' lapping a Lamborghini Gallardo Superleggera.

Charlie started way back with a 3 door 2.0 pinto sierra and Andy had a Sapphire Cosworth, doing trackdays, then Charlie had a purple Escort Cosworth and Andy had a black one, they became attractions at trackdays, Charlie had a mk1 Focus RS after the nitrous bottle blew up in the Escort, then both of them had mk2 Focus' with Cosworth running gear, I'm not sure what Andy is up to these days, both have been regulars for years at Knockhll and Crail, I've even seen them at the big shows Ford Fair and RSOC.
 
Ooo I was nearly there but ended up with a shift at work! :( Did make the first round of SMRC though :)

Heading up on the 11th for a little Rallycross action - maybe see you there? :)
 
pcoltrane said:
What was the problem with the meeting housey?
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The races were very poorly supported I felt, small grids. The F3 event had circa 10 cars, the Saloon car event had maybe 15 and did have Steve Soper in a Cologne Capri who was about to chase the Broadspeed Jag that was walking it as he had to pit at the start so was chasing but then broke. The pre war sports cars had about 10 cars, the 1966 to 1974 sports car centre piece had nothing newer than 69 Lola T70's and frankly the whole event seemed empty and really stretched to cover 3 days. Last time I went in 2011 it was much bigger with better races, this one felt very very badly attended. The standards of driving were also very mixed and the racing was very weak I felt.
 
Housey said:
The races were very poorly supported I felt, small grids. The F3 event had circa 10 cars, the Saloon car event had maybe 15 and did have Steve Soper in a Cologne Capri who was about to chase the Broadspeed Jag that was walking it as he had to pit at the start so was chasing but then broke. The pre war sports cars had about 10 cars, the 1966 to 1974 sports car centre piece had nothing newer than 69 Lola T70's and frankly the whole event seemed empty and really stretched to cover 3 days. Last time I went in 2011 it was much bigger with better races, this one felt very very badly attended. The standards of driving were also very mixed and the racing was very weak I felt.
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No Group C or Formula 2 this year either.
 
Housey said:
Better to be there than Donington today. Waste of 75 quid in entry tickets, crap meeting. :(
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Always check with Groupon Housey. ;)

We got 50% off our Knockhill tickets through them - hoping Donington put on a better show for you guys next year!

Psymonkee said:
Heading up on the 11th for a little Rallycross action - maybe see you there? :)
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I'm working on the 11th or I would have been there too - hope you have a great day though and the rain stays off for you ;)

Here's the last five shots from this set now processed - thanks for the comments and hope you like these too:

I'm old enough to remember these - brilliant cars:



I'm also old enough to remember these - the smaller part on the plate reads "230 BHP"



Cooling down:



Yellow Seat was quick too:



And a last shot of Charlie Shaw's epic Focus with it's spoiler:

 
Nice stuff, I always forget to go for a wander around the paddocks and hang out on the back straight shooting the cars coming out of Clarks!

I'll get my last lot of pictures edited up and posted soonish - got the day off wednesday so can crack on with that :)

Also stocking up on umbrellas and ponchos :p
 
Housey said:
The races were very poorly supported I felt, small grids. The F3 event had circa 10 cars, the Saloon car event had maybe 15 and did have Steve Soper in a Cologne Capri who was about to chase the Broadspeed Jag that was walking it as he had to pit at the start so was chasing but then broke. The pre war sports cars had about 10 cars, the 1966 to 1974 sports car centre piece had nothing newer than 69 Lola T70's and frankly the whole event seemed empty and really stretched to cover 3 days. Last time I went in 2011 it was much bigger with better races, this one felt very very badly attended. The standards of driving were also very mixed and the racing was very weak I felt.
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In 2013 it was a strong event although with a sad ending.

I didn't see any of the racing Saturday or Sunday this year but the races on the monday had much bigger grids (35+ cars in a couple of them) and plenty of top historic drivers. I was racing in one of them myself so I didn't get to spectate, but I had good feedback that they were entertaining to watch with some good racing. The timetable was probably better for the drivers than the spectators though with qualifying in the morning and races in the afternoon.

A lot of the higher profile series weren't on the line up (Group C, F1, F2 etc) though which certainly doesn't help. The Brands Hatch historic festival and Silverstone classic should be good though.
 
pcoltrane said:
In 2013 it was a strong event although with a sad ending.

I didn't see any of the racing Saturday or Sunday this year but the races on the monday had much bigger grids (35+ cars in a couple of them) and plenty of top historic drivers. I was racing in one of them myself so I didn't get to spectate, but I had good feedback that they were entertaining to watch with some good racing. The timetable was probably better for the drivers than the spectators though with qualifying in the morning and races in the afternoon.

A lot of the higher profile series weren't on the line up (Group C, F1, F2 etc) though which certainly doesn't help. The Brands Hatch historic festival and Silverstone classic should be good though.
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It was an event built for competitors rather than spectators I feel. I may have gone to the wrong day and I didn't stay to watch all the races as I felt from watching the quali sessions the onces I missed would not have been very special anyway.
 
did a track day at knockhill a few years ago in a fwd 210bhp striped out mg zs.

Has to be my best track, its hard on the car but awesome like a country lane almost with the inclines and declines.
 
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