watching cars - the Newcastle Mattara Hill climb

[h0ughy]

I took my son this morning to go and see the Mattara Hill climb in King Edward park. I had a ball and he didn't at first until the big cars got going with lots of wheel smoke and wonderful purring dulcet tones of a screaming V8.

Man it was really hard to image these cars, they averaged 100 k in the small straight after the start and to find and keep focus as they were hurtiling down the road at you was near impossible. Only a few shots were worthwhile. Anyway, forthe record, to cover a kilometer of road took one car 39.3 seconds. Awesome!!

[h0ughy]

forgot to say that I took these on a mono pod with a PentaxK10D and the 50-500 lens. on a sad note I dropped the camera and lens onto my bag by accident (my son tripped me up, I am not a happy boy!!!) I will have to get the lens repaired as it is really loose in the whole assembly and the camera connection - the Pentax seems fine. I shudder to think how much this little exercise will cost me to have rectified

[Orion]

Nice shots ....I didn't realise it was on.

[h0ughy]

thanks Ed, well mate you are that isolated at Swansea Heads, your like another world away!! Can't wait for First light mate for the new scope - does it have a name yet?

[Orion]

No it hasn't. I'm not to good at finding names for things.:shrug:

[Dujon]

A couple of good shots in there, Houghy.

Years and years ago I did a lot of motor racing photography and, to be honest, I found a tripod (I didn't have a mono) to be a hindrance rather than an asset, even with a 300mm lens hanging off the front. I have always enjoyed hill climb events, even though I didn't compete myself. It is great to see that the events are still being staged. Unfortunately I never did make it to the Newcastle venue and mainly visited Silverdale and Amaroo Park.

Another one I missed was the Bathurst run, which (as far as I can gather) used the stretch between Forest Elbow and Skyline as the course. Halcyon days, Houghie.

Postscript:

Sorry to read about your lens.
Good luck - may the gods of financial dealings be with you.

[xelasnave]

Nice shots... what car managed the best time? the clubman? gee I love their appearance.

The first competition I even raced was a hill climb on a moto cross bike... pulled second place I was so happy...

The front wheel never touched the ground all the way up... everyone though I meant to do that but in truth I could not get it back down once I left the line..it was like a unicycle.. flat changed without the clutch and it did not drop even then... did not say to those there that I was in effect out of control the whole way and acted as if it was met to happen.

Try some "blur" in CS3 it can work wonders on these type of photos to give the feeling of movement. You can use the lasso tool to isolate appropriate edges and give them a little "speed"...

shame about the accident with the camera but stuff happens...keep your chin up.
alex

[xelasnave]

I should add it was straight up with no corners.
alex

[tornado33]

Good shots there mate.

Some years ago now I got the best seat in the house for free... hang gliding over it, could watch the cars run the whole course :)
Scott

[h0ughy]

awesome:thumbsup: