Lemans 24Hr advice
Discussion
Practice panning with the cars, otherwise you run the risk of making the car look photoshopped in. Move around the circuit, if you can't get a good angle through or over the catch fences move on, it is a big circuit. Night practice on Thursday evening is quieter than the race in terms of spectators so chance to scope out good locations. Have fun!
Agree with not trying track shots, too much catch fencing and much resulting frustration! Just enjoy 
I've not been to the main 24hr, only the classic, and the paddock is the place to get the really interesting stuff.
Hanging yourself out over the pits can also get some nice results, but don't drop the camera
Jaguar by Suggs, on Flickr
Le Mans Pit Lane by Suggs, on Flickr
Lola by Suggs, on Flickr
I've not been to the main 24hr, only the classic, and the paddock is the place to get the really interesting stuff.
Hanging yourself out over the pits can also get some nice results, but don't drop the camera
Jaguar by Suggs, on Flickr
Le Mans Pit Lane by Suggs, on Flickr
Lola by Suggs, on Flickr
Ok I'll try some positive advice.
1) Keep the camera locked in the boot of the car when you're not using it. Certainly don't keep it in the tent even if you're sleeping in there at the time.,
2) DEFINATELY take the camera. You'll wish you had if you don't.
3) Don't worry too much about using it in the first couple of hours of the race unless you've got a great spot like in one of the grandstands. There's plenty of time to get your shots. Plenty.
4) Good shooting spots easily accessible from the campsites are:
- Porsche curves
- At the Esses looking up at the Dunlop Bridge
- Tertre Rouge, both inside on the banking, but also on the outside of the bend shooting through the catch fencing as the cars go onto Mulsanne. This is particularly atmospheric at dawn on Sunday. There's a subway by the bend you can use to get across.
All these have good viewing, no catch fences in shot.
5) Definately take an early night and go back out at around 1am. With the night shooting the catch fencing won't impact quite so much, especially if you're tracking shots. If you follow the outside of the circuit opposite the pitlane you can get great "glowing brake" shots in the chicane (although a 200mm lens might be a bit small to really capture it well)
6) If it's the middle of the night a lot of the marshall posts are unmanned There used to be a gap in the catch fence on the outside of the circuit in front of the Dunlop Bridge. If you're lucky it will be unmanned in the night and you can slip in and get great night shots of the cars emerging from the chicane from right on the barrier. Be discreet, and no flash.
7) Then over the bridge and down to the Esses view back up at the Bridge for around 4am. This is a good time/place to settle for a while, as you can take long exposure/trail shots, and when the sun comes up it's behind you. There's not only the bank looking up at the bridge, but if you go around to the exit of the Esses there's an excellent little hill but this is very popular with photographers even at night.
8) Then move on to Tertre Rouge to get close to the cars - you'll get good shots showing how tired, mucky and battered the cars are starting to look. Plus you can get hot chocolate and croissants at Tertre Rouge!
9) You can get out onto the side of Mulsanne if you're prepared to try hard enough but it is fairly well patrolled even in the night. They really don't like you there. Not worth the bother particularly as you won't get great shots anyway.
10) Make sure you get some time lapses of the ferris wheel at night. Everyone does and it's a great shot.
11) Make sure you don't forget to shoot stuff other than the racing. It really is an amazing place and if you capture some of the campsite/nightlife/bar life reportage it will make for a much more interesting set of pics.
Good luck & good shooting.
John
1) Keep the camera locked in the boot of the car when you're not using it. Certainly don't keep it in the tent even if you're sleeping in there at the time.,
2) DEFINATELY take the camera. You'll wish you had if you don't.
3) Don't worry too much about using it in the first couple of hours of the race unless you've got a great spot like in one of the grandstands. There's plenty of time to get your shots. Plenty.
4) Good shooting spots easily accessible from the campsites are:
- Porsche curves
- At the Esses looking up at the Dunlop Bridge
- Tertre Rouge, both inside on the banking, but also on the outside of the bend shooting through the catch fencing as the cars go onto Mulsanne. This is particularly atmospheric at dawn on Sunday. There's a subway by the bend you can use to get across.
All these have good viewing, no catch fences in shot.
5) Definately take an early night and go back out at around 1am. With the night shooting the catch fencing won't impact quite so much, especially if you're tracking shots. If you follow the outside of the circuit opposite the pitlane you can get great "glowing brake" shots in the chicane (although a 200mm lens might be a bit small to really capture it well)
6) If it's the middle of the night a lot of the marshall posts are unmanned There used to be a gap in the catch fence on the outside of the circuit in front of the Dunlop Bridge. If you're lucky it will be unmanned in the night and you can slip in and get great night shots of the cars emerging from the chicane from right on the barrier. Be discreet, and no flash.
7) Then over the bridge and down to the Esses view back up at the Bridge for around 4am. This is a good time/place to settle for a while, as you can take long exposure/trail shots, and when the sun comes up it's behind you. There's not only the bank looking up at the bridge, but if you go around to the exit of the Esses there's an excellent little hill but this is very popular with photographers even at night.
8) Then move on to Tertre Rouge to get close to the cars - you'll get good shots showing how tired, mucky and battered the cars are starting to look. Plus you can get hot chocolate and croissants at Tertre Rouge!
9) You can get out onto the side of Mulsanne if you're prepared to try hard enough but it is fairly well patrolled even in the night. They really don't like you there. Not worth the bother particularly as you won't get great shots anyway.
10) Make sure you get some time lapses of the ferris wheel at night. Everyone does and it's a great shot.
11) Make sure you don't forget to shoot stuff other than the racing. It really is an amazing place and if you capture some of the campsite/nightlife/bar life reportage it will make for a much more interesting set of pics.
Good luck & good shooting.
John
Edited by corozin on Monday 6th June 20:59
corozin said:
Ok I'll try some positive advice.
1) Keep the camera locked in the boot of the car when you're not using it. Certainly don't keep it in the tent even if you're sleeping in there at the time.,
2) DEFINATELY take the camera. You'll wish you had if you don't.
3) Don't worry too much about using it in the first couple of hours of the race unless you've got a great spot like in one of the grandstands. There's plenty of time to get your shots. Plenty.
4) Good shooting spots easily accessible from the campsites are:
- Porsche curves
- At the Esses looking up at the Dunlop Bridge
- Tertre Rouge, both inside on the banking, but also on the outside of the bend shooting through the catch fencing as the cars go onto Mulsanne. This is particularly atmospheric at dawn on Sunday. There's a subway by the bend you can use to get across.
All these have good viewing, no catch fences in shot.
5) Definately take an early night and go back out at around 1am. With the night shooting the catch fencing won't impact quite so much, especially if you're tracking shots. If you follow the outside of the circuit opposite the pitlane you can get great "glowing brake" shots in the chicane (although a 200mm lens might be a bit small to really capture it well)
6) If it's the middle of the night a lot of the marshall posts are unmanned There used to be a gap in the catch fence on the outside of the circuit in front of the Dunlop Bridge. If you're lucky it will be unmanned in the night and you can slip in and get great night shots of the cars emerging from the chicane from right on the barrier. Be discreet, and no flash.
7) Then over the bridge and down to the Esses view back up at the Bridge for around 4am. This is a good time/place to settle for a while, as you can take long exposure/trail shots, and when the sun comes up it's behind you. There's not only the bank looking up at the bridge, but if you go around to the exit of the Esses there's an excellent little hill but this is very popular with photographers even at night.
8) Then move on to Tertre Rouge to get close to the cars - you'll get good shots showing how tired, mucky and battered the cars are starting to look. Plus you can get hot chocolate and croissants at Tertre Rouge!
9) You can get out onto the side of Mulsanne if you're prepared to try hard enough but it is fairly well patrolled even in the night. They really don't like you there. Not worth the bother particularly as you won't get great shots anyway.
10) Make sure you get some time lapses of the ferris wheel at night. Everyone does and it's a great shot.
11) Make sure you don't forget to shoot stuff other than the racing. It really is an amazing place and if you capture some of the campsite/nightlife/bar life reportage it will make for a much more interesting set of pics.
Good luck & good shooting.
John
fantastic advice there 1) Keep the camera locked in the boot of the car when you're not using it. Certainly don't keep it in the tent even if you're sleeping in there at the time.,
2) DEFINATELY take the camera. You'll wish you had if you don't.
3) Don't worry too much about using it in the first couple of hours of the race unless you've got a great spot like in one of the grandstands. There's plenty of time to get your shots. Plenty.
4) Good shooting spots easily accessible from the campsites are:
- Porsche curves
- At the Esses looking up at the Dunlop Bridge
- Tertre Rouge, both inside on the banking, but also on the outside of the bend shooting through the catch fencing as the cars go onto Mulsanne. This is particularly atmospheric at dawn on Sunday. There's a subway by the bend you can use to get across.
All these have good viewing, no catch fences in shot.
5) Definately take an early night and go back out at around 1am. With the night shooting the catch fencing won't impact quite so much, especially if you're tracking shots. If you follow the outside of the circuit opposite the pitlane you can get great "glowing brake" shots in the chicane (although a 200mm lens might be a bit small to really capture it well)
6) If it's the middle of the night a lot of the marshall posts are unmanned There used to be a gap in the catch fence on the outside of the circuit in front of the Dunlop Bridge. If you're lucky it will be unmanned in the night and you can slip in and get great night shots of the cars emerging from the chicane from right on the barrier. Be discreet, and no flash.
7) Then over the bridge and down to the Esses view back up at the Bridge for around 4am. This is a good time/place to settle for a while, as you can take long exposure/trail shots, and when the sun comes up it's behind you. There's not only the bank looking up at the bridge, but if you go around to the exit of the Esses there's an excellent little hill but this is very popular with photographers even at night.
8) Then move on to Tertre Rouge to get close to the cars - you'll get good shots showing how tired, mucky and battered the cars are starting to look. Plus you can get hot chocolate and croissants at Tertre Rouge!
9) You can get out onto the side of Mulsanne if you're prepared to try hard enough but it is fairly well patrolled even in the night. They really don't like you there. Not worth the bother particularly as you won't get great shots anyway.
10) Make sure you get some time lapses of the ferris wheel at night. Everyone does and it's a great shot.
11) Make sure you don't forget to shoot stuff other than the racing. It really is an amazing place and if you capture some of the campsite/nightlife/bar life reportage it will make for a much more interesting set of pics.
Good luck & good shooting.
John
Edited by corozin on Monday 6th June 20:59
only thing i'd add, is always have a point and shoot with you. There's always that moment when something interesting happens, and you havent got time to get your DSLR out of your rucksack, out out the boot of your car.
I have a little 'beer cam' - a years old 4mp samsung. Takes great photos for such an old thing, runs on AAs, so i can always get batterys anywhere, and its worth nothing so i wouldnt be too upset if it got dropped in a pint.
Well, i'd be a little miffed that id need to get another pint!
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