Originally posted by gran racing:
Well, I certainly not a great photographer but do think the non-digital cameras have advantages over digital ones for quality and flexibility. When you look at the majority of professional photographers (at sporting events including racing, weddings, ect.) most do not use digital cameras.
I have to pipe up on this.

Now, I'm certainly not a professional photog. Some folks here know me from NER events. Since I'm there to crew I enjoy taking photos while our car is not on track.

When I first started coming to the track I used my film camera. That quickly became an expen$ive idea. The cost of film, processing and printing was so cost prohibitive that I had to sit down and think long and hard about it. In the end, I did the math and figured that I would be able to offset the purchase of a Digi SLR after 5000 exposures. Working digitally, I was able to "save" the cost of the camera in 4 months! So, what I had was a much more cost effective solution to shooting races.
In addition to NER events I have credentials to ALMS and Speed World Challenge so I shoot A LOT of images (about 9k per year). I could never have done this with film. I'd be broke!
Quality wise, shooting digital is, except in extreme cases like poster size enlargements, virtually equal to film in color quality, tonal balance, sharpness, etc. Side by side, you would be hard pressed to discern a digi print from a film print. One of the major pluses is that if the photo is poor (out of focus, missed the shot, whatever) it can be deleted on the spot so as to not waste space on the memory card - roughly 25% of film shots are "throw aways" which is not cost effective at all.
Flexability- the digi cam allows for a vast range of effects that were never possible with film. One word that sums them all up would be Photo Shop

So, I guess my point here is that in my mind digi photography in this sport is the way to go. The quality is there, the speed is there, and most importantly the instant gratification of seeing the images of Joe Racer making "the winning pass" 5 minutes after he gets back to his paddock stall is there. (now if I could figure a way to easily display them to all the races at the track I'd be set).

In closing, as I said, I'm not a pro. I do this as a hobby. I've tried to get race weekend photos online for the drivers to see within 48 hours of the race. I'm not out to make a bazillion dollars at it, I just hope to sell a couple images from each event to cover my gas and beer money for the weekend. Some weekends I do, some weekends I don't. Next season I hope to have my processes streamlined a bit so I can serve you guys better and get more racers to purchase from me. I don't believe in pushing images on people etc. I just hope you check out my website and find something you like.
Bottom line is, I have fun doing it and that's what is important. I've met a gaggle of really cool people via shooting photos of them on track. When it stops being fun, I'll find something else to do.

see you at the track in '04

DJK

btw- these days the majority of Photojournalism you see in print or web is all digital. Major mags like Sports Illustrated (even National Geographic is doing it) and major newspapers all shoot digital. Why? Because the photog can transmit his images back to the editor from halfway around the world in minutes, which in turn means our "gotta have it now world" gets to see the news shortly after it breaks. Which is awesome!



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Doug
the16v.com
briansgarage.com