Anyone who knows motorsports, and also knows that I photograph motorsports professionally, asks if I have ever gotten to take photos at an F1 event. Over the past few years, I have had the privilege to be at the Circuit of The America's in Austin TX during the American GP weekend and had access to some of the event.
F1 never disappoints. From the excitement and crowds to the gallantry and spectacle. I'll be posting a few of the images I captured during the 2021 event over the next few days. Enjoy.
First, the iconic hill-crest tower photo from Circuit of the Americas. Nothing announces this venue like the observation tower hovering 251 feet above the racetrack. That's 417 stairs for a weary photographer if the elevator isn't working. I know, I've counted, multiple times. Looming that large in the sky sets this monolith in perfect perspective when a racecar crests the top of turn #9. From where this photo was taken it's almost 2/3 of a mile to the base of the tower. Navigating the Circuit of the Americas takes some practice.
Second,
This event was the premiere of this view. This pedestrian bridge over the racetrack is new for F1 this year. I have been a fan of this location for the past few years because it's a great "going away" photo. The bright green out-of-bounds area and the red and white rumble strips leading to the racecar lead the eye into the image. Racers often run wide here, entering this short straight from the left and bouncing over the rumble strips.
If there's no drama in the sky, the photo can be interesting as a closeup. Fortunately, I had some beautiful puffy clouds to bring another primary color into the scene. Also, seeing silhouetted people on the bridge brings an element of juxtaposition to the photo as they appear close to the racetrack. In reality, after the hillcrest, the angle down ensures plenty of space under the bridge. Even enough to snap the photo I posted yesterday, which was taken through the gap under the bridge.
Third,
One of the best parts of experiencing the Formula 1 circus at the Circuit of the Americas is the extra stuff that appears for the entertainment of the spectators. Every year that I have been to the event, first-rate concerts embellished this high-energy weekend. Performances by P!NK, Imagine Dragons, Bruno Mars, Britney Spears, Justin Timberlake, and Billy Joel, to name a few. Additionally, there are food stands, outdoor works of art, and even amusement park rides assembled around and in the center of the racetrack.
The view outside of turn nine sets a nice scene to show Max Verstappen's #33 RedBull exiting the uphill left-hander. The grandstands are filled with fans, and the Ferris wheel in the background adds to the spectacle. Unfortunately, I don't often get to photograph race cars with fairground rides in the same frame. Often in the morning, if there's rain or even the threat of rain, fog and mist crowd out the distant view reducing it to a car on a track with a white background. So I try to take advantage of a clear day whenever possible.
Four,
Photography is a lot about thinking and planning.
For this picture, I wanted to include the iconic tower letting everyone know it was taken at the Circuit of the Americas, as well as the red, white, and blue stars and stripes painted around the circuit.
But how to direct the viewer to the subject? Panning, it's a great way to separate the subject from the background.
This is taken from the outside of the track just as the car enters the esses.
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Five,
Sparks, yeah, they happen. Are they cool in a photo? I guess sometimes, but there's a lot more information in a picture like this than small flashes flying behind a race car.
The pictures I take at a racetrack show different things to different people, and sometimes I'm hired to deliver photos to team engineers so they can study what happens to their chassis under conditions that can only be assessed during practice or race situations.
A photo like this, or a burst of photos capturing how the suspension moves and the numerous stresses or flexes of how the chassis reacts to the track surface, can give loads of data to racecar designers to alter the physical make up of a car to achieve higher speeds or better handling through portions of a race.
Sometimes a picture can be more than just a photograph.
Six,
The importance of the crowd. It's a double edge sword in my profession—the crowd breaths life and energy into all the high tension moments of a race weekend. There is an electric pulse generated by the hopes and emotions of the fans. It's hard to put into words what advantage a driver or team gains from a devoted following of cheering, flag waving, loyal fans.
For me they turn boring backgrounds into colorful pallets focusing attention on the subject. They also create an enormous amount of frustration by way of logistics and crowded pathways, not to mention the health restrictions that now dictate much of public events.
But I wouldn't want to loose the audience ever again. They are an integral part of the panoply, the atmosphere, the raison d'etre.
Seven,
Looking up to turn one at the Circuit of the Americas there's a spot that is race car dependant. Meaning that different types of cars that race at the circuit follow unique racing lines based upon how each vehicle is engineered.
A driver's choice of trajectory through part of a race track is often based upon tire condition, traction control, throttle mapping, weather, and countless other details. The shortest path is rarely the quickest, and that's where experience trumps bravery.
Atop turn one, there are many choices for a driver to make. Entry to the corner has lots of room on the track, but the exit is a different story. If someone runs a car deep into turn one, there's a fraction of a second when you can see the sky beneath the vehicle during the exit.