Earlier this year I accepted the position of series photographer for Road to Indy. I won't go into details but suffice it to say, it has been a wonderful experience. This past weekend the series had its seventh event of 2021 that I covered at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course. We had a full day of testing at the venue before the escapade got underway on Thursday which gave me time to explore the landscape and spend some creative moments experimenting with ideas that had been lingering in my mind. Let me explain in the photographs that follow. Doubtless, the subtle fact that I need to elaborate with words about the images I was endeavoring to capture means that at some level I've failed to deliver pictures that "are worth a thousand words", or photos that tell a story so complete that no utterance of words is necessary. Well, I try, but I'm still honing my craft. As usual all images are © Gavin Baker 2021
There's a ridge that the cars crest at turn two. I'm told that long ago this was an ideal angle for photos capturing the charge of racecars after taking the green flag. Over time the track has changed a bit and the vantage point for watching this onslaught is below the rise of the asphalt, making a full-field image impossible from the ground. But what it does provide is a unique view of the head on racecar as it emerges into sight. It reminds me of a shark as it breaks the surface of the ocean when the glimmering light reflects off the nose of the car. With a shallow depth of field and the haze from the tarmac the background distorts and changes objects into shapes. The catch fence above and to the right of the bright orange Global Racing Group #24 driven by Benjamin Peterson gives the effect of cradling the subject and directs the eye back into the focus of the photo.
The downward righthand "keyhole" at Mid-Ohio is often a challenge for newbies and aggressive racers. This corner has a tendency to collect dirt from drivers cutting the apex too close. The loss of grip coupled with the fact that the outer half of the turn is off-camber makes a small mistake escalate quickly into an off-track excursion. Many racers bear their teeth in out-breaking maneuvers to force rivals wide and into the waiting trap. Elevation changes add to a photograph in so many ways, showing more cars on the track and crowds being allowed to return to events after last year's pandemic. The fact that our tire sponsor is on the billboard is an added benefit to me and the series.
Leading up to the exit of the keyhole is this landscape that really sets the scene for Mid-Ohio. What's needed is the excitement in the sky. On an overcast / rainy day it's hard to make this photograph work. I had a few moments while the track was in the soft glow of a cloud-filled sky to capture the casual green countryside flow of Ohio.
The exit of the "keyhole" onto the long back straight begins full-throttle acceleration for the #59 HMD Motorsports Indy Lights car driven by Nikita Lastochkin. The yellow reflection from the paint onto the brightly lit letters of the rear wing announces this gladiator by name as he squeezes every drop of speed from his racecar, careful to not waste any by running wide into the dirt. The brown Earth against the yellow of the paint and the green of the grass draws focus to the massive girth of the slick tire hovering over the edge of the rumble strip and makes the static image exciting in its own right.
Light is what it's all about as a photographer. Upon occasion it's a blessing, and inevitably at other times a curse. The morning light at Mid-Ohio that gently flows across the undulating landscape makes being at the right place a moment to be treasured. Here are some of my favorite photos from the back half of the racetrack during the magical morning hours of practice for the Cooper Tires Indy Lights Grand Prix of Mid-Ohio.
Sting Ray Robb pilots his racecar across the peak of turn number five as the Sun's warming glow lights the Juncos Racing #2. Set against the dark green pine trees in the distance the metallic colors shimmer.
Bathed in the yellow sunlight Robert Megennis glides the #27 Andretti Autosport Indy Lights car past a sleeping campground shrouded in the cover of mid Summer foliage.
A slow shutter speed sets the scene for the #24 Global Racing Group w/HMD Motorsports Indy Lights racecar driven by Benjamin Pedersen to shower the lush landscape with its powerful orange livery.
Exiting the back half of the track is the #68 Andretti Autosport car driven by Danial Frost. The part of the trees and the clouds in the sky give the feeling of emergence and a look into a bright world ahead.
Heading back towards the beginning of the racetrack Kyle Kirkwood pilots the #28 Andretti Autosport racecar into the carousel. I love this view because it's unmistakably Mid-Ohio. With the tower in the background and the matching color of the Armco this scene setter revives memories and nostalgia of the timeless Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course.
There are a few other places I find very rewarding at Mid-Ohio. One is on the driver's right, before the bridge approaching turn one. In the afternoon it's lit well and shows off the whole field after taking the green flag. Here Kyle Kirkwood and David Malukas lead the field at the start of race #1.
After a lap, the field begins to string out and presents this opportunity. Here is Linus Lundqvist piloting the #26 Global Racing Group w/HMD Motorsports racecar down the front stretch with hungry competitors close at his heels.
Another spot I relish is turn number five. Being on the outside of the track (driver's left) means having competitors drive around your position yielding many opportunities for photos. My favorite from this area needs a crowd in the background so I usually save this spot for race day. It's ok during practice but the magnificent array of colors blurred by an unbridled Kyle Kirkwood racing the #28 of Andretti Autosport demands all of your attention as it speeds through the left-hand turn.
Then there's this human element intertwined with all of the metal, rubber, fuel, and grit. There are people with hopes and dreams, aspirations and determination. They fan the flames of this passion for racing. They give oxygen to fire-breathing machines. They forge the way through speed and endurance. They blaze the path to glory with hard work and commitment. Capturing these moments lights a fire inside of me.
These are just some of my favorites from the weekend, and there have been many more weekends packed full of these moments since the beginning of the year. I wish I had more time to share. See you at the track!