Back on the Boards 2022-11-17

After months of being outside breathing petrol fumes, listening to the sweet sounds of engines roaring, and walking many miles around racetracks, my winter season opened the gymnasium doors with men's basketball.

Saint Joseph's University, SJU Men's Basketball vs University of Albany 2022

It's my favorite game to photograph that uses a ball for three reasons: 1.) Emotion It gushes out of every athlete's face. Sweat, pain, surprise, joy, fear, and anger all leave their mark on the countenance of every player. And in basketball, there's no pesky helmet to get in the way. It's on display, raw, and visceral for everyone to see.
2.) Action Close contact, reaches, grabs, fast feet, flying through the air, grace, and power all battle for attention while the clock ticks off fleeting seconds. 3.) Both a team and individual sport Every team's plans and strategies hinge on each player's talent and skills. One masterful person rarely makes their team victorious, but it's equally as hard for a well-practiced team to rise above mediocrity.

So enjoy some of my favorite shots from the Saint Joseph's University Men's Basketball game last night against the University of Albany played at the Hagan Arena.

2022 Final Race of the year Formula 4 and Formula Regionals America Race #6 at Circuit of the Americas

As my 2022 motorsports year ends, I got to spend the final race weekend at one of my favorite venues, the Circuit of the Americas.
The final F4 United States championship and Formula Regional Americas races took place over the weekend, crowning new champions in each series. Here are a few of my favorite photos from the weekend in Austin, TX.

First, my F4 United States championship favorites:

And my Formula Regional Americas favorites:

Working with all of the people in the series this year was a pleasure, and I look forward to 2023.

2022 IndyCar Race #9 Honda Indy 200 At Mid-Ohio

When I had finished laying out my 2022 schedule, I wondered about the three consecutive weekends I would spend at the Mid-Ohio Sportscar Course. I pondered the monotony, the repeated landscape, and the long drive from home.

One of the challenges of photographing motorsports is having the same subject each week. From a sponsor's viewpoint, it makes sense for companies to make their products recognizable. Repetition of logos and names builds familiarity for all brands and products.

Every long-time NASCAR fan remembers the #3 Goodwrench car when the name Dale Earnhardt is mentioned. When I started working in motorsports, Jimmie Johnson would forever become equated with Lowe's and the number 48. Just like when I picture Kyle Busch, in my mind, he is holding packs of M&M's standing next to his #18 racecar. I even use these relationships to remember things like combinations or addresses. For example, if a lock combination is 11-88-23, then I only have to remember Denny-Jr-Bubba (Denny Hamlin, Dale Earnhardt Jr, Bubba Wallace) and don't have to worry about the numbers. Repetitive experiences create relationships in our minds.

Pato O'Ward - Arrow McLaren SP - Mid-Ohio - IndyCar - 2022
Colton Herta - Andretti Autosport w/ Curb-Agajanian - Mid-Ohio - IndyCar - 2022

Advertisers know that if I admire Scott Dixon and think he is a great race car driver, I subconsciously begin to feel the same thoughts about the brand he represents, PNC Bank. Just as I'm pretty sure if Will Power needed a new cell phone, he would be shopping at a Verizon store. At least, I'm sure that's what Verizon wants me to think.

Will Power - Team Penske - Mid-Ohio - IndyCar - 2022
Scott Dixon - Chip Ganassi Racing - Mid-Ohio - IndyCar - 2022
Scott McLaughlin - Team Penske - Mid-Ohio - IndyCar - 2022

I don't mind if Petronas, FedEx, NTT, Menards, Target, or anyone else is funding motorsports. They want people to buy their products, and the more effective their advertising is, the more money people spend. If that's what promotes motorsports, then great. The more people talk about the Monster Energy motorcycle, the Red Bull car, or the Bass Pro Shops #19, the better it is for each brand and motorsports.

My brother-in-law won't go to Home Depot because he's a Jimmie Johnson fan. His brand loyalty comes from honoring the company that his favorite driver had all over his car. The funny thing is that the reverse is far less comparable. I have rarely heard a fan swear off a product because they hated the driver of that car. It's improbable that even the much-maligned Kyle Busch would deter a fan away from M&M's.

People like familiarity. It's a comfort in an ever-changing world. It's buying the same Brawny paper towels or stopping at the same Sunoco gas station. We know what to expect. We know old John will be behind the counter waiting for us after grabbing our morning coffee. That was made in the same Bunn pot with the same Peet's coffee beans for years. The cups are always in the same place, as are the lids, the stirrers, and the cream. Reliability and predictability bring order to our lives.

How much is all of this brand loyalty and familiarity worth? That's a problem I'm sure a lot of research has gone towards solving. Is an ad on TV during the Super Bowl worth the expense? $6.5 million is a lot of money for 30 seconds, yet I don't remember any gaps in the television coverage. That large amount of money could buy a spot on the rear fender for a whole racing season. How fast do you think Dorito's made back the money they invested in their commercial?

Pato O'Ward - Arrow McLaren SP - Mid-Ohio - IndyCar - 2022

One nice thing about how expensive it is to sponsor a car for an entire season is that not many companies decide to do it. Different sponsors bring different colors, designs, and art. So it was a real treat for me to see other liveries this weekend. Romain Grosjean driving the Forever Lawn #28 at Mid-Ohio was great. What a welcome change from the yellow and red DHL paint that has lingered for many seasons. The black and the green captured my heart at every turn, and I found myself lingering for another pass of the car before changing locations. During the weekend, Marcus Erickson piloted the Honda Ridgeline #8 car with a rich, multi-faceted green complexion that amplified its curves and arches

It's also wonderful when a brand realizes there is room for new expression and design, like the red fading to black on Will Power's Verizon car. It is a welcome change from the tired old muted silver of years past and a beautiful update to the hum drum black with red accents of last year.

Scott McLaughlin - Team Penske - Mid-Ohio - IndyCar - 2022

I've said how racecars can be beautiful with their curves and aerodynamics, spoilers, and shiny paint, but let me augment that by reminding you how amazing your girlfriend looks in her sexy new red dress with the black stiletto heels. She isn't a different person or unrecognizable, but eye-catching, beautiful, and memorable. I hope more sponsors begin to take advantage of this not-so-subtle surprise factor to shine over their competitors while their advertising waits for action.

2022 IndyCar Race #8 Sonsio Grand Prix At Road America

I often think back to one of the first photo meetings I attended at Road America. Our photographer liaison for the track was explaining the usual dos and don'ts in a smallish hut designed to be the photographer's workstation during the current race weekend. Towards the conclusion of the rehearsed speech, he began to praise the venue that was in his charge. It became obvious that his attachment to this racetrack was deeper than an obligation, he felt an enduring reverence for the rich history of motorsports that had graced the asphalt at Road America.

There I sat, attentively wondering if I would see what he saw around the four miles of the racetrack. I stared at the giant topographical map on the wall behind him focusing on the circular orange sticky dots marking photo holes in the catch fences. I started to imagine the abundant beauty all around the track, hoping I could capture it for others to see.

Helio Castroneves, Meyer Shank Racing, IndyCar, Road America 2022

In closing the meeting he said these words, "If you can't take great photos here, you need to change professions."

It came off a bit cocky, and perhaps it was a challenge. Years later I think I understand it better.

Felix Rosenqvist, Arrow McLaren SP, IndyCar, Road America 2022

Taking pictures of exotic cars, be it open-wheel, prototypes, historic racers, or sports cars is taking photos of beautiful objects that are dazzling, sexy, and colorful, mixed with speed and danger. Having a great subject usually yields great photos.

Helio Castroneves, Meyer Shank Racing, IndyCar, Road America 2022

At Road America, it's all that and so much more because of everything around you. The track itself plays an important part in every photo, and discovering the hidden gems along each path makes Road America an exciting and evolving experience each time I work there.

Will Power, Team Penske, IndyCar, Road America 2022

He was right, and I have only scratched the surface of Road America.

The Corvette bridge before turn #6 and the surrounding area provides many opportunities for photos. The above photos were taken during the practice sessions. The overcast conditions muted the colors and contrast of the cars a bit, but it's my job to make them look their best in any condition.

At the end of the front straight, the cars pose nicely in front of either a disappearing Pit Road or next to a few different Road America signs. Something I forget once in a while is that these cars look great going away. Bonus pictures!

RACE DAY!!!

This brings us to Sunday and the Sonsio Grand Prix At Road America. I was in the flag stand for the start and it was quite a thrill to be standing high above the field as they took the green flag. Thanks to an early caution I was still there as Jimmie Johnson came into his pit box for a minor adjustment and Simona De Silvestro pitted for a full tire change. I stayed for a few laps to photograph a little front straight action.

Soon after things got underway I headed to the Corvette bridge again. I don't usually revisit a section of a racetrack that I have photographed earlier during a race weekend, but I had been hoping that I could capture something special and it could not have worked out better. The view through the bridge makes the subject stand out because the background is far away from the racecar. During practice, it can provide a lush green canvas, but I wanted something different. I wanted a crowd, and I got one. Since the crowd was far removed from the subject the out-of-focus background became a sea of colors that gave a stark contrast to the sharp racecars as they crested the hill.

And again (I had to keep reminding myself) these cars look great from behind as well. One of the things I like about this photo specifically is the distortion. Of course, I want every photo to be sharp and in focus but... the haziness from the exhaust plays a key role in this photo. It brings to life the heat of this fire-breathing IndyCar.

Colton Herta - Andretti Autosport w/ Curb-Agajania - Road America - IndyCar - 2022

Next in my plans was another use of this amazing crowd that had gathered to breathe in the excitement at an IndyCar spectacle. After turn #5 the asphalt climbs towards the Corvette bridge. The open area I would be using as my background was full of motorsport enthusiasts, just as I had hoped. Panning cars here is fun because I usually can rest a little bit because I'm seated (or kneeling) on the ground so that I'm close to level with the car which pushes it up in the photo and into the crowd.

Time to tackle turn #5. It's deceptively difficult to take a photo that I like here. The obstacles add up...

1: The pavement is dark and radiates a lot of heat so it often confuses the focus tracking on even the best cameras.

2: The background (crowd) is close to the subject so using depth of field to showcase the subject is limited.

3: Panning with a car that's turning presents a lot of motion that isn't being panned at all.

4: The cars aren't moving that fast here so to get enough motion in each pan means using quite a low shutter speed.

5: Waiting until the driver accelerates is very important because the movement of the suspension will distort the car even more.

On the whole, I was disappointed with what I kept from the exercise, and these two were by far my favorites.

I would only have time for a couple of quick stops before heading to Victory Lane for the end of the race so I headed for the exit of Canada Corner (Turn #12). The picnickers along the elevated backdrop enjoying the blue skies and green foliage set the scene perfectly for racecars.

And then it hit me, the skies I was missing from the overcast practices the day before could be photographed again. This time welcoming the picture-perfect clouds and bright blue sky would invite a sun-soaked view of this beautiful track that is Road America.

And then it was over. I hurried to Victory Lane for the celebration and confetti. Until next year.