Taking photographs in Formula 1 can be a bit hit and miss. Here is a short guide on how to get good photographs when you go to a Formula 1 race weekend.

If possible, try to attend the practice/test sessions as the crowds tend to be smaller and will offer better photo taking opportunities. The majority of people will turn up for qualifying and practically everyone who has a ticket will turn up for the actual race! The practice/test sessions offer you a chance to practice your skills and find the best sections of the track to take excellent photographs.

SLR Cameras

SLR cameras are better for taking pictures of fast cars than digital cameras because the shutter-lag time (the time between pressing the ‘take’ button and the picture actually being taken) is far less on an SLR than a digital camera.

If you are going to practice panning, do not get too close to the track – the cars stream by so fast you probably will not be able to pan fast enough to keep the car in frame. If you want to pan, the best thing to do is sit slightly further away from the track, however you will need longer lenses for this. As far as equipment goes, take either a vibration reduction lens or a monopod with you – it is really difficult to keep long telephoto lenses steady across long periods of time. You can use the railings on the front rows, however this can block other people’s views of the action so I would not recommend it.

Shots of cars on the angle or coming towards you can be quite tricky – the car will be moving so quickly it is often difficult to focus and keep the car fully in frame. Try pre-focusing and waiting for the cars to come towards you. Don’t worry about trying to catch the car directly in the full frame – you will probably be too slow if you try this. It’s best just to snap when the car comes into view and crop the photos at a later date.

If your camera features a motor wind, it is advisable to use it. Set it to a speed of around 3 frames a second and wait for the cars to start coming into frame and then let the camera start taking the photos. This technique means you are more likely to get some decent shots.If you are taking pictures of F1 cars along the straights, 1/1000 seconds is adequate for a decent ‘still’ shot of the cars.

On a sunny circuit, set the shutter speed fairly high to get good quality photographs and to stop overexposure. Try bringing a variety of slower and faster film to ensure you have the best chance of good photographs. A faster film will generally be more flexible because it can be used in rain or shine, and slower films may not give good quality if the day is overcast. If you do use a slower film, remember you may have to open the aperture wide. However this will reduce the field depth and make the lens less sharp. It is worth leaving your camera on auto metering. The weather and light conditions are changing all the time so any presets you put in may not work for your entire time at the circuit.

Digital cameras

Most general digital cameras will not be good for decent Formula 1 photographs. The shutter lag time between actually pressing the button and the actual photo being taken is considerable compared to non-digital cameras, and will mean that you may miss a lot of shots because the cars are just too fast. If you only have a digital camera, sitting near the slower corners or at the end of long straights when the cars are either going slowly, or are coming directly at you, will increase the chance of taking decent quality shots. It isn’t impossible to get outstanding shots from anywhere on the circuit, however it is more challenging with a digital camera.

Top tips for those first class photos

1. Study the track in advance and identify what areas will be best for your shots and your camera.
2. Book front row seats if possible (obviously a media pass is even better, but probably unobtainable for the majority of us!). Try to make sure that there will be no fencing obstructing your view.
3. Book higher level seating if possible.
4. Try to get to all three days of the race weekend – the practice and test sessions will have fewer people and therefore better photo taking chances for you.
5. A fast (or medium fast film) will give you better flexibility in all conditions.
6. Be prepared to waste a lot of film!
7. Use a film SLR camera if possible as shots of fast cars is harder with most digital cameras.
8. Try to have at least one long range lens.
9. Bring a monopod if you will be using long range lenses.

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