FOS '09 - Day 3

Just a quick post this evening, by way of completing my 3-part coverage of this year's Goodwood Festival Of Speed. It's been a long, hot weekend and as much as I've enjoyed covering the event, as I always do, I really am looking forward to hanging up the cameras and taking a few minutes for myself at the end of this day!

Following a brief visit to the track and the opening Super car run, I went in search of a few candid protraits as drivers waited to make their way to the start line. It was the turn of the pre-war race cars, so lots of opportunity to show off some of the great characters behind the wheel. Although this event does not specify 'costume' (as with the Goodwood Revival later in the year), a number of those taking part were clearly more than happy to get into the spirit of things.

By late morning, current Formula 1 World Champion Lewis Hamilton made his first appearance on the track - and of course, being a star attraction, it was important that he was photographed as part of the web site coverage. I caught up with him as he got out of his car to a round of applause from spectators - who he graciously acknowledged.

With the afternoon sunshine beating down, it was time to head over to the Cartier Style et Luxe area again, to photograph the competition-winning cars, following judging earlier in the day. Nothing fancy, just simple pictures which showed the vehicles being admired by onlookers.

The day wrapped up with the now-traditional award presentations, recognition of drivers' performances throughout the weekend. With a myriad of famous faces up on stage, the assembled crowd saw a great end to yet another fantastic Festival Of Speed.

When time allows, I will be working on a number of my pictures from the three days, giving them the treatment they deserve. Naturally, these will be presented here on the GBP Blog - along with a little background information. Watch this space!

Today's action (featuring a selection of both my images and those captured by colleagues) can be seen on the Goodwood website here.

Related posts: FOS '09 - Day 1, FOS '09 - Day 2

FOS '09 - Day 2

Well, the second day of Goodwood's Festival Of Speed 2009 has drawn to a close under a blue sky and puffy white clouds. It hasn't been like that all day, but at least the only rain we had lasted all of 2 minutes - so I mustn't grumble!

So then... Today's imagery was not so much weighted towards the main track action, instead taking in the wider variety of sights and the people enjoying them.

After a brief visit, first thing to, to the Supercar line-up, I headed to the Dunlop area in order to get a few people pictures. With lots of display panels and notable vehicles running on Dunlop tyres, there was plenty of scope to shoot some candid (unposed) pictures - both of the public and of guest speakers. At the time I arrived, racing car driver Richard Attwood was being interviewed, and I ran off a series of pictures looking down from the back of the 'audience' stand, just as the brief rain shower began.

Very often, part of my brief involves interacting directly with people, posing them and arranging them strategically. However, it is always my preference to follow the 'natural' route where possible, as the expressions and true personality almost always come across better when the subject is unaware that they are beingphotographed . It is for this reason that the same approach (albeit under very different conditions) is used when we deal with with teams, staff and corporate groups.

On the walk away from Dunlop, one passes through the Cartier Style et Luxe area, which this year displays some fine examples of both vintage and modern machines from the likes of Bugatti, Alfa Romeo and Maserati. With the rain still clearly visible on the bodywork, I took the chance to go in close to capture some detail shots which are simple in their arrangement, but great as 'filler' images. Plenty of scope here, also, for images depicting people viewing the cars, looking through windows and under bonnets. Oh, and we mustn't forget the jazz musicians who were creating a great backing track to a lively atmosphere on the lawn.

Next it was another brief visit to the Hill action, and a great vantage point looking directly down the track, to capture modern-day Formula 1 cars racing away from the start line. Amazing machines and challenge enough to capture on camera! As were theEurofighter Typhoon planes flying overhead just moments before.

A brief lunch was taken before heading to one of my favourite areas of the whole event - the rally stage, set in woodland at the very top of the site. So good is this area that it could actually pass as a real setting for a race. The cars on show - spanning a number of decades up to the current day - looked fantastic as they were thrown round the chalk roads. I positioned myself on one outer bend, protected by hay multiple bale barriers, and mixed up the shots to include both long-lens and wide-angle views of the action. Great stuff.

By this time, my shooting duties were drawing to a close, and I had just enough time to photograph a number of displays on my way back to the Press Office and before the process of preparing the images in line with yesterday'sarrangements.

Not sure what the weather will be doing tomorrow, but either way it should be another great day of diverse photographic opportunities.

Today's action (featuring a selection of both my images and those captured by colleagues) can be seen on the Goodwood website here.

Related posts: FOS '09 - Day 1, FOS '09 - Day 3

More to come.

FOS '09 - Day 1

Once again, I am under commission from Goodwood in West Sussex, covering this year's Festival Of Speed event. And as in previous years, I am shooting imagery for direct use the Festival Of Speed website, this time along with a number of colleagues.

With day one wrapped, it's time for a little reflection on just what I have been photographing today...

Friday is always the quietest day of the FOS weekend, with slightly fewer people - but no less of the action. Things kicked off bright and early, with a light drizzle that cleared up within 30 minutes of being on-site, just in time for the Supercars to make their way up 'The Hill'.

Name a sports car brand and chances are it's appearing at the event - from Mercedes to Ferrari, Lotus to Bugatti. My brief was fairly loose, insofar as there were not specific cars that I had to capture; rather, it was a case of getting a selection of images which would fit in nicely with the copy written by my journalist colleague.

Next up was more of the same, covering everything from pre-war cars to motor cycles, modern-day Formula 1 cars to sports prototypes.

That took me up to around lunch time - and a chance to get out of the sunshine for a few minutes.

One highlight just before though - a special appearance was put in by Peter Fonda on the original 'chopper' featured in the film Easy Rider - with the man parading past the crowd to at backing track of 'Born To Be Wild'.

At 3:30pm, my attentions were turned skyward in anticipation of the Red Arrows air display team. Always stunning in the sheer speed and agility that they show, these guys once again stunned the crowd with against a backdrop of coloured smoke and blue sky.

The latter part of the afternoon was a matter of capturing general imagery, showing off the attractions and atmosphere all around, before liasing with another colleague in order to back up all pictures and confirm a selection of imagery for inclusion on the 'live' web pages.

All in all, a good day and very happy to have the sun shining! These awesome machines always look better with a brightness that brings out their colours, shapes and performance body work.

More to come tomorrow.

Related posts: FOS '09 - Day 2, FOS '09 - Day 3