Ti2TT - Changing Track Photographers? - Comments

current state of the quality of local track photographers' work

jamesm925 — Thu, 14 Feb 2008 11:45:15 -0800

i've personally shot a private trackday and several cycling races, some even from the back of a bike during a road race.

the quality of shots i've been seeing reflects a serious lack of effort on the photographers' parts.

every single photo has the rider dead center in the frame...rarely shows the flow of the track, a sense of speed, any kind of "action", a risky pass, two riders racing each other down the straight etc. I've seen a few good shots from the 'private collection' of some of the local photographers, but then why dont they put the effort in at trackdays where our money is being invested?

now i'ts understandable that good riders make for good photos and that it's hard to make a noob in the c group look fast, but the current photographers' obsession w/ quantity over quality has got to change.

i'd rather have 10 awesome shots, than 40 shots w/ 3 decent, in focus ones.

example:

here's some 'amateur' shots i did a few years ago back in PA: http://thor.prohosting.com/jm82/sportscycling.html

really,

it's not that hard on modern cameras to select an off-center focus point and shoot it in a way that shows motion & action, rather than a sterile freeze-frame isolating the rider from the environment and isolating the viewer of the photo from the rider's experience.

blah.

step up your game photographers.

Why not allow multiple photo

Trackday.Net — Mon, 10 Sep 2007 22:38:54 -0700

Why not allow multiple photographers at your events? Most organizers I photograph (Porsche Club, Ferrari Club, TEAM Arizona, etc.) other than SoCal and Fastrack (the organizer's choice) have multiple photographers. I'd be more than happy to cover the Pahrump event as a 2nd photographer. I can make it on 9/8, there's another event I'm already booked for on 9/9. I am generally able to commit to an event in Pahrump considering I am that track's photographer if I can get the schedule early enough.

+1 Jerry i like cali

James — Mon, 10 Sep 2007 21:39:19 -0700

+1 Jerry

i like cali aswell

Track Photographers!!

Asian Dave — Mon, 10 Sep 2007 14:23:05 -0700

It was awesome to see that there were several different track photographers for the Pahrump 9/8 - 9/9 weekend. I didn't get a chance to see Brians while I was there. Mikes looked great and Jerry's too!

Thanks for a great weekend Aaron!!

My $.02

canyonball — Wed, 22 Aug 2007 15:20:13 -0700

JERRY! JERRY! JERRY!

+1 For Jerry and his services! Almost everyone knows Jerry and his great pics that he takes on his own time, missing track time, missing PAID track time. Great guy and pics! I used to really like Caliphotography when Brian first moved here, was taking pics on Palomar and hooking up great pics for absolutely great prices, compared to the competition. He filled Kent's (Palomar pics) shoes pretty well and kept the prices down for a while. No offense to Brian and crew, but their picture quality has degraded, meanwhile prices shoot up to pay for all of Brian's equipment and what not. Again, nothing against Brian and crew having a business sense, but I think there should be line drawn so prices don't go from $50/CD of good pics for the weekend up to $80 for, in some cases, poor quality pics.

Oh well, my vote is definitely for Jerry, after all, he's one of us! =)

Jerry!!!

Lyle — Wed, 15 Aug 2007 01:25:55 -0700

I think Jerry would be great as well!

+1 Jerry

heman — Tue, 14 Aug 2007 23:23:26 -0700

Having a little change up would be nice.. I've been impressed with some of the photos Jerry has produced...

+ 1 jerry all the way.

rickha — Tue, 14 Aug 2007 22:54:38 -0700

+ 1 jerry all the way.

I'm going to agreee with the

sparkz — Tue, 14 Aug 2007 21:43:01 -0700

I'm going to agreee with the rest of the posters below. If Jerry can shoot, incl mike and who ever else, then I say go for it. Well let capitalism work itself out and may the best pictures win. +1 vote for Jerry here as I have seen his quality and its pretty good and he uploads them quickly.

Please allow multiple photogs. Im sure some type of arrangement can be made between everyone.

Cam brought up a point I

flyinfizzer — Tue, 14 Aug 2007 18:44:40 -0700

Cam brought up a point I forgot to mention. While multiple photogs would be great for the end user (read: US) it probably wouldn't be profitable for all the photogs involved. If CP, Jerry and Mike (and whoever else wants to participate) are willing to participate at the Pahrump day for a possible loss I say they have a battle royale! All three do their thing and then the riders can vote for who they like best at the end of the day or something. Display pics from all three, without displaying their name (label them A,B,C) and have the riders put on the back of their raffle tickets which one they like best and put it in a box. Winner gets the contract.

Or if that's not feasible, I'd say give Jerry a shot since 1) It sounds like the majority of people want a change. 2) He takes great pictures 3) Mike LaPutt already has contracts with other orgs that bring him some kind of income.

Just my .002

I would support whoever's

Jotaro — Tue, 14 Aug 2007 17:54:49 -0700

I would support whoever's doing the photography, if there's more than one guy that's even better, more choices.

Last pahrump weekend you guys had 2 tyre vendors, one of whom made me miss one session just because I wasn't buying tires from him and that I had brought my own, so I got last priority and he kept doing the others' tyres even though they didn't need them right that moment. So I switched to the other guy: done in 10 minutes.

We all paid not little for the fun weekend, and it's only natural to be wanting the best of a memento to be taken home. Just lucky enough we kinda "did have some choices" the last pahrump weekend.

I'm doing the video next time :D

addition: I think Jerry said he could also meet your schedules for a whole season. He was a Utah resident so Miller's not a problem for him he said.

Quality over Quantity

310Turbo — Tue, 14 Aug 2007 16:33:26 -0700

Lots of posts since I last saw this! I'm of the opinion that I do enough track days that I can't really afford to buy a CD for every day that I go. Instead, I review the pictures and if there are one or two pictures that make me go "WOW" I'll buy the pic or CD. I haven't seen any stuff this season to prompt me to buy a photo. I've seen Jerry's work on several occasions and I'm always asking him to print pics out for me because he seems to have the eye - whether it be timing or framing - to really impress me. I agree, the dynamic "alternative" angles I've seen CP take are neat, but not something I'm interested in purchasing.

While I think having multiple photogs at an event might work a few times, I'm doubtful that it will work well. Having multiple photogs = competition. Competition means each photog will make less money than if they were the only player there that day. While this is better for the consumer (lower prices, more selection) it may make it such that one photog simply doesn't make enough money to make it profittable to attend any more, bringing us back to the 1 photog situation we're already in.

If I could vote, I'd like to give Jerry an opportunity to show us what he can do. He's already shown that he can take fantastic photos and his prices for prints are more than reasonable.

I agree, the more the merrier.

ryoorich — Tue, 14 Aug 2007 14:40:09 -0700

I've had the opportunity to see some of Jerry's (orguss) pics and I gotta say, he does get "the money shots"...and if I remember correctly, that was after only one or two sessions of shooting.

That would be cool to have

Rhymesayer — Tue, 14 Aug 2007 14:22:27 -0700

That would be cool to have Jerry as the photo guy. I think his pics are top notch and uploaded in a timely manner. Prices are competetive as well.

Another for the multiple photog train

flyinfizzer — Tue, 14 Aug 2007 13:56:53 -0700

First let me start by saying that all the guys at CP are really nice folks. Very personable and friendly. With that, I also have to say that I HAVE seen them take great shots. The problem is I don't see enough of them. Much of the shots I see are either out of focus, are at a weird angle, include something awkward in the background or generally just don't have that "wow" factor that potential buyers look for.

I'm not saying lets can them, what I am saying is that we should have more than one photog at each event. I don't care who's taking pics, it's hard to take quality photos of, what, 100 or so riders? The more shutterbugs at an event the better for multiple reasons: 1. Everyone gets more pictures. 2. The angles are different. 3. Another photog can take a break and download the pics to his/her computer while someone else is snapping pics. 4 It allows pictures to be snapped all day long--Most photogs I see at trackdays stop taking pics after lunch (which is usually when most riders have their best sessions) so they can DL into their computers. At least this way there's a constant flow of pictures being taken...and everyone loves to see pics of themselves at the track.

I personally like the stuff that Jerry and Mike LaPutt take, but I say let the people decide. Have CP continue to take pics, have Jerry come along and have Mike join the party as well. Have them do their thing and whoever the people buy from will be the winner. I don't see why there only HAS to be one photographer...

Changing Track Photographers?

Asian Dave — Thu, 05 Jul 2007 23:21:47 -0700

Hey,

Can we get a different Track Photographer? Instead of using Cali, can we get someone else? Maybe like Jerry? A lot of people like his pics.

Maybe for the Sept. Parhump weekend? =)

Dave