Quote:
Originally Posted by The SpeCTator
Looking forward to getting back to Donington, its been a while!
Grant, what chance of half decent images with a 400mm?
I guess debris fences are on the outside of most corners, are there any places with uninterrupted vision anymore?
Thanks for the warning on the roadworks, hope to arrive Friday around 10.00
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Hmm.
Inside at Redgate is OK with a 200mm but the background is not great usually. From there down the inside of the Craner curves is reasonable. The outside is all fence but there are one or two points where you can get a slight gap looking back up or down the hill. Recovery vehicle gaps. Very restricted width.
Still on the infield carry on around the barrier line to Schwantz and there are still some options there - or were last time I headed that was a while back.
Assuming the infield is open you can fairly quickly traverse from where the old sparkplug commentary box used to be to the esses back on the other side.
Im not sure if either of the tunnels between McLeans and Coppice will be open for pedestrians but if the old Coppice Tunnel is open that would be a bonus. Outside at Coppice right round by the "No Pedestrians" gate next to the toilet block gives an option to shoot through the fencing with a 400mm on a crop body. It's not ideal but with careful positioning it's possible to get some worthwhile results - partly because the background variations make for something different and there is usually some sort of action at Coppice.
If you have to go around the outside of the circuit .... it's a long way.
Last time I was there for a test day they had left some advertising stuff tied to the tyre barrier after the BSB so that the main part fo that section was blocked for viewing for anyone under about 7ft tall. Poor show I thought. Presumably they were planning to re-use it for BTCC TV cameras so I hope it is removed by now.
Going around the outside from the paddock ... the banking past Redgate at Holly Wood offers some options although the fencing usually means is only works when panning and then watch out for the fence posts positions. To get Redgate exit shots of interest probably requires a 600mm IMO.
Recovery vehicle gaps mainly offer rear views. Of for a couple of snaps but they get boring quickly - especially if there is a tractor in the gap. (Not always the case for clubbies but might be for a "big" meeting). Half ay down the banking between Craner and Old Hairpin it is possible to get high enough to shoot over the fencing for some pan shots.
At the Old Hairpin it's just about possible to shoot through the fence at an angle to capture the turn in point without the fence detracting too much.
Likewise the banking north of the Old Hairpin and on towards what is left of the bridge gives height but even with a 400 there not too much scope for filling frame. You can get some nice shots of massed starts pouring through Craner Curves though and there might be some "action" there.
From the bridge remains through to McLeans and on around to Coppice would have some nice potential if not for the fencing.
The banking on the outside at the rise towards Coppice does allow some fence free viewing but it's a tricky panning opportunity mostly and for much of the day means shooting into the sun. Might work for some unusual stuff in the evening when the sun should be low and directly in line.
It is certainly possible to shoot the McLean exit from there - can be exciting if there is action - but again 400mm is a bit short even when happy making a deep crop. Monopod or Tripod recommended.
Thinking of McLeans - from the infield there should be a few fence free lines available using a 400mm lens but over the years I've never been entirely convinced that the resulting images are interesting. Then again the infield was closed for years and the new infield has a greatly raised spectator area which I have only investigated once so far so there may be some new options to be discovered.
Other than that .... it depends on what there might be available in terms of Grandstands. I suspect just the usual. The one opposite the pits offers some pit stop shots. The permanent one at the pits entrance gives clear panning options but not too much else.
Halfway along the pit building there is a place where the steps up to the media suite offer a small platform for overhead pits shots but it can be full of team members watching what is going on.
If the full GP circuit was to be used there would be some further options related to the loop but they don't come into play for this one.
HTH.