Sebring... Porsches in the rain

LarissaPhotography · Dec 14, 2009

I'll look up some local tracks. Do you guys sell the photos you take there? Also, what exactly qualifies as accredited media on assignment? Does this mean as simple as a blog post? What about a press release? What are the rules?

John Thawley · Dec 15, 2009

LarissaPhotography said:
I'll look up some local tracks. Do you guys sell the photos you take there? Also, what exactly qualifies as accredited media on assignment? Does this mean as simple as a blog post? What about a press release? What are the rules?

It will differ with the level of track and event. Obviously, when you start attempting to access tracks like Sebring, Road Atlanta, Mid-Ohio etc., etc., they're going to have their own set of guidelines accompanied by track access restrictions.

This will escalate with the level of event they're hosting. When you start getting into American Le Mans, Indy Car or even SCCA Pro, things get even tighter. The track has to observe the sanctioning body's guidelines at that point.

Accredited means, recognized... major magazine, newspaper, (even local) or major web site. Blogs tend to be frowned upon... but do slip through now and then. Getting a letter from your buddy at ILOVECARS.com won't win you any friends.

It's also important to remember, there are photographers there to their job. It's how they make their living.

That said, if you go to a lot of these tracks for sports car racing... especially the smaller events, there are lots of shooting opportunities on the spectator side of the fence. Often, when I see someone complaining on a forum about access, I'll look at what they shot from the fence and it becomes painfully clear, they never even moved. If I stood in the same spot all weekend, I'd be nowhere. And, if I stuck to shooting in the allocated photo locations, I'd also be next to nowhere. You have to move. I travel the full circuit three or four times per weekend... and I don't just shoot from inside the fence. I go all over and I dig-out the shots.

I'm a hard car shooter... but without sounding conceited, believe me, I don't get good shots because I have a credential. I have credential because I deliver good shots.

Make sense?

JT