Friday, April 25, 2008

Keeps you on your toes

Well Targa Tasmania has been run and won for another year. Congratulations to Steve Glenney for the outright win, Rex Broadbent for the classic win and Alistair McRae for winning 2WD showroom. Global warming did it's best to make this a fantastic event weather wise. Sun all week and on the last day down the wild west coast we did not even see a hint of a cloud just blue sky all the way. Spectacular drive with mountains as far as the eye could see.


Most people don't realise how difficult an event Targa is to shoot particularly when you are working for just one manufacturer. If you are lucky you get to shoot 2 stages a day at most so all you are looking for is a location where you can get a couple of different shots of each car. I had to upload a minimum of 5 shots each day to Mazdas website. 2 cars, 2 stages, 5 different looking shots. You do the maths! It tends to focus the mind a bit on just 2 blue cars with white bonnets. Unlike circuit racing where you get lots of laps or a gravel rally event with access to lots of stages, Targa means you see the cars drive past twice and only once during prologue and on the last day. You want to make sure the exposures are correct and the cars are in focus! The worst is you have a field of 200 plus cars, then after the first stage of the day the start order tends to go out of the window and you must get good shots of those 2 Mazdas tucked into that field somewhere. Keeps you on your toes for sure.

Then you have to shoot service, team shots, people shots, social events, starts, finishes and everything else to do with 2 blue cars, plus drive a couple of thousand kilometers, edit the images, upload to the Mazda website, only then do you have time for a pee and get something to eat. Mcdonalds Tasmania made a fortune out of me last week, do love those chicken Caesar rolls though. I shot nearly 1,000 images of just Mazda stuff in 6 days and about 2,000 all together.


On Thursday I'm counting the days until it's over but by Sunday with the shots in the bag and the pressure off I'm planning next year. Must get a bigger hire car, arrive earlier to do a proper recce, will bring the 300mm next time, hope Mcdonalds still do chicken Caesar rolls.


Targa Tasmania the worlds best tarmac rally, tough on cars and drivers but even harder on photographers!

Tuesday, April 15, 2008

I was hanging out of the car at 80kph!

Well if its autumn in Australia then it's time for my annual pilgramage to Targa Tasmania. I'm shooting for Mazda again this year who are running a 2 car team in the showroom class. They are being driven by ex WRC driver Alastair McRae (Colin McRaes brother) and Aussie rally driver Rick Bates.

I was fortunate yesterday to have a very quick attempt at some tracking shots of Alastair at Symmons Plains. I say quick because I literally just had 1 lap in which to do it and the light was so intense I could only shoot on the back straight plus I was hanging out of the car at 80kph! Pretty happy with the pics though.You can see more at www.mazda.com.au/targa

Good to see Dave Waldon, one of my clients, flying the flag for my website business Dezigns By Jez on the front of his WRX during Targa. Thanks Dave.
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