Red Bull Air Race pics

Enygma

Anyone get any nice pics? I saw your ones rymus, some really nice ones there.

I was really surprised how fast they went, it really made for tough photography I thought. You've only got a few seconds to act, one mistake and you've missed your chance!

I shot mostly in P mode (can't remember the settings) and Shutter Priority (I think I set it to around 100 but probably should have gone a little slower for the blurry effect). Live and learn.

I didn't get to move around as much as I'd have liked either, getting a good position was really tough. It was a pity about the light too, didn't make for good photos really.

Anyway, I've put some of my better ones onto my deviantart account: http://enygma42.deviantart.com

Anyone got any more?

rymus

cheers... the speed was incredible alright.. T'was my first attempt at any kind of event where speeds went that high. Took around 450 shots and got about 50 decent ones. Thank jaysus for the 5fps on the camera or I probably would have gotten one decent one.

Getting a decent position wasn't tough.. it was downright impossible. Myself and the missus got sandwiched between a few short people and crying babies with a handful of freakishly tall people in front of us (as per Murphys Law). Most of my shots were cropped to take out the heads of the people in front. The only way the light could have been any worse is if it was 3am...

The skill up there was awe inspiring though. The speed and the accuracy of the moves and how close they came to the ground. I watched the highlights on TV3 last night and seeing it on TV did it no justice.

It's just a crying shame that it pissed rain for most of the day and as a result most of the day got cancelled. Nice pics there Enygma

Enygma

Thanks!

I was really struggling at probably less than 3fps and another 2 seconds (felt like minutes!) to write to the disk. Wished I had something with a bigger buffer, or a plain old SLR. I took around 160 shots but only got about 7 or 8 worth considering.

We were positioned right at the front for about three hours before it started. All of a sudden, once it's going, you find yourself three rows back. Typical.

Still though it was worth the trip, even if we did only get 10 minutes entertainment.

Shrimp

Some nice pictures, but definalty the lighting wasn't good at all. I hate taking photos in dull/overcast weather. I'd prefere rain than dullness when it come to photos. Sun is great for contrast amongst shadows.

JackKelly

Yea,overcast is the worst for photos alrite. Nothing interesting about it at all. Nice photos. Would have loved to have gone. What happened regarding weather?

rymus

they cancelled half the events planned for the day, only did one round of the race. They had been mulling over cancelling the day altogether but I'd say there would have been a riot if they did that. Lots of people were very pissed off; not only with the cancellations but with the terrible way the crowd control people managed the crowds. Feckin' farce.

Shrimp

Thats a pitty, it could have been a brilliant day.

JackKelly

Were there not two dates?

Enygma

I'd say they just put so much money into it that they had to do something. That and, yes, there would have been a riot. There almost was a riot trying to get out of the "carpark" (read: field)

I was hoping they'd put me on the big screen, I was going to do a really solemn face, just slowly shaking my head That would have been funny.

If it was just one week earlier it would have been a fantastic day. There was supposed to be a parachute display too which would have been cool. Hopefully it'll come back next year, kind of doubt it will though.

rymus

I'd nearly be tempted to go and see it in San Francisco.. if I was still self employed

Loobz

Nice photos Enygma. I was there myself with my gf and we had a great day. We were slopping around in the muck and rain for the day but apart from that, it was grand. The mad drum band was cool. Pity they didnt play for long. You would have taken some excellent shots of them. Plenty of wild movement and energy in the drummers. And the 70 drums they setup would be mad in a photo, some tied together with lengths of weathered rope

My gf had a Canon digital camera and... /me checks Red Bull photos\...and none are anyway impressive. I had a mini-dv camcorder and I recorded most of the good stuff. I found it hard to keep the camera doomed x15 or more when these planes are doing 250mph! I got used to it

Again, some of your photos turned out well (love the Side by Side pic - they didnt stay like that for long so you were lucky).

acquiescefc

What a day! All that way for about 20 mins action.

Got a few pics myself, still to go through about 120 and sort out the 5 or 6 that were any good.


Damn I wished Id taken my zoom lens, didnt even know i was going til it was too late to go back.

Loobz

I wish I had taken my umbrella - seriously. :rolleyes:

rabbitinlights

Im not too sure of pilots names etc, but here's a few pictures. Like you have said the lighting was very bad and getting shots without heads in frame was very hard.......












Going about 60mph on the way home to galway......

Sleipnir

Real shame about the weather, the worst result being that I very much doubt Red Bull will think of ever coming back to Ireland.
First, they wanted 120,000 to attend but H&E would only let 45,000 (750,000 turned up at rotterdam!) and then the weather, for the first time in the series, meant that
not only could they onlly do one run, but half the pilots couldn't get up at all.

Pity, the way they could control those aircraft was something to see. I wish I could see it again.

P.S. also nice the way you didn't know that the car park was €5 until you'd parked!

rymus

yeah but apparently that was going to "charity". I'd say the only charity my fiver went to was Cashel RFC.