The fastest UK production race series arrived at Brands Hatch for the final round of the 2022 season and provide a great opportunity for any photographer to practise their art.
Creative Motorsport Photography: Skill Over Gear
You don’t need the latest and greatest cameras or lenses to create artistic motorsport images—what you really need to invest is time.
Dialing in the Settings
To convey a genuine sense of speed, I prefer using a moderately slow shutter speed around 1/125s. Pair this with a decent depth of field, ranging from f/5.6 on overcast days to f/11 or smaller in bright sunlight. A focal length between 100mm and 200mm makes this technique accessible to almost anyone with basic manual camera controls and a willingness to experiment.
Tips for the Track
Pre-focus on the Racing Line: Pick a spot on the track in advance. The higher the racing series, the more consistent the riders are, they’ll hit the exact same virtual markers with sniper-like accuracy.
Expose & Test: Dial in your initial settings, test a few shots, and adjust your aperture or ISO for clean exposure.
Pan & Shoot: Pick a bike or car, track its movement smoothly, and start firing.
Don't get discouraged! Just like me early on, you might only walk away with 1 or 2 usable images per session, but every minute behind the lens improves your keeper rate. Once you feel comfortable, start seeking out better trackside angles, practice days are by far the best time to do this!
