LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION

Report by David Gowshall - DEEGEE: Motorsport Photography

9th June 2021

This weekend I headed out for my first two-wheel action of the 2021 season to my local track, Cadwell Park.

The Thundersports boys and girls were competing in the second round of their 2021 championship.  The weather for each of the first two rounds could not have been any different, with the two days at Snetterton held in cold and very wet conditions, and the second round, featured in this report, held in blazing sunshine under clear blue skies. 

As always with the Thundersport organisation, the action came thick and fast, the whole of both days’ programmes being completed in a slick and professional style.

With part of the track still “out of bounds” to spectators due to COVID restrictions, no gaps between races, and a good crowd in attendance, the opportunity to move around the circuit was limited. So armed with my 150 - 600mm telephoto zoom lens, which is very much my “weapon of choice” these days, I used my knowledge of the circuit and challenged myself to choose one location, a 100m long section of fencing, to take all my shots during the qualifying and races held before lunch.

I chose Location L, shown here on the Pistonclick Cadwell Park Circuit Guide.  It’s not a spot I tend to frequent too often, certainly recently, and I was looking for a challenge.

Every image in this report was taken from this very limited position, so I was forced to use my imagination and the versatility offered by my telephoto lens to try and come up with as wide a selection of images as I could.

The spot, the inside of Coppice, the first bend after the start, gives the photographer the opportunity to take shots with the bikes approaching from both left and right, and looks over the fast left-hander immediately in front of the photographer, and opposite the Chicane.  It’s also a spot where the riders practice their starts during qualifying, which often results in a wheelie (always popular) and some panning. 

The fast start / finish straight means that the bikes approach very quickly towards Coppice, from the photographers right, and to get a “full frontal” shot, the autofocus, a fast shutter speed, a steady hand, and a degree of luck are required. 

On the day, the shade offered by the large fir trees that form the Coppice (which give this bend its name) provided dappled light, which can enhance the image.

To add some variety, changing the shutter speed can add some interest to the final image, but the difficulty tariff is raised higher as is the reliance on luck.  However, with practice the success rate will soon increase. 

Looking across from this point on the southern side of the circuit provides an opportunity, with the versatility the telephoto lens provides, to take a series of shots as the bikes “flip-flop” around the right / left Chicane.  You can get some good head on shots as the field stream through the “bus stop” on the first lap, with bikes at all sorts of lean angles.

Or as the field spreads out during the race, zoom in to take simple side on shots of individual or pairs of bikes as they enter the right hander and exit the left hand element of this part of the circuit.

If you get there early enough on day 1 of the meeting you will get the bonus of them practicing their starts from the Chicane to the bottom of the Mountain during morning qualifying, which provides opportunities to catch a “wheelie” or try out a bit of panning, with the shutter speed set at 1/200 or similar. 

Even capturing the safety fencing (thankfully there isn’t much of it at Cadwell), or the Armco, to help frame the shot, can provide some interest.

As yet, all the opportunities for shots included in this report, have been taken from exactly the same spot on the banking on the inside of Coppice, but a very short walk of no more than 100 metres to the left up the hill towards Charlies 1 can provide a totally different set of images.

Looking back downhill, the apex of Coppice and the bikes are hidden by the embankment on the inside of the bend, so anticipation plays a big part in getting a good shot here looking down on the riders as they speed past. 

However, it won’t take long before you can track the bikes as they come around the bend and start the climb up to Charlies, giving a chance to catch a shot looking down on riders pushing hard. 

It’s not the easiest shot to capture, as to avoid the spectator fencing being in the shot you have to stand very close to the track, and even with your lens set at minimum zoom (150mm) any image is going to be virtually full frame. But with a little bit of patience, and a willingness to accept there will be a few half bikes, and even shots of the tarmac initially, you will eventually get the reward of some good shots. 

I take the attitude with my photography that it’s better to try an ambitious shot. Unlike days of the past where you were using up film (I’m showing my age now), nowadays, digital images can be very easily viewed and deleted.  The odd failure should not deter anyone from trying something different.

Taking a few shots using “Dutch Tilt”, and opting for a black and white image can also give even greater variation and drama to a shot. 

Having spent 4 hours taking images from virtually the same place I decided to wander back to the inside of Coppice for one final shot which is available from this location.



With zoom on maximum (600mm) the bonus shot takes in the most iconic spot of the circuit as the bikes crest the Mountain.

DEEGEE: Motorsport Photography