British photography student

[nataliebooxo]

Good evening everyone,

My name is Natalie and I am a documentary photography student from Plymouth, South England. I am going to be working on a project taken from inspiration from my favourite book - The Open Road, photography and American culture. This August, I am going to be flying over to LA. I'm going to be taking part in some tours to San Fransicso as well as Las Vegas and Yosemite. I'm looking for someone, preferably from LA who is going to be travelling to Bonneville for Speedweek, who would be interested in helping me out with learning what the American culture, road trip, means to you. I want to cover Speedweek photographically to create my own project. I'm not a holiday kind of girl - I like to learn like the locals. This is a long shot - but if you'd be interested in helping me to create this project, please get in touch!

[Milwaukee Midget]

Natalie, I certainly hope you have an event to cover this year.

But if you're looking to cover a genuine American political uprising, your timing couldn't be better.

http://www.landracing.com/forum/index.php/topic,14015.0.html

As one of the foolhardy who still race an MG at Bonneville, I wish you the best.

But right now, Pendine Sands is looking like a more viable racing option.

[Buickguy3]

  Natalie,
    Get in contact with one of the best Photo-Journalist Bonneville people that makes this trip about 3-4 times every year. Thomas Graf. [A.K.A. Pork- Pie]. If you like, message me and I'll give you his contact info. Or you can contact Jon, who runs this show.
    Doug 

[nataliebooxo]

My email is nataliecharlotte93@gmail.com - please drop me an email! Thank you so much for your help guys! How can I get in touch with Thomas Graf?

[TrickyDicky]

My email is nataliecharlotte93@gmail.com - please drop me an email! Thank you so much for your help guys! How can I get in touch with Thomas Graf?

Natalie, Thomas is known here (and possibly everywhere) as PorkPie. According to his profile he can be contacted at pork.pie at t-online dot de. If that doesn't work you could try sending a personal message from this forum.

[hotrod]

I also routinely go out to Bonneville for photography every year, and would be glad to answer any questions you might have on photography out on the flats.

It is a challenging environment to shoot due to many factors. Once you have your plans set, inquire about getting full press credentials if you shoot Speed Week, it will give you more freedom to move around the courses.

Very high contrast (like shooting cars on a snow field) during the heat of the day, and low light and pastel colors in the early morning when the racers are preparing for the days runs. So you will need fast lenses for the low light and a mixture of lenses during the rest of the day. Some opportunities like shooting in the pits you will need  a mild wide angle, for the stream liners which can be 20+ ft long you will need wide angle and then intermediate focal lengths for other general shots.
The cars during runs are a minimum of 1000 feet away from you from most locations (excepting the starting area), so you need a long lens to do justice to action shots of cars during a run. Practice panning moving cars as it takes some practice to pan with a car going over 250 mph even when it is 1000+ ft away.
It is quite an event with many mini-cultures and activities to absorb.
One of the major challenges is that the venue is so big. The course is upwards of 7 miles long on the long course, with 3-4 courses depending on what salt conditions they have to lay out the courses. The pits are a couple miles long and several hundred yards deep. The spectator area where most spectators watch the event follows the side of the long course from the starting line to about the 3 mile mark. You will need independent transportation or a willing chauffeur to move around to see things. There are a few photography threads here on the forum which will help you get your head around what there is to see.

Lodging can be a challenge during the major events and reservations must be made very early in the year (like around this time of the year) for Speed Week, most of the other events are a little easier to get rooms. If you like camping there is tent or trailer camping available near the flats as well.

[wobblywalrus]

Natalie, a good place to practice is on a sunny day on a snowy field.  It is tricky to get the exposure right and especially with a black car against a bright white background.  You will learn in the snow about shooting with the sun at the right angle and using filters.  Portraits are also tricky 'cause of the contrast and shadows.  Some systematic fiddling around with different settings is a big help.  Pendine speed week in the UK, as mentioned, is a good site to practice photographing moving targets.  It is a good idea to bring some back up equipment.  There is not a lot of photographic equipment available in the little town of Wendover near the salt flats.  You will have a lot of fun. 

[comet]

Natalie good luck on your endeavor. But beware..... Dawn and I traveled to Bonneville a few years ago. Kind of an early (I hope) bucket list. We have been back several times since! If that old salt bug bites then you are in trouble  .
Make surer you bring plenty of memory cards ( I stick to 16GB and change often), bring nd filter, grad ND filter, spare battery as there is no where on the salt to recharge one, off camera flash I find is useful. I bring a clear plastic bag so I can change a lens in my car safely - less chance of salt contamination. At the end of each day rigorously clean your camera, lenses, and tripod etc. That salt will eat any electrics and tripod joints etc. I tend to take my tripod into the shower with me
A good habit to get into is blowing around your lens before taking it off the body. This ( I think) wil just get rid of any fine salt particles that maybe sitting in that groove betwixt camera and lens.
In the early mornings it is cold on the salt. Like Bournemouth on an early March morning kind of cold. This lasts until about 9.30 when it starts to cook up a bit. Bring layers Natalie. But get onto the salt early so you can witness those sunrises
Above all else. Get ready for some amazing photography. This place is like no other that I have been to. Amazing sunrises, amazing sunsets, incredible night skies. Not to mention some fantastic people, bikes, cars, etc.
My flight for the BUB event is booked for this year. Just hoping it will be a dry one.

best wishes
John
feel free to e-mail me if I can help with any other info.

[FIL]

Definitely addictive... and you'll end up telling everyone you meet for years to come how good it was...

I made the trip in 2010, and made a pretty decent road trip out of it too... I'd bought an old Cadillac the year before and had it shipped to my brother, who had moved to California a few years previously... It's something you won't forget in a hurry...

I was hoping to do it all again this year, but with some pretty big changes at work, and a few other things going on, I'm now planning for next year...

As other have said, take spare cards and hard drives... dump your cards every night... remember, Macca's free wifi reaches the carpark... and talk to everyone you can...

I took over 10,000 photos over the month long trip, and I still regret the photos I didn't take.. .and the people I didn't speak to...

Australia will always be home, but I could spend years exploring the US and never see it all...

[nataliebooxo]

I really appreciate the feedback guys! I'm planning to lay down some dates soon!
So this is the plan so far - my flat mate Toby, will be joining me - he is also a cameraman and photographer! We definitely think August is our time, we are looking at flights and travel methods as we speak. I'm definitely leaning towards camping (student budget and what not) and talking to you all has made me even more eager to get it sorted!

[nataliebooxo]

Obviously the biggest problem is organisation at the moment - as we need to sort flights, potentially inter-flights/travel, accommodation/camping, budgets, contacts, press passes etc!

[nataliebooxo]

Essentially right now we are looking for someone whose willing to let us join them on their road trip! Please get in touch if you're up for it! We make good company ha!