for an old veteran photographer at the salt it was a frustrated experience.
Around the startingline....some of the not credential photographer understand our concern and walked back, only that five other walked into the press area.
you can't kick them all out, otherwise you will have no time to make picture....
but also the credential photographer was sometimes a pain in the ass.....they stand (for hours) on the same place, block the view or creates bad shades...when ask him to move a little bit they didn't listen and just stand still on the place...sometimes you have to be very polite...
...or you got the luck that a other photographer tells him more polite..."move your damn...."
At last I left the starting line and went out on the course...making low speed picture between 1 and 1 1/2 mile....in the beginning there was no chance to make proper parachute picture on course 1....the pit was so long that the parachute/racer disappeared in the pit....no way...the last day, when the pit start to empty I could pick the Speed Demon on his 451 mph run from the 5 1/2 at the center boulevard.
The situation with the credential photographer went a little bit out of controll. Press, yes, but please with the right equipment. On Monday I had a "press" at the 5 1/2...mountain side on course 1....with a 200 dollar video camera.....oops....no CB.....when I talked to him....oh, CB necessary...this guy didn't know that there is radio channel....and he parked direct on the big sign which said...CB required....hard to read...
His driver tried to give me the s h i t....bad luck man....I can be very polite if necessary...but the press guy understand at last and went back to the pit...
As Ray and Larry said wrote before....one day someone will be hurt...and than we are in trouble