Just some from the Thursday

My camera never came out of the case much on Saturday, and even then it wasn't much good around the paddock area with all the rain

Kev

Good shots, some of the other photographers are a bit close for comfort

and then they wonder why they get hurt.... not the brains they were born with, some of them..

It's not the photographers I worry about, it's where the rider ends up if they make a sudden movement towards him/her.

All of the photographers in the shots (on the inside of Tournagrough Bend) including myself (taking the low down shots, well inside the road markings!) were in perfectly safe positions & under the full view & control of the zone & road marshalls in charge of the corner & actually, even though the compression effect of the long lens used looks like we are close to the road, further away from the track than the marshalls themselves.
At NO point was I or any of the other 'togs on the inside of the bend putting any rider in any danger.

Joe BT wrote:

QUOTE:
All of the photographers in the shots (on the inside of Tournagrough Bend) including myself (taking the low down shots, well inside the road markings!) were in perfectly safe positions & under the full view & control of the zone & road marshalls in charge of the corner & actually, even though the compression effect of the long lens used looks like we are close to the road, further away from the track than the marshalls themselves.
At NO point was I or any of the other 'togs on the inside of the bend putting any rider in any danger.
:angry: :angry: :angry:

Did you ever race a bike Joe? No harm to you, but this photo particularly concerns me... Do you think this would distract a rider or not?

Pics at all costs eh?

yes I did race a bike, very unsucessfully a long long time ago (not that I think that has any relevance to the discussion) & no I don't believe where I was (well back into the junction, with the bank, unseen to the left of the pic,blocking me from the riders line of sight)would have been distracting to the riders, If I thought I would have posed any hazard or been a distraction I would not have been there (plus I'm sure the marshalls would have moved me) & I greatly resent the "pics at all costs eh?" question....I have lost too many friends at the racing to have the 'pics at all costs' attitude...

I think what I posted was common sense... I don't expect any opinion from togs other than the one you've just given.. I think you've answered my question yourself...

I've no gripe with any of you, after all, its us who want to see the pics..

Maybe the riders get used to it, I honestly don't know...

I know it would distract me, but then, thats not an issue..

Carry on with the good work and keep safe.. I'm just havin' a bad day..

I'm sorry I posted the top set of pics with Joe on, because I didn't intend for the comments that have since been made

I posted these as I felt they gave a great view of how close RRR was, and how we the spectator benefit from this closeness compared to the circuits.

Firstly, Joe was well back from the road, but the lower angle from which I took these shots at doesn't illustrate this one bit. Further, the entrance to that side road is obscured from the riders on their approach, as I witnessed by myself when I did a lap on Friday evening. The riders would not have been affected by the presence of these chaps, and wouldn't have even known they were there half the time!

Joe is a good friend of mine, and a very hospitable one at that. He will help anyone out if need be, and doesn't deserve the flack given as a result of the pictures I’ve posted.

If you want to have a go at any of the Photographers, then look at the two in the corner shots, where they have positioned themselves in line of sight on the outside of the long left hander heading towards the hairpin. If a bike lost it along this stretch, they wouldn't stand a bloody chance in getting out of the way.

So, to Joe, I hope I haven't caused you any upset over these pics, and to those that commented, you needed to be there to get the full picture, and then you would have realised that at no time was anyone - Rider - Marshall - Spectator put out by these actions.

Kev

Cheers Kev, no problem for me, I realise it's easy for someone to misinterpret a situation when you only have a single photo to get their info from. As you know I stand by my actions as 110% safe for riders, marshalls, spectators & myself, anyone who was there would know the positions of track, banks, racing line etc.
(I admit I was irked at the implication that I cared more about getting a pic than riders etc. safety)

I remember we even talked about some of the places where I would not take pics from, even though the 'togs who do get some stunning photos, just too risky in my opinion.

No Ill feeling from me though, life's too short....