(All images copyright Michael Berkeley Photography - no reproduction without permission)
Motorcycle Speedway is an exciting sport. Each race consists of 4 riders – 2 from each team – speeding round the oval track on bikes that have only one gear and no brakes, reaching speeds of about 70mph. The main photographic opportunities arise as the riders negotiate the corners, sliding the bikes sideways and throwing up dirt as they do so.
(Nikon D500; 70-200mm at 200mm; f/2.8; 1/1600th sec; ISO 2000)
I had contacted Poole Pirates in the summer of 2018 and they very kindly agreed that I could visit to photograph a match against Belle Vue (incidentally, Poole Pirates won by 54-35).
After introducing myself to the resident photographer, I checked in with the Clerk of the Course and clarified where I could and couldn’t go. And then I had a chat with the officials who start and finish the races, so that they knew that I was there and what I would be doing (see photo below).
(Nikon D500; 24-70mm at 48mm; f/2.8; 1/4000th sec; ISO 250)
It was a gloriously warm and sunny evening, and the light was wonderful for photography. At one stage, however, the sun going down over the circuit made it too dangerous for the riders as they were dazzled going into the first corner and there had to be a delay until it became safe again. Thereafter the flood lights were turned on and the conditions for photography changed.
(Nikon D500; 70-200mm at 165mm; f/2.8; 1/1600th sec; ISO 3600)
There were some 15 races of 4 laps each in all, which meant that I had plenty of opportunities to try different positions from which to photograph, both inside and outside the oval track. Overall, I concluded that the best images were to be had from the inside of the track as the riders sped around the bends throwing up the grit and dirt…
(Nikon D500; 24-70mm at 24mm; f/5.0; 1/2500th sec; ISO 1250)
This was also where there were good views of the spills, with riders coming off and hitting the padded barriers. Although this didn’t happen often, thankfully, I managed to miss every occurrence, mainly because I was in the wrong place. In sport, things can happen so quickly that, unless you are poised to take the photograph, the event has been and gone – and often it is simply a matter of luck, being in the right place at the right time. One thing is for sure: they won’t go back and do it again for you!
In most of my blogs, I make the point that it is really important to ensure that the participants are recognisable. With motor sports, however, this is a challenge because they are wearing helmets. Even in the image below, where the eyes are just about visible, it’s not really possible to recognise who the riders are.
(Nikon D500; 70-200mm at 135mm; f/2.8; 1/800th sec; ISO 3200)
This also means that the images cannot gain drama from the riders’ expression, but have to rely entirely on composition, shapes, colour and action.
As the bikes are moving at such speed, the simplest way to photograph them is to set a fast shutter speed, thereby freezing the action. While this might be simple, this does make the photos appear very static and lacking in emotion. In the photo below, the rider is clearly going quickly because you can see the dirt being kicked up behind, but there is no movement in the wheel.
(Nikon D500; 70-200mm at 120mm; f/2.8; 1/1250th sec; ISO 16,000)
On the other hand, the photo below has much more drama – it really feels as though the rider is going quickly – and it therefore has emotion. This is achieved by making the shutter speed much longer and panning – i.e. moving the camera to follow the rider as he comes around the corner.
It is not always easy to get a really sharp image, but by using continuous shooting and a degree of perseverance – and trial and error – the effect is well worth the effort. This also explains why I took over 1200 images during the evening – thank heavens for digital cameras!
(Nikon D500; 70-200mm at 82mm; f/8.0; 1/60th sec; ISO 180)
Although I didn’t do it on this occasion, it can also help to put the camera on a tripod or monopod (particularly if using a heavy lens), because this will enable you to pan more smoothly, allowing you to concentrate on keeping the key point of interest steady.
As always, it is worth looking out for candid shots in the margins of the races. For example, below are images of a couple of the poole Pirates riders having a chat between races, and a photo concentrating on the official waving the chequered flag at the end of one of the races. These provide atmosphere beyond the actual races.
(Nikon D500; 70-200mm at 200mm; f/2.8; 1/1250th sec; ISO 14,400)
(Nikon D500; 70-200mm at 70mm; f/2.8; 1/1250th sec; ISO 22,800)
So, did I enjoy photographing speedway? Yes, of course! As I said at the start, it is an exciting sport and the contest between riders on the track is intense. But … I find that motor sports can be repetitive and lack the opportunities for capturing human interaction and emotion because of the competitors wearing helmets.
(Nikon D500; 70-200mm at 165mm; f/8.0; 1/100th sec; ISO 400)
As a result, there are only so many different shots that you can get, whereas other sports – such as football, basketball, etc – present an infinite number of possibilities, which can be more rewarding.
With special thanks to Poole Pirates Speedway.
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