There is a certain anachronism inherent in capturing cutting edge machines with ‘obsolete’ analog equipment. At times the process is equal parts frustration and inspiration – and most certainly a healthy dose of patience is a requirement – but I find myself taking the Hasselblad out for a spin more and more.
This is set of fast cars shot with a slow camera, but just as a driver acquires the rhythm for a particular car and track, you find your pace with the Hassie as well.
Focus. Compose. Meter. Set exposure. Refocus. Recompose. Scan the frame one last time. Exhale. Trip the shutter. Wind.
With only 12 exposures a roll, there is little margin for error. You either hit that apex just right or you don’t. Hang on while I take you on a fast lap…
I’m always attracted to the garages at motorsports events. Everyone and everything is in motion and your ear is constantly filled with the staccato of air tools and some sort of metal-on-metal whine. A thousand stories all at once! A single-marque event such as the Ferrari Challenge forces you to be a keen observer of the environment – pulling out the differences in the sameness is the job at hand.
The back lot of any race is a giant circus in many ways. In between heats cars need tuning or repairs; drivers need a space to rest and recover (or socialize with sponsors, family and fans); and even mechanics need a break and lunch. Not only do the trailers provide that space, all of that stuff fits right in with the cars and gets moved from venue to venue in the calendar. Even before the last spectator has exited the gates, some teams have packed up and are on the road again, leaving no trace that they were even there – not a nut, bolt or floor tile.
Event: Ferrari Challenge Trofeo Pirelli, Circuit of The Americas, Austin TX
Equipment: Hasselblad 500C/M, Carl Zeiss Planar 80/2.8
Film stock: Kodak Portra 400, develop & scan by NegativeLab, Los Angeles CA
For more information, visit the Ferrari Challenge on the web.
This gallery also appears in three parts on DRIVETRIBE: The Ferrari Tribe
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