A Day at the Races (Part 2) - Autódromo do Estoril (20th of November 2011)

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Jorge using the Canon EF 500mm

(courtesy of Canon Professional Services/Colorfoto)

Some days ago, you could see some photographs I made during the treino fotográfico organized by Colorfoto and Canon Professional Services, so I won’t repeat myself here, explaining how it all came to take place.

Please, just use your mouse, should you wish to know more and you missed the first post.

The workshop actually consisted of two days, so this second post on the theme shows the photographs I shot on Sunday.

Please, allow me just to remember that the treino fotográfico took place under the supervision of the very kind gentleman Paulo Maria, an experienced sports photographer.

Once again, thank you Paulo, thank you Colorfoto and Canon.

I also wish to thank the staff at Autódromo do Estoril and the racing teams, everybody was very kind and supportive.

Last but not least, a special grateful word to my sun Jorge who brought me along…

The racing cars were only the Leitmotiv…

I don’t really much care about racing cars, I am more the type of guy who gets a faster heartbeat staring at Land Rovers and Pinzgauers, everything that can climb over rocks, or dive in some deep mud… The type of workhorse vehicles that can take me to that far away places, out of reach from the ordinary Sunday drivers.

Nevertheless, photographing racing cars (with a digital camera) can quickly become a passionate addiction and you must control yourself to stop shooting.

As you might guess looking at the photographs, I got a kick out of telling a story about the human action at it, all the anxiety and stress, all the concentration and awareness, all the sadness of losing and all the joy of winning.

Just like in real life…

Some of the fellow-photographers who made the day very enjoyable

Some thoughts and opinions about the Canon gear I have used on the event:

The 500mm that you see Jorge using above is for sure a great lens! Jorge got absolutely wonderful shots with it!

 If I would earn my money shooting sports or birds, I would definitely consider such a beast.

As I don’t, I prefer to stick to my (much smaller and lighter)  EF 400mm / 5.6 L (or whatever Canon calls it, I am lazy to check it up, this long terminology kind of nerves me!).

Since I got recently a frozen shoulder and some trouble in my left hand, this beast of a lens (I mean the 500mm) just is too heavy and cumbersome for my taste. I know that you need to get used to it, but I feel much more confortable with the smaller lens.

(Please, keep in mind that on the 30D body, as I have used it, the 400 becomes equivalent to a 640mm lens! I was actally getting “nearer” than Jorge with his 5D and the 500mm… I have used the 400mm exclusively hand held, no tripod or monopod! - no Image Stablizer on this lens, thanks!)

You can see the lens in question (I mean the 400mm) on an older post, should you have interest on taking a look. If you look further on, you will also find several photographs that every now and then I posted, made using that piece of glass.  

I also had the chance to try the 70-200 / 2.8 L in the Autódromo, the newer version of the lens, with Image Stablizer. In case you have noticed my former comment, you will understand that I am no big fan of IS… The noise and feeling of it working just drives me nuts, I rather prefer to hold one of my cats in the arm!

So, I prefer to stick to my older version, without IS, thank you again! (of course, you may claim that I can shoot with IS off. You are right, but I have the feeling that if we made a side by side test on optical quality and definition, the older lens would win… Somebody with more experience than me out there with a different opinion? Maybe Canon?)

The rest of the stuff was plain bread and butter:

I have used Jorge’s EF 50mm / 1.4, a lens that I can’t say it is bad for sure, but I also won’t claim that it is “GREAT”.  I know that lots of knowledgeable people love it, but I am maybe spoiled by Leitz / Leica and Zeiss…

I say jaein (ja + nein as the germans like to say)…

About my old 17-35 / 2.8 L:

Canon still has to make it better, if they want to convince me with their wide-angles, but then again maybe I am spoiled by the Summicrons, Elmarits, Distagons, Super-Angulons and Grandagons…

(lots of funny names, right!)

As I have said before, sometimes you win and sometimes you lose…

All in all, I absolutely was a winner by taking part on the event!

I hope that you enjoy the photographs.

Technical data for both days:

Camera - Canon 30D

Lenses - Canon EF 17-35mm/2.8 L + EF 50mm/1.4 + 70-200mm/2.8 IS L (not used on the 20th) + 400mm/5.6 L

Dates - 19th + 20th of November 2011 (these images, second day only)

Location - Autódromo do Estoril, Portugal

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How many roads...

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My second son, Luís, is flying to Germany today.

Frustrated with life conditions in this country and wishing to try a new life with his german girl-friend, he decided to go back to Heidelberg, his place of birth.

I have the consolation to know that Sara Joana waits for him. Her parents are long time friends from the years we lived over there. I know that he can count on some good and trusty people.

A sad day for me and his brothers and sister, hopefully a new sunny begin for Luís.

The photographs above were taken on Wildpark Frankenhof, near Reken.

On that cold winter day, there was no one else around, silence was only disturbed by our footsteps tracking our way through the snow.

We spent that winter (2003/2004) together in Reken. It was a very hard time for us, as Luís mother (the mother of all my four children) was struggling between life and death, after suffering a stroke.

We would sit at night eating Brezels with butter and cheese, drinking Veltins, watching some stupid TV channel, mostly thinking about that very thin line that separates life from death.

Sometimes we would cook a Griessklösschensuppe to keep us warm, and whenever we found the energy for it, we would try to laugh as much as we could… Laughing to keep from crying!

Often we would dress our warm coats in the middle of the night and go for a walk in the woods or through the fields, the only waken souls in the region.

Although I knew Reken for some decades, I felt kind of strange there: me and Luís’s mother were already divorced, somehow I didn’t belong no more there…

Looking back, I sometimes think that those hard times contributed for us to learn a lesson, albeit a hard one; we grew spiritualy for sure… And we got very close friends!

“I wish you well my son, I hope that you find your way, and that your way is a good one!”.

“Blowing in the Wind” – Bob Dylan

How many roads must a man walk down
Before you call him a man ?
How many seas must a white dove sail
Before she sleeps in the sand ?
Yes, how many times must the cannon balls fly
Before they're forever banned ?
The answer my friend is blowin' in the wind
The answer is blowin' in the wind.

Yes, how many years can a mountain exist
Before it's washed to the sea ?
Yes, how many years can some people exist
Before they're allowed to be free ?
Yes, how many times can a man turn his head
Pretending he just doesn't see ?
The answer my friend is blowin' in the wind
The answer is blowin' in the wind.

Yes, how many times must a man look up
Before he can see the sky ?
Yes, how many ears must one man have
Before he can hear people cry ?
Yes, how many deaths will it take till he knows
That too many people have died ?
The answer my friend is blowin' in the wind
The answer is blowin' in the wind.

 (From the album “The Freewheelin’”, 1963)

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A Day at the Races - Estoril, 19th of November 2011

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At first I was reluctant and said no.

But my son Jorge insisted, and I agreed to take part on the Photographic Training organized by Colorfoto ( it is no exggeration if I claim that they are the best photographic retailers in Portugal) and Canon Professional Services.

Instructor was Mr. Paulo Maria (Interslide), a professional with long experience in the field of Motorsports Photography, and who happens to be a very kind person.

David and Rui Morgado from Colorfoto were also always at hand with good advise and driving us around the track.

We also could try some of those beautiful grey Canon lens that you can watch the pros using on TV during sports events.

As a whole, all the event was very well organized and a joy to be part of.

Thinking afterwards, I came to realize, that I had never photographed a car race before.

So, you’re watching a kind of premier…

The long lenses from Canon are really top-notch and digital photography is a very convenient medium for this kind of stuff.

Yes, you guess it right: even a hardcore Leica guy like me has to concede that in this field Canon sounds better than Leica!

“Come on, you will have some fun!”.

Well, I must admit that Jorge was right, and I am happy that I came along.

We had a wonderful day at Autódromo do Estoril!

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Happy birthday Sara! (22nd of September)

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“Birthday”

You say it's your birthday
It's my birthday too, yeah
They say it's your birthday
We're gonna have a good time
I'm glad it's your birthday
Happy birthday to you.

Yes we're going to a pally party
Yes we're going to a pally party
Yes we're going to a pally party

I would like you to dance (Birthday)
Take a cha-cha-cha-chance (Birthday)
I would like you to dance (Birthday)
Dance

I would like you to dance (Birthday)
Take a cha-cha-cha-chance (Birthday)
I would like you to dance (Birthday)
Dance

You say it's your birthday
Well it's my birthday too, yeah
You say it's your birthday
We're gonna have a good time
I'm glad it's your birthday
Happy birthday to you.

(Words and music Lennon / McCartney)

From the album “The Beatles” (aka “White Album”) by THE BEATLES, 1968

Canon EOS 1n + Canon EF 1.4 / 50mm

Kodak Ektachrome Film

Sara pictured on April 2003 with our puppy Charley.

The photograph was made in Gouveia / Fontanelas.

In those days, I was living alone with Charley, and Sara came with her brother Mário for a visit.

As usually, we drove around in the Land Rover and strolled in the nice fields that surrounded the small village where I used to live.

We tried to pretend we didn't feel the pain of separation...

Canon EOS 30D + Leitz Telyt 6.8 /400mm

(enjoyyourcamera adapter)

September 2010

Sara will be fourteen today.

She is the youngest of my four children, and she also has the honour of being the only girl.

She now lives with me and Maria Helena in Alentejo.

We made these photographs last Sunday afternoon, not far from Montemor.

Not long ago still a baby, Sara will forever be the Princess of the family...

So, please, allow me to say:

"Happy birthday my dear daughter, wish you all the best in the world, all the luck and happiness that you can have.

I am sure that everything is gonna be alright!

I love you very, very much!!!"

For my little baby a sweet lullaby:

“Golden Slumbers”

Once there was a way to get back homeward
Once there was a way to get back home
Sleep pretty darling do not cry
And I will sing a lullabye

Golden slumbers fill your eyes
Smiles awake you when you rise
Sleep pretty darling do not cry
And I will sing a lullabye

Once there was a way to get back homeward
Once there was a way to get back home
Sleep pretty darling do not cry
And I will sing a lullabye

(Words and music Lennon / Mc Cartney)

From the album “Abbey Road” by THE BEATLES, 1969

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