Random News / Thought (Le Mans 24hs)
Just a silly thing to say,
As you might know I do Motorsport Photography, and I have been lucky enough to get media credentials since 2014 to a bunch of events, and year after year a bit more and some more importants than others.
Back in 2010 I had a Panasonic TZ3 point and shoot for quite a few time (well it was my parent's) and I had already the decission in my head to buy a DSLR camera (2nd hand, to try it out).
Back in 2010 two mates and me decided to go watch the 24 Hours of Le Mans, which is considered 1 of the Top 3 Racing Venues ever, as public. We just payed our regular ticket and spent 2 days there and sleeping in a tiny car.
And on Sunday when the race was ending for us (it was time to pack and leave) a thought came to my mind saying "if I ever can take pictures at a professional level, THIS race is the goal".
The years came by to 2023 and I can happily say I have been accredited media in many categories being Formula 1, Formula E, MotoGP and WEC the most famous, and for 2023 (it's the 100th anniversary of the 24H of Le Mans) I just tried to get a pass. I thought it will Not Work.
But it DID. And I am going. And I am very really excited and wanted to share this. I cried, of joy. My mind wasn't even able to process the email saying that I was accepted to work there.
So if you see a Pentax camera there, it might be me 😛 (now the slogan "Make Pentax great again" comes to your mind, erase it, please do so xDDD)
As stated, random thought, but you know, keep working, keep taking a path, no matter what if you need to detour, detour or turn around, but keep walking. Sometimes your goals end up being reacheable.
See ya!
Great news, I'm a motorsport fan and have photographed local events on and off over the years (just amateur stuff), shooting Le Mans will, I'm sure, be amazing and I can't wait to see the results.
One of my efforts from a BTCC media day at Donington back in 2019.
Uploaded files:
Quote from Gideon Liddiard Photography on May 26, 2023, 8:13 amGreat news, I'm a motorsport fan and have photographed local events on and off over the years (just amateur stuff), shooting Le Mans will, I'm sure, be amazing and I can't wait to see the results.
One of my efforts from a BTCC media day at Donington back in 2019.
Thank you very much!
Love the shoot, well done !! 😀
Quote from red5isalive on May 24, 2023, 8:41 amJust a silly thing to say,
As you might know I do Motorsport Photography, and I have been lucky enough to get media credentials since 2014 to a bunch of events, and year after year a bit more and some more importants than others.
Back in 2010 I had a Panasonic TZ3 point and shoot for quite a few time (well it was my parent's) and I had already the decission in my head to buy a DSLR camera (2nd hand, to try it out).
Back in 2010 two mates and me decided to go watch the 24 Hours of Le Mans, which is considered 1 of the Top 3 Racing Venues ever, as public. We just payed our regular ticket and spent 2 days there and sleeping in a tiny car.
And on Sunday when the race was ending for us (it was time to pack and leave) a thought came to my mind saying "if I ever can take pictures at a professional level, THIS race is the goal".
The years came by to 2023 and I can happily say I have been accredited media in many categories being Formula 1, Formula E, MotoGP and WEC the most famous, and for 2023 (it's the 100th anniversary of the 24H of Le Mans) I just tried to get a pass. I thought it will Not Work.
But it DID. And I am going. And I am very really excited and wanted to share this. I cried, of joy. My mind wasn't even able to process the email saying that I was accepted to work there.
So if you see a Pentax camera there, it might be me 😛 (now the slogan "Make Pentax great again" comes to your mind, erase it, please do so xDDD)
As stated, random thought, but you know, keep working, keep taking a path, no matter what if you need to detour, detour or turn around, but keep walking. Sometimes your goals end up being reacheable.
See ya!
Congrats! You shoot so many awesome bodies of work at every race! I would be lying, if I didn't admit I'm jealous! I need to get to my local track!
I just wonder how much storage you have to manage with that kind of editing load you go through! Plus the shutter count on your camera bodies, they're real workhorses!
Quote from SpruceBruce on May 28, 2023, 5:12 amQuote from red5isalive on May 24, 2023, 8:41 amJust a silly thing to say,
As you might know I do Motorsport Photography, and I have been lucky enough to get media credentials since 2014 to a bunch of events, and year after year a bit more and some more importants than others.
Back in 2010 I had a Panasonic TZ3 point and shoot for quite a few time (well it was my parent's) and I had already the decission in my head to buy a DSLR camera (2nd hand, to try it out).
Back in 2010 two mates and me decided to go watch the 24 Hours of Le Mans, which is considered 1 of the Top 3 Racing Venues ever, as public. We just payed our regular ticket and spent 2 days there and sleeping in a tiny car.
And on Sunday when the race was ending for us (it was time to pack and leave) a thought came to my mind saying "if I ever can take pictures at a professional level, THIS race is the goal".
The years came by to 2023 and I can happily say I have been accredited media in many categories being Formula 1, Formula E, MotoGP and WEC the most famous, and for 2023 (it's the 100th anniversary of the 24H of Le Mans) I just tried to get a pass. I thought it will Not Work.
But it DID. And I am going. And I am very really excited and wanted to share this. I cried, of joy. My mind wasn't even able to process the email saying that I was accepted to work there.
So if you see a Pentax camera there, it might be me
(now the slogan "Make Pentax great again" comes to your mind, erase it, please do so xDDD)
As stated, random thought, but you know, keep working, keep taking a path, no matter what if you need to detour, detour or turn around, but keep walking. Sometimes your goals end up being reacheable.
See ya!
Congrats! You shoot so many awesome bodies of work at every race! I would be lying, if I didn't admit I'm jealous! I need to get to my local track!
I just wonder how much storage you have to manage with that kind of editing load you go through! Plus the shutter count on your camera bodies, they're real workhorses!
Thank you Bruce,
You should try to, because I like your shooting style and I think you might get brilliant results.
Storage is a pain in the ass xDD I have plenty of hard drives and i had to buy flickr plus in order to be able to keep uploading images.
About the cameras, this year has been crazy, it's the year I am covering more events. My K3 Silver bought 2nd hand in 2015 or 2016 has around 195K photos taken on.
The K3-III has been suffering the most of the shoots, I think it goes to 50K so far. And I don't expect her to come back from Le Mans with less than 100K due to the fact that prior to this I am also taking part in the Formula 1 Spanish Grand Prix 2023 (this is something I was coming to cheer on too :D) and Le Mans is going to be a 5 day job. --> about the Formula 1 Spanish Grand Prix 2023 --> I have been in F1 for some races in 2018, 2019 and 2020 then the pandemic came and until 2022 there were no real chances to get back to it. And I had it talked with the same website I was doing F1 before but.... they replaced me for the exact same races I requested them to work together with with a new guy, same this year. But I had a newer contact and we worked with them. Now funny thing is 13 days ago I have got a NO as an answer which to be honest, I was expecting, and 5 days ago I have got the credentials !! It's going to be my personal "Last Dance". I wanted it to be.
About the cameras and gear, it is true they are workhorses :S
I try to keep my cameras always clean and fresh, ready and with care, but there are moments or times where you just have to rush. For that 24H of Le Mans if Pentax Spain does not borrow me anything I'll bring the K3-III, K3 and as a spare camera my K5 just in case. Because she's great. I do still love my K5. It's a bit slow, but man what a camera.
(they are workhorses) But it's for a good reason 🙂
Congrats! This is amazing and should be an unforgettable memory. Enjoy it, and I can't wait to see some pics and hear some stories from how it went from you as a fan and as a photographer.
Do you have a particular team that you're hoping will win?
Quote from James Warner on May 28, 2023, 11:16 amCongrats! This is amazing and should be an unforgettable memory. Enjoy it, and I can't wait to see some pics and hear some stories from how it went from you as a fan and as a photographer.
Do you have a particular team that you're hoping will win?
Thank you James!
Not really neither in F1 nor in Le Mans. I mean I just like all xD
Thank you, yes the F1 race here home is something I have been trying to achieve again since 2020.
About the Le Mans 24Hs.... it's the 100th race and it means that it should be extra special and/or quite remembered.
Congrats!! That is super exciting and I can't wait to see your photos and hear your experiences from the trip. 🙂 This may have been mentioned elsewhere already but congrats also on the Pentax social media shout-out (link below). I saw those photos and immediately thought of you and then I saw it WAS you! Super cool. 🙂
I love these photos by the way, superb!
Quote from JBP on May 30, 2023, 7:14 pmCongrats!! That is super exciting and I can't wait to see your photos and hear your experiences from the trip.
This may have been mentioned elsewhere already but congrats also on the Pentax social media shout-out (link below). I saw those photos and immediately thought of you and then I saw it WAS you! Super cool.
I love these photos by the way, superb!
hahahah thank you very much indeed 🙂
Now, news about the trip to Le Mans.
Seems that things get complicated, why? Burocracy and me not knowing this.
So today I went to renew my driver's license that expires in 4 days. I 100% forgot you don't get the real plastic official license back until some weeks after this, and you got given a paper that is valid for you to drive in..... Spain.
Now, Le Mans is in France. And so that paper must not be valid to rent a car as I am renting there in Nantes.
Next moday is bank holiday, and burocracy here goes very slow. I just saw I can purchase an International Driver's License that if you carry with your provisional national license maybe, only maybe, serves for that purpose. But the Governamental website to do this thing is broken and you can't do the thing. I have been trying it for 2 hours.
My only hope now is going to a private firm to ask to get it done and pay 6 or 7 times the regular price (regular is 10 euros) and see if it works.
Other than that I might be very screwed with no car to drive to the track and back and from Nantes (around 2hs drive to the Hotel). I just don't want to get stucked in Nantes xD
Hello again!
I'm still alive 😛
It has been a couple of demanding and amazing weeks for me.
First of all as you know I had the OK to do 24H Le Mans in it's 100th Anniversary and after that (and before Le Mans) I got the OK to do my "last Dance" in Formula 1 doing the Formula 1 Spanish Grand Prix here home, 20kms away from Barcelona.
It has been crazy, I think my mind has not yet processed all the information. I am very pleased and happy, and yet Saturday after Formula 1 I have started being sick, Sunday I was sick just to discover on Monday I had fever. I was leaving Wednesday to Le Mans and working the day in between, but luckily medication and sleeping helped me to leave on Wednesday with no more fever. Yep, I was a bit sick, but in the upcoming days I just made it.
So first of all,
FORMULA 1 SPANISH GP 2023 (my last dance)
There are 3 categories racing together, Formula 3 (the smaller cars), Formula 2 (quite nice cars) and Formula 1 (THE category) and in Formula 3 there's a girl that drives, Sophia
_IMG4523 by Daniel Gonzalez Aguilera, en Flickr
And those are Formula 1 pics
IMGP1824 by Daniel Gonzalez Aguilera, en Flickr
IMGP2533 by Daniel Gonzalez Aguilera, en Flickr
IMGP2216 by Daniel Gonzalez Aguilera, en Flickr
The crowds for that race were impressive, from Friday it was quite full. And on Sunday there were 125.000 spectators, which is close to the 140.000 that was the record of spectators here home from 2006 if I am not mistaken.
On Friday I just worked from home and left at 12hs to arrive soon to Formula 1. It took me 2 hours to do a 20 minutes drive, the lines were quite huge.
Saturday I have been waiting for the drivers to arrive in the morning
IMGP2672 by Daniel Gonzalez Aguilera, en Flickr
IMGP2691 by Daniel Gonzalez Aguilera, en Flickr
IMGP2788 by Daniel Gonzalez Aguilera, en Flickr
IMGP3016 by Daniel Gonzalez Aguilera, en Flickr
IMGP3084 by Daniel Gonzalez Aguilera, en Flickr
And I liked this kids attitude:
IMGP3098 by Daniel Gonzalez Aguilera, en Flickr
On Saturday we have had some rain so it turned the driving a bit more difficult
IMGP3568 by Daniel Gonzalez Aguilera, en Flickr
IMGP3661 by Daniel Gonzalez Aguilera, en Flickr
This is my favourite pic of the weekend:
IMGP4853 by Daniel Gonzalez Aguilera, en Flickr
During the evening I just did a walk with the K3-III and the 21mm limited at around 18.30hs and I was able to see some drivers
IMGP5066 by Daniel Gonzalez Aguilera, en Flickr
IMGP5115 by Daniel Gonzalez Aguilera, en Flickr
And then THE Day came (race day, Sunday)
IMGP6522 by Daniel Gonzalez Aguilera, en Flickr
IMGP6594 by Daniel Gonzalez Aguilera, en Flickr
IMGP7065 by Daniel Gonzalez Aguilera, en Flickr
IMGP7112 by Daniel Gonzalez Aguilera, en Flickr
IMGP8086 by Daniel Gonzalez Aguilera, en Flickr
IMGP7272 by Daniel Gonzalez Aguilera, en Flickr
IMGP7672 by Daniel Gonzalez Aguilera, en Flickr
IMGP8492 by Daniel Gonzalez Aguilera, en Flickr
IMGP8634 by Daniel Gonzalez Aguilera, en Flickr
LE MANS 24 HOURS
This has been a dream come true. And an giant pleasure.
They hosted so many people that they had to open a temporary building where to let us stay and work with plastic chairs and plastic tables like the ones you'd use at the beach, but I can't complaint. I was there.
Those have been 5 hectic days. I have lost 5-6kgs, and I have been walking crazy. Saturday (with a mate) we have walked around 25Kms.
My main issue was that i was sleeping in Tours which is located 90kms away from the race track (or 1h by fast roads) BUT that meant that if there were lines, I'd struggle. That also meant that the night from Saturday to Sunday it would have taken me 2hs to go and come from the track and so I never left. Instead I just went to sleep for 2hs to the rental car in the parking. And hey, it was quite okay (most likely because I was tired).
During the week teams just compete at the track but Friday they do a parade around the town of Le Mans and now they throw a lot of appareal and gifts to the crowds, would also add some pics about that if you like to show a bit of it.
The gear I took with me was the follwing one: Pentax K3-III y K3 Silver + Sigma 17-50mm, Pentax 21mm limited, Pentax 35mm DA, Pentax 50-135mm f2.8 y el Pentax 150-450mm 😀
IMGP5954 by Daniel Gonzalez Aguilera, en Flickr
IMGP5969 by Daniel Gonzalez Aguilera, en Flickr
IMGP4816 by Daniel Gonzalez Aguilera, en Flickr
_IMG5086 by Daniel Gonzalez Aguilera, en Flickr
IMGP0231 by Daniel Gonzalez Aguilera, en Flickr
_IMG6139 by Daniel Gonzalez Aguilera, en Flickr
IMGP0217 by Daniel Gonzalez Aguilera, en Flickr
IMGP3019 by Daniel Gonzalez Aguilera, en Flickr
IMGP1909 by Daniel Gonzalez Aguilera, en Flickr
IMGP2606 by Daniel Gonzalez Aguilera, en Flickr
IMGP3439 by Daniel Gonzalez Aguilera, en Flickr
IMGP3853 by Daniel Gonzalez Aguilera, en Flickr
IMGP3632 by Daniel Gonzalez Aguilera, en Flickr
IMGP3931 by Daniel Gonzalez Aguilera, en Flickr
IMGP3922 by Daniel Gonzalez Aguilera, en Flickr
IMGP3933 by Daniel Gonzalez Aguilera, en Flickr
IMGP4662 by Daniel Gonzalez Aguilera, en Flickr
IMGP4228 by Daniel Gonzalez Aguilera, en Flickr
IMGP4596 by Daniel Gonzalez Aguilera, en Flickr
IMGP7018 by Daniel Gonzalez Aguilera, en Flickr
IMGP7068 by Daniel Gonzalez Aguilera, en Flickr
IMGP7216 by Daniel Gonzalez Aguilera, en Flickr
IMGP7873 by Daniel Gonzalez Aguilera, en Flickr
IMGP9515 by Daniel Gonzalez Aguilera, en Flickr
IMGP9671 by Daniel Gonzalez Aguilera, en Flickr
IMGP9662 by Daniel Gonzalez Aguilera, en Flickr
IMGP4228 by Daniel Gonzalez Aguilera, en Flickr
IMGP9989 by Daniel Gonzalez Aguilera, en Flickr
IMGP1730 by Daniel Gonzalez Aguilera, en Flickr
IMGP3555 by Daniel Gonzalez Aguilera, en Flickr
IMGP4581 by Daniel Gonzalez Aguilera, en Flickr
Ferrari won after a race that seems that has been quite epic.
IMGP6086 by Daniel Gonzalez Aguilera, en Flickr
IMGP6297 by Daniel Gonzalez Aguilera, en Flickr
In the second category (LMP2) Albert Costa, from my city, won the race.
IMGP6427 by Daniel Gonzalez Aguilera, en Flickr
