Page 29 - EA Safari Classic Rally 2019
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Being a Classic Safari Photographer A Photographer’s Experience
I photographed the EASC for the long road sections and can also use a
first time in 2009. The event was
camera. So I chose an unsuspecting
planned from afar as I was living in Kailan for the first half of the event
Wales photographing the WRC at the and my girlfriend, Suzanne, for the
time. My dad and I borrowed my second half. That way, if I annoyed
girlfriend’s Subaru Leone and booked anybody too much I'd only have to
accommodation every night as we check my food for poison for half an
went along. Bizarrely my dad and I event….
didn't kill one other and we actually
took some half decent photos. But Accommodation becomes a bit
that first ill-prepared attempt taught easier by the year as I now know
me a lot. some under the radar gems but its'
still important to get it all booked
Photographing the Classic Safari months in advance… and even then
Rally is not just about turning up be prepared to sleep in (or under)
with a camera, a memory card and the car in emergencies. (We once
a couple of batteries and hope to slept in the bush overnight whilst
see a few cars in a half decent waiting for a new gearbox to be
location. Hell no. Photographing a dispatched from Mombasa, 300kms
nine-day marathon event takes away!)
months of planning and even then
the ability to think on your feet is No amount of pre-event planning
essential. foot to not be so heavy on the can prepare you for the curve balls
throttle! that nature chucks your way during
After the disaster of 2015 when I an event. You have the road book
broke 3 cars before the rest day, my With the car sorted, I needed to and cross reference it against your
main focus for 2017 was actually on have a passenger on board to take memory and maybe Google Earth
a strong and reliable road car to get the abuse when frustrations got too and try and locate decent looking
me around the route. For this event much, who is a good navigator, has a junctions, or interpret jumps, river
I sent my own every day Landcruiser half decent choice of music for the crossings and other hazards to
in for a major overhaul, had identify some potential photo
brand new Maxxis mud tyres spots. Then you set off hours
fitted and a solid bulbar with before sunrise and try and find
massive spotlights for after a decent spot. Sometimes you
dark driving. Having a strong can stop too early at an average
car is one thing, driving it in a location and then, after
fashion whereby you can get everyone has passed by, find
around for the whole event out that there was a
without breaking it is, for me breathtaking spot a kilometre
especially, a bit of a challenge. further on. Or, possibly more
Thankfully the financial frustrating, you can pass an
considerations forced my right Edwin, my helper, interviewing Baldy innocuous river crossing only for
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