Silverstone photographers

[forzaf1]

Sitting behind the fence at the first corner yesterday waiting for the off of the 1000km race and was amazed just who gets a media pass nowadays.

Young people with 35mm cameras and a 28mm lense turns up with friends (2 girls of about 15yrs). Numerous people turn up with cheap video cameras aswell.

If you know of them or similar people, what do they work for?

Alex

[bella]

the 2 girls were just team guests, it was just that nobody had checked their passes before they got in. they had paddock only passes.

[MikeHoyer]

I think some of the people with cheap digital cameras are journalists mainly.

[MikeHoyer]

Actually, I don't recall seeing those people at the first corner, and I was there for the start...

[Ian Sowman]

Do you think you'd remember a couple of 15 year old girls then Mike?

[MikeHoyer]

Yeah, I'd remember anyone foolish enough to stand in the trench at Copse for any length of time in that weather... although I did it!

[chezza]

I do have to admit I was thinking similar to forza...there were so many people around who were signed on media with cameras that looked no better than my silly little one.

[bella]

the lmes seemed to bring a ridiculous number of media people, i did see people trackside that i'm fairly certain didn't get a f3/gt season media pass for example. i'd say they should only allow photographers trackside instead of journalists to reduce the crowds behind the barriers, but.. well, it's easy enough to tell porkies isn't it.

lmes media accreditation... that's one of ratel's people isn't it?

[rdjones]

I was in the grandstand on the pit stright, luckly undercover, but I saw those people walk past heading in the direction of Copse and like Alex I was quite shocked at what I saw.

I have to say this is not the first meeting that I have seen people trackside with point and shot camara's on the other side on the fence, what I'd like to know is where do these people get there passes from.

[mcurtis26]

Originally Posted by rdjones

I have to say this is not the first meeting that I have seen people trackside with point and shot camara's on the other side on the fence, what I'd like to know is where do these people get there passes from.

Have to agree with you there RD, it does seem very hit and miss re the issuing of media passes....a case I guess of not what you know but who you know?

[egor]

Originally Posted by mcurtis26

Have to agree with you there RD, it does seem very hit and miss re the issuing of media passes....a case I guess of not what you know but who you know?

I agree aswell, I am always amased how many people are just wondering around at Le Mans. When you are stood behind the spectator fence you tend to notice these people and always think what the hell do you do to get a media pass

[bella]

well it's still fairly tricky to get a media pass, but certain organisations still seem to accredit halfarsed websites, both personal or otherwise. a mystery, i'm sure you'll agree.

f3/gt is considerably more tricky, as is toca and most national events.

[mcurtis26]

It seems strange that passes were issued for LMES to people who wouldn't have got them for F3/GT, yet its still SRO organsing the show. It seemed similar last year at the LMES round.

Surely it would be best if all media had to wear vests like at certain events, then it would stop people being able to sneak trackside with other passes, putting themselves in danger and also the marshalls who would have to save their necks for them.

[bella]

all photographers had to wear vests. i'd say at that point the marshals probably had better things to do than kick people out for not wearing them though?

[MikeHoyer]

Yeah we had to wear a vest, but that was it. In theory I could've given it to anybody, and they'd have been able to go trackside.

[mcurtis26]

I guess no system is going to be completely water tight, and i appreciate the marshalls did a fantastic job in difficult conditions. The problem obviously higher up with the issuing of passes.

[bella]

the tabard system is fine because anyone who hands their tabard to someone who say, gets injured through negligence is in as much hot water as the circuit who allow someone who hasn't signed a injury waiver form trackside. it's not worth the risk.

hence the wristbands are considerably more secure if they're worn on the wrist rather than on the pass.

[egor]

Originally Posted by mcurtis26

I guess no system is going to be completely water tight, and i appreciate the marshalls did a fantastic job in difficult conditions. The problem obviously higher up with the issuing of passes.

There was'nt much water tight over the weekend

[kdr]

i shot at the fia gt race earlier this year and as i recall it was a pass round your neck and a bib. system seemed fine...i think the media all had a pass, and snappers a bib, if anyone then tries to go to the track without the bib, then they should be stopped. i think sometimes the problem is if you do manage to get trackside you rarely get asked again...like its assumed that someone somewhere has checked and its all fine.

le mans is a different world...its pointless trying to understand whats going on there! 2001 i was hiding from the rain under the dunlop bridge when i met a venezulan exchange student who was living in nantes and decided to come to see the race. she opened the gate near the bridge and as everyone was sheltering from the rain - in she walked. she had a silver camera round her neck...which more or less ensured no-one was going to ask any questions...cunning eh?!

[MikeHoyer]

At Spa I had a pass round my neck wit "Paddock, Pitlane, and Track" written on it, plus a bib. That seemed like a good system, i.e some people had the same thing, but without "Track" on it, etc.

[bella]

yeah, at the f3 masters at zandvoort all passes are the same, down to just guest ones, but they have bits chopped off the bottom depending on what you're doing. if you're just a guest, you got ingang and paddock, then team got pitlane and pitwall, and media had guardrail too for trackside stuff. it was awkward to check for marshals i'd imagine, but it was a decent way of doing it.

[jase]

Originally Posted by MikeHoyer

At Spa I had a pass round my neck wit "Paddock, Pitlane, and Track" written on it, plus a bib. That seemed like a good system, i.e some people had the same thing, but without "Track" on it, etc.

Those type passes allow you as far as the last line on the pass. I wish it was explained to guests that a pass that says pit/paddock doesn't mean pitlane!

[forzaf1]

Originally Posted by MikeHoyer

Actually, I don't recall seeing those people at the first corner, and I was there for the start...

They joined you guys fairly late on. I believe they went past you and stood on the far side (on your left), just past the extra fencing.

Like most things in life, when you see someone in a position which you would die for it certainly gets you abit down.

Alex

[Alfaholic]

If you're referring to the youngsters using a point & shoot camera, i did see them on Saturday trying to take photos from Beckets - at just about the furthest point frm the track!!

How long will it be before someone gets Media accreditation and uses a camera phone (or has it already been done)?

[Aysedasi]

Originally Posted by kdr

....in she walked. she had a silver camera round her neck...which more or less ensured no-one was going to ask any questions...cunning eh?!

Does that mean I need to spray my camera silver to get in there next year - or just pray it rains? (no - never!!!).