Beautiful weather in Scotland

I awoke on Friday in Dunfermline just a short drive from the Knockhill Racing Circuit where the British Superbikes would be encamped for the next three days.

Checks the weather App on the iPad. That can't be right. Says it's going to rain for three days. Flicks on the tele to get the proper weather and ...... rain. It's a conspiracy.

Woofed down a fry up and off down to the track. Nice circuit and you can get so close to the action. There's the obvious big fencing at some of the fast corners but generally you're just shooting over a little fence. It's not like Silverstone where you need to be around 9 feet tall to shoot over the fences.

I took along the 50-500mm and the 70-210mm Sigma zooms, the latter being one of my favourite optics. I went down to the hairpin just in time for it to start raining. Fortunately there's a grandstand there and you can shelter from the weather and still shoot. 

Now I know optics have advanced massively over recent years, but to my knowledge there still isn't a lens on the market that can shoot through the back of someones head (Apart from a laser. I wish) to capture the action on the track. I can't tell you the amount of times (I lied - it was 7) people came and stood in front of me and obscured the action. I'm not being precious but to move two feet to the right or left would have given them the same view and I could still shoot. Could I have moved? Yes, but if you know your photography you'll know that where you can you try and get a position that delivers the composition you're looking for. 2 feet either way wouldn't have been the bext position at that time for me.

So, moan out of the way I started shooting. I set a few shots up using the 50-500mmon a Manfrotto monopod of the bikes coming in and out of the hairpin. Once I found the ones I liked I shot more of the same of the different riders.

I had the other zoom set up so that I could pan hand held as they accelerated up the straight. It was by now raining heavily, but the riders were motoring. You could see them gaining in confidence as they used to the condisions and explored the level of grip that was available. As they came round the hairpin the knees were getting closer to the ground.

It was long before the light had moveda round so after about an hour I moved elsewhere on the circuit.

I don't normally shoot in the rain as I don't care how much waterproof kit you have, the water will get everywhere. But, with the outlook over the next three days being bleak I decided to give it a go. 

I stuffed a big brolly down my coat and zipped it in place so that it covered me. Worked well until the wind blew and the brolly tried to get out of my jacket. Fortunately my chin was there to catch it. Ouch!. Decided to try it again and this time wrap my nelt around it. Worked a treat and it allowed me to shoot all day. 

Shooting through the rain was slightly problematic as when it was really heavy the quality of images was poor. However I managed to get some reasnoable shots that have added to the strength of my portfolio.

I'll put the images on the site so take a look and let me know what you think. Any constructive feedback welcome.

Att he end of the day I decided that if the forecast for Saturday was likely to be poor I'd head down South to se my Dad in time for Fathers Day.

Needless to say the weather looked worse for Saturday so I packed the car up and headed off down South. 

Thanks to Jim and Liz at Pitreavie Guest House on the Aberdour Road in Dunfermline for looking after me for a couple of days.

I'm thinking of going up again next year because I've heard the weathers going to be fantastic.

Check out the next post when I visit Bempton Cliffs near Bridlington on the way down South.