St. Petersburg Grand Prix Gala 2014 featuring Maserati Ghibli & Ferrari

April 01, 2014 in Cars, Event

The 2014 St. Petersburg Grand Prix Gala featuring a Ferrari F430 and a Ferrari 458 Italia - Nikon D300 Tamron 17-50mm @ f/11 ISO 200 5-exposure HDRLast Friday evening was my second year in a row receiving a media pass to the 2014 St. Petersburg Grand Prix Gala. I got to see a number of interesting cars last year, including Lexus LFA #406. This year, there was only one car I had not seen before, the Maserati Ghibli.

Mingling among supercars at the 2014 St. Pete Grand Prix Gala - Nikon D300 Tamron 17-50mm @ f/11 ISO 200 5-exposure HDRMaybe it was because I got there just as the event started at 7pm, but it seemed to be a bit of a low key affair this time. Then again I only go to be able to see supercars, so having not that many people around when I was shooting is a plus.

Guests of the 2014 St. Petersburg Grand Prix Gala with a racecar - Nikon D300 Tamron 17-50mm @ f/11 ISO 200 5-exposure HDRWhen photographing the same event as years past, I try to find shots I did not before. This year I went up to the open second floor to make photographs from a bird's eye view of the gala. I am not sure why this never occurred to me last year.

I have seen this Ferrari 458 Spider many times before - Nikon D300 Tamron 17-50mm @ f/11 ISO 200 5-exposure HDRContributing to the smaller feel to the gala this year also was that there were only three cars outside. Last year I got to make one of my favorite images of the year, framing a row of cars with the open scissor door of a Ford GT supercar. At least the lack of cars let me photograph the above Ferrari 458 Spider from a couple of angles, which I will feature in a future post. However, I already saw this particular Ferrari last year and actually see it regularly driving around my neighborhood. Is it possible for a Ferrari to become commonplace in my mind??

The stunning Maserati Ghibli at the 2014 St. Pete Grand Prix - Nikon D300 Tamron 17-50mm @ f/11 ISO 200 5-exposure HDRThe best part of this year's gala for me, by far, was getting to see the Maserati Ghibli in person. Immediately I thought this is a stunning car and the best looking sedan I have ever seen. The Ghiblie previous to this was not a car I thought about much or daydreamed about. That all changed after seeing this beautiful metallic gray Ghibli seemingly waiting for me to just come and photograph it, if not drive home with it!

St. Petersburg Grand Prix Gala 2013 featuring Ferrari Lotus & Lexus LFA

April 09, 2013 in Cars, Event

This pink Lotus Elise attracted a crowd at the 2013 St. Petersburg Grand Prix Gala - Nikon D300 Tamron 17-50mm @ f/8 ISO 200 2.5 sec tripod mounted with cable releaseThe Friday evening before the actual 2013 St. Petersburg Grand Prix race was the Grand Prix Gala featuring numerous supercars and other things, but for me of course, all my attention was on the cars. The Lotus Elise above was painted a shockingly bright pink. Though this car looks rather exotic, it is relatively not that expensive and can be had for around $55,000.

Ford GT in the foreground at St. Petersburg Grand Prix Gala 2013 - Nikon D300 Tamron 17-50mm @ f/8 ISO 200 9-exposure HDRWelcoming you to the Grand Prix Gala was a Ford GT (in foreground doors open) followed by a line of Ferraris, Porsches and a Maserati. There was a sudden rain shower as I arrived limiting the shots I could get outside, but it did add a nice sheen to the look of the above shot overall.

Ferrari 458 Spider in yellow at St. Petersburg Grand Prix Gala 2013 - Nikon D300 Tamron 17-50mm @ f/8 ISO 200 7-exposure HDRThis was my first time to see a Ferrari 458 Spider in person. I had seen the 458 Italia many times before, so I was glad someone brought this Spider to show what an open top adds to what most consider the best current supercar in existence.

Lexus LFA #406 at the St. Petersburg Florida Grand Prix Gala 2013 - Nikon D300 Tamron 17-50mm @ f/8 ISO 200 7-exposure HDRFeatured prominently also was this, famous to me, Lexus LFA #406. I have now seen it on at least four different occasions. The comments I hear most as people walk by it is their surprise that the car is a Lexus. I guess not everyone is subscribed to the Lexus Enthusiast then!

St. Petersburg Grand Prix 2013 Classic Racers

March 22, 2013 in Cars

Porsche 911 Series 993 racing on the track at the St. Petersburg Grand Prix 2013 - Nikon D300 Nikkor 80-200mm @ f/5.6 ISO 200 1/1250thI entered the 2013 St. Petersburg Grand Prix raceway area around noon not know what type of cars I may see on the track at that time. To my delight the classic racers were out and I got to see my favorite car, the Porsche 911 in several forms roaring around the course. It took me awhile to find a suitable spot to photograph the cars because the double fence around most of the course just could not be shot through with any success.

A Mustang takes the corner ahead of a Jaguar at the St. Petersburg Grand Prix 2013 - Nikon D300 Nikkor 80-200mm @ f/5.6 ISO 200 1/1250th

I ended up using a spot where a TV camera guy was. There was a hole cut out of the fence that his huge camera was pointing through so I then only had one fence to shoot through and I could put my lens right up against essentially making it invisible to my camera's sensor. This spot is where most of these shots are from.

Another classic Porsche 911 with huge rear wing taking a turn at the 2013 St. Petersburg Grand Prix - Nikon D300 Nikkor 80-200mm @ f/5.6 ISO 200 1/1000thI had some idea it would be very loud because as I sit here at home now with the windows open some 4 miles away I can hear the faint sound of engines even. I actually liked the intense sound and did not use the promotional air plugs handed to me by some social media guy. I was there less than an hour, so perhaps longer exposure to the engine sounds would have been headache inducing, but for me it was a rush to shoot and feel the subject so viscerally.

Going down a long straightaway at the St. Petersburg Grand Prix 2013 - Nikon D300 Nikkor 80-200mm @ f/4 ISO 200 1/1000thI always wonder what the people do who live in the condos right on the race course. Do they eventually block it out, love it, or just spend the weekend out of town?