An incident involving a photographer struck by a car during the outdoor racing event Sno*Drift Rally has spurred discussion and criticism over shooting practices in risky situations. Photographer G David LaClair was standing near a corner of the outdoor racing track when a vehicle lost control and spun out, slid into the brush, and directly impacted the photographer.
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The collision was captured in a pair of videos, both of which are graphic in nature. In a post shared via a screenshot on Facebook, the photographer LaClair reports that he suffered a lacerated liver and broken scapulas, as well as many bruises. The incident has resulted in many pointing out that better attention to safety would have prevented the collision.
Photographers were reportedly warned not to stand on the outside of a track corner due to the risk of a car losing control
In a Facebook comment left on a video of the accident, photographer Adam Bachi explains that a mandatory safety meeting for media personnel was held before the event. During this safety meeting, photographers were reportedly warned not to stand on the outside of a track corner due to the risk of a car losing control. Whether LaClair was present in that meeting and why he chose to stand in that spot is unclear.
Discussions have focused, in part, on how future incidents like this can be avoided, including potentially having experienced photographers follow inexperienced photographers, posting warning signs in dangerous shooting spots, and having safety personnel monitor dangerous spots to turn away anyone who unwittingly positions themselves there.
>>> During this safety meeting, photographers were reportedly warned not to stand on the outside of a track corner due to the risk of a car losing control. Whether LaClair was present in that meeting and why he chose to stand in that spot is unclear.<<<
It was also not clear if LaClair was present when God was handing out brains.
I really can't believe that was a human being standing there in that spot, are we sure it wasn't a deer who stole an orange jacket? Perhaps the guy thought by wearing the orange jacket that the out of control car entering a big curve would avoid him?? I hope the person recovers fully, but damm.... what the heck was he doing there?
Like you, I certainly would have. Rally cars have a nasty tendency to leave the track. It could do so anywhere but its a rather good bet that it will be to the outside of a corner even if the do bounce back to the other side just after the apex. Having laid on a safety talk, the onus should be on the photographer and indeed on spectators to position themselves where the risk is least. The risk can never be entirely eliminated but surely people should have some responsibility for their own mortality in such situations.
Motor sports,air shows.No thanks.But I don't think I would have been caught. But the motor sports enthusiasts or petrol heads,some of them seem to find a dumb way to die & the odds one day catch up.Risk assessment,listen to & obey the experts.We have a local who will climb anywhere for the so called unique shot, he has dropped an expensive camera & lens from a great height,he hasn't dropped himself .....yet.
Situation awareness, and caution is the only right answer with motorsports. A person on the inside of a turn at the Pikes peak hill climb, the oldest race in the US, got their foot run over. Now the most photographer friendly race on the planet lost its sponsor and turned into a photo hostile environment with chain link fences.
PPHC was (still is, to be fair) on my photo bucket list. I hope they'll find a solution that limits both the effects of idiocy and the restrictions on photography!
No one should have to mark the outside of a sharp turn at a rally race. That is just common sense for anyone who knows anything about physics and momentum. But as they say common sense often isn't that common.
I shoot motorsports in Israel and every safety meeting we are told not to stand in the outside of a turn and is my personal opinion that any photographer, professional or not, that doesn't apply to this directives is responsible for any injuries he or her may suffer and they should be banned for life to take part on events in the future, all for the good of the sport and their safety, that of their followers and the mental health of those behind the wheel.
Rally Racing has a long history of people standing where they shouldn't. There's a video of a slightly smarter photographer standing by a large tree and ducking behind it when the car looses control in the corner. Tunnel vision in the case of the photographer is a problem. I was at a drag race and was shooting video of a run when the car suffered a motor explosion. It wasn't until after that I saw pieces of fiberglass land near me.
It is pretty basic mechanics; the force will throw the car outside, not inside! I don't see why the picture is better from the outside. It is just not very smart to stand where the cars out of control in that turn have to go.
Time to start using remotely controlled cameras.... drone like fashion. I wonder when we'll see the first ones in action. Pretty soon I guess, given the newer steps taken to ensure safety. Watch this space.
Apparently he is a videographer with the local cable station (https://twitter.com/davidlaclairtv). Judging by the rally coverage they produced in 2017, it is their standard practice to shoot most of the corners from the opposite side of the apex. In one segment, the camera operator is actually standing behind the red “danger tape”! Left’s hope they’ve learned their lesson.
One must always ask themselves if a photo is really worth risking their life. Yeah it's cool to get the creative and insane shots others won't even try to get. If it were a mere risk of losing a camera or lens (or some other replaceable gear) that is one thing. Risk of losing your life... that's something that you can't replace.
Let's see. I'm going to stand at the end of a long straight were cars will be going fastest, and just as they need to make a sharp turn. If they miss the turn, I'm in the perfect place to get that great shot. It's not where I'd want to stand. But he just might have the most awesome photo in that camera waiting to be shared. It almost cost him his life though.
Yes, that's right. I think this guy didn't seem to attend to this kind of race very often. He removed his eye from the camera way to late, and unfortunately, made a step to the bad direction. As if he forgot he was so close to the track.
It's also surprising that the 2 or 3 officials who were standing by on the right of the track didn't ask him to move away...or may be they did...
It's pretty obvious that the photographer, who was using an Olympus E-M1, was too preoccupied calculating the equivalent aperture for his 35-100 lens to see the car and take avoiding action. Micro 4/3 users are more prone to silly accidents than other brand's users because they have to deal with complex maths before taking a photo, Of course I only allow myself to joke because the photographer survived the accident. Rallies - even minor events such as this one - are dangerous by nature. People should never put their lives in jeopardy like this. Especially photographers, who seem to take the greatest risks. A great shot is not worth your life and physical integrity.
I shoot motorsport on a regular basis, this is how I look at this accident.
When shooting motorsport, there is usually a briefing before the race weekend starts. During the briefing the officials will alert which areas are the so called "Red Zone", areas where no one is allowed to stand by during every session. If found standing in the Red Zone, the accreditation will be excluded, and banned from shooting the championship forever. All media staff need to follow the instruction of the marshalls as well.
In this case, I assume this man was standing in a red zone. At least he knew the risk of being injured when standing there. However there were clearly marshalls standing nearby and didn't warn him. I think the responsibility is 50-50. The race organiser clearly need to improve their safety enhancement.
For motorsport photographers, the first thing before actual shooting is to know your escape route around you!
Should at least get an honourable mention in this year's Darwin Awards. An A for effort. Like the photographer shot while trying to photograph his dog holding a rifle. Or the photographer riding helmetless on his Harley who took both hands off the bars at 100 kph to turn completely around and photograph the rider behind him. Or the photographer aged 68 who thought she could get a better shot of the Running of The Bulls by removing the metal barricade and stepping out into the street as a horse bowled her over then 6 bulls trampled her to death. Or the videographer with 800 jumps to his name, filming a skydiving lesson, whose camera gear strapped to his back was mistaken for a parachute by the in-flight instructor.
We feel sorry for them too. Severe injuries and death are no laughing matter.
I imagine the dog yelping and the people's voices heard on the video were next to the individual making the video, about 50 yards further up the road, not at the actual impact site.
Too bad the guy that got hit did not see that video and learn from it. The photog in your video stayed very cool, and he even took a picture right after that, I'm impressed!
Once upon a time I was hit hard by a rock coming from...a race car tire. So it is not just the car, please be aware of all sorts of secondary danger as well! A simple bolt might seriously hurt you... :(
And while you cheer Darwin at this person getting hurt I cite your existence as evidence Darwin isn't enough and we needed eugenics for your parents years ago.
"Film crew arrested for allegedly trying to sneak a 'fake bomb' through airport security", irresponsible amateur photographers getting too close to wild animals in National Parks, and this here - too many people in photography which just shouldn't be.
@entoman... I feel more compassion for the driver who did nothing wrong but misjudge the speed he was doing in those conditions. Now, standing on a sharp bend on the end of a frozen forest track, not paying attention, or behind that tree, hmmm? That is like feeling sorry for rock climbers, people who jump out of air planes, rock divers, people who swim with sharks, etc…
snapa - Yes of course the poor driver could easily have had to suffer from the knowledge that he inadvertently was party to the injury or death to a spectator or photographer, and that driver would deserve compassion.
But I'd say that a photographer or spectator who gets injured as a result of his own inexperience or simple foolhardiness does deserve compassion too.
If the person had deliberately disobeyed the orders of a marshall, putting himself and others at risk, that is a different matter, and he should be banned from other race events.
It's quite possible that as an employee of a local TV station, that he was pressured into taking risks that he might not have taken if the video was being shot for personal use.
There is often more behind a story than is immediately obvious, a fact that is ignored by many here, who simply want to be "wise after the event".
I was thinking more that its another human being that was obviously hurt. Looks like it was his own fault but so what. I've made mistakes and dumb decisions in the past that could have landed me in a similar predicament. I was just lucky I guess. Wouldn't care if he was standing in the middle of the track in a matadors outfit swinging a cape. Still hope hes ok.
is it really necessary for the organisers to hold a premeeting to tell people that it’s dangerous to stand on the outside of a bend in Rally? Slippery lo grip surface with a 1 ton+ Car capable of travelling >100mph, folk should be able to work that one out for themselves I think.
But look how much things have improved since the Group B days:-
Group B - unbelievable cars with, some would argue, the best drivers in the world. Scary spectacular as your video shows and understandably why the rules were eventually changed in favor of less outrageous cars and some enforced effort towards crowd control.
It wasn't the guys fault, he had the wrong camera, he was shooting with a mirrorless and the electronic viewfinder showed the car just coming into view, over 2 miles away! He should have used an SLR, no viewfinder lag time. Just joking people, it looks like he's holding a pair of binoculars.
Perhaps an XPRO2 in optical mode would have saved his bacon. Especially if he shoots it with his Right eye and the left looking at the oncoming car directly at him
1. He was standing in the worst possible space. Any car failing to negotiate there corner was almost bound to hit him 2. He made no attempt to move. It was obvious at least 3 seconds before the accident that he was in a dangerous place 3. Any motor sport is inherently dangerous.
#2: Seems as though he was looking through the viewfinder. Always best to shoot with two eyes open and he should've been less complacent and been ready to move. Turns out he wasn't supposed to be there at all but he got too comfy in that spot.
Whether you put your life at risk for a photo depends on how much risk-taking you enjoy, and how inportant the photo is to you. We all get kicks in different ways and risk-taking is part of being human.
The problem arises when others are brought into the equation:
Are you also putting other lives at risk by your actions?
Are you giving any consideration to the medics who have to scrape your wrecked body off the ground?
Are you giving any thought to your relatives and friends who will miss you if you get killed?
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