Takumi Fujiwara's photography thread - mostly automotive.

Takumi Fujiwara

Takumi Fujiwara

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Los Angeles, CA
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Max Archer
I figured I might as well start a thread here. I shoot a bunch of stuff, but automotive is my serious genre, and it's what's most relevant to GTP. I just published my first article from the 2012 Monterey car week, so I can now post the pictures I used on forums etc.

This was the first time I'd used a 500 at Laguna Seca. I typed this post up for another photography forum, where people were asking about how I did with it, so some of the captions will reflect that.

All photos were processed using Nik Color Efex Pro 4.

1.

DSC_6106-Edit.jpg by maximstensel, on Flickr

It's shots like this where I really appreciate the 500mm.

2.

DSC_2799-Edit.jpg by maximstensel, on Flickr

And the total opposite - 20mm on full-frame!

3.

DSC_2978-Edit.jpg by maximstensel, on Flickr

The 500 in action again. It took me a while to get used to panning with it, but I love the results, and the fact that I'm getting angles I've never been able to shoot at Laguna in the past.

4.

DSC_2312-Edit.jpg by maximstensel, on Flickr

Another wide shot at the start of the Cobra class.

5.

DSC_5708-Edit.jpg by maximstensel, on Flickr

This guy is so awesome.

6.

DSC_5191-Edit.jpg by maximstensel, on Flickr

I'm a sucker for fireballs. Especially rotary engine fireballs!

7.

DSC_7855-2-Edit.jpg by maximstensel, on Flickr

70-200 with a TC here - I decided to take a break from carrying the 500 while shooting the paddock, and ended up outside 11.

8.

DSC_4996.jpg by maximstensel, on Flickr

Another slow pan with the 500.

9.

DSC_6033-Edit.jpg by maximstensel, on Flickr

300mm (equiv.) from almost the same spot as the 500 shot above. Shows what a difference there is. I like the wider crop too, though.

10.

DSC_3118-Edit-Edit.jpg by maximstensel, on Flickr

I guess I should throw in at least one traditional pan. Here's one from the 70-200, up close, of a GT40.
 
This is spectacular indeed, specially the hyper-long shots with the 500, specially the flaming Mazda, but my favorite is the super-wide, full frame, sheep-cloud-infested second picture, because it practically resumes the event in one picture. A vertical crop with a bit of tilt would be bad-ass.
 
Thanks guys! I thought the thread had died here, haha.

I'll see if maybe I can do a cool vertical crop of that one shot. I couldn't actually SHOOT it vertical because the lens is so wide that I was already having trouble keeping the edges of the photo hole out of the frame, I'm actually leaning out the "window" into the runoff area to get this shot, lol.
 
I don't know how I missed this thread...

First of all, nice variety, with lovely angles and composition (love the wide-angle!).
I see you had some liberty and wandered around Laguna Seca. I really envy you for that. Also, nice, neutral post-processing.

The only shots that don't do much for me are #3 (just too tight) and #5, because of the background (although that's not really your fault).

Anyway, well done. Congrats.
 
I must say that the cloudy shot and the one with the fire spitting Mazda and the one with.... oh wait. Love them all.
 
Might as well throw a few more from the event in.


Green 911 by maximstensel, on Flickr


DSC_7056-Edit.jpg by maximstensel, on Flickr


Cobra lineup. by maximstensel, on Flickr


250 GT LWB Scaglietti Berlinetta by maximstensel, on Flickr


Lamborghini Sesto Elemento by maximstensel, on Flickr


250GT California Prototype by maximstensel, on Flickr


Big Swan Car. by maximstensel, on Flickr


Hall-Scott "The Four" by maximstensel, on Flickr

DiabolicalMask
I don't know how I missed this thread...

First of all, nice variety, with lovely angles and composition (love the wide-angle!).
I see you had some liberty and wandered around Laguna Seca. I really envy you for that. Also, nice, neutral post-processing.

The only shots that don't do much for me are #3 (just too tight) and #5, because of the background (although that's not really your fault).

Anyway, well done. Congrats.
Click to expand...

Thanks. I was on assignment for this, so I had credentials and a media vest and everything. I've shot Seca enough now that I kind of know how to go through a day there, where the light is going to be and what order to work my way around the track in. It's tricky in August because the light comes from a bad direction all afternoon, and the few spots that are at a good angle are mostly ones with bad backgrounds, or they're public areas with tall fences in the way.

I really like how this filter came out with the processing as well. I have to give the credit to Nik, their software has really added a quick, easy ability to get a unique look.

I've got like 10,000 more photos to sift through and edit, so I'll have more to post here when I've got the time to work on them. I had to get my article published, so I just grabbed a couple dozen decent photos that worked with the story and threw them in. There are whole classes and areas of the track that I haven't even edited photos from yet, and a lot of cool pics that didn't fit the article, or I didn't have enough background info for the caption, or they showed the same classes/cars I'd already posted pics of, or whatever. Looking forward to doing something with them.
 
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Takumi Fujiwara
Thanks. I was on assignment for this, so I had credentials and a media vest and everything. I've shot Seca enough now that I kind of know how to go through a day there, where the light is going to be and what order to work my way around the track in.

I had to get my article published, so I just grabbed a couple dozen decent photos that worked with the story and threw them in.
Click to expand...

And you work in...?
 
wow, great photos.
Old cars on such a classic track = great results. Thanks for sharing
 
Cano
And you work in...?
Click to expand...

I shoot/write motorsports coverage and some other automotive stuff as a side thing. Right now I'm working with The Garage Blog, link is in my sig. Hopefully I can eventually go full time with a car magazine. I'm a full-time college student at the moment though, so I don't have that much time or budget for events like this unfortunately. (All the current publication gets me is a press pass, I have to pay my own expenses.)
 
Awesome shots! I was there the week before the races. I watched two practice sessions for $16. :) I'll get some of my shots up soon.
 
Patrick
Awesome shots! I was there the week before the races. I watched two practice sessions for $16. :) I'll get some of my shots up soon.
Click to expand...

Oh cool, that's the "Pre-Historics" or whatever they call it now, right? (Pre-Reunion?) I've always wanted to check that out, but I've gotta be there for the actual event, and two weekends in a row is more than I can do.
 
Takumi Fujiwara
I shoot/write motorsports coverage and some other automotive stuff as a side thing. Right now I'm working with The Garage Blog, link is in my sig. Hopefully I can eventually go full time with a car magazine. I'm a full-time college student at the moment though, so I don't have that much time or budget for events like this unfortunately. (All the current publication gets me is a press pass, I have to pay my own expenses.)
Click to expand...

Seems like a good thing you can put on you resume eventually. Again, nice shots.
 
Takumi Fujiwara
I shoot/write motorsports coverage and some other automotive stuff as a side thing. Right now I'm working with The Garage Blog, link is in my sig. Hopefully I can eventually go full time with a car magazine. I'm a full-time college student at the moment though, so I don't have that much time or budget for events like this unfortunately. (All the current publication gets me is a press pass, I have to pay my own expenses.)
Click to expand...

That's cool that you can get a bit of extra cash doing this stuff. I know it's freaking fun, I work at two car mags over here in... well, everything, I do photography, write ups, illustrations, the lot. Click on the Flickr link on my sig to see a few of my pics, altough I din't really have that much up there. I really need to put my Flickr to work.
 
I made a tumblr account. Lots of new photos, some old ones though. http://maximstensel.tumblr.com/

Here's some other stuff I haven't posted before.


DSC_7909-2-Edit.jpg by maximstensel, on Flickr


DSC_5394-Edit.jpg by maximstensel, on Flickr


DSC_4491-Edit.jpg by maximstensel, on Flickr


DSC_4146-Edit.jpg by maximstensel, on Flickr


DSC_7554-2-Edit.jpg by maximstensel, on Flickr


DSC_6282-Edit.jpg by maximstensel, on Flickr


DSC_3388-Edit.jpg by maximstensel, on Flickr


DSC_6099-Edit.jpg by maximstensel, on Flickr
 
Did a bunch more. I've been playing around with some cinematic-style cropping, I think it looks pretty cool on some photos. (And works for some photos where a normal crop is boring.)


DSC_1946-Edit-Edit.jpg by maximstensel, on Flickr


DSC_5024-Edit-Edit.jpg by maximstensel, on Flickr


DSC_5261-Edit-Edit.jpg by maximstensel, on Flickr


DSC_6185-Edit-Edit.jpg by maximstensel, on Flickr


DSC_7971-Edit-Edit.jpg by maximstensel, on Flickr

jus1029
Some great shots here, Maxim! 👍
Click to expand...

Thanks!
 
Resurrecting this for some photos I took today. My friend just traded his C6 Corvette in on this Evora and we went up the hill for some shots. I'm pretty rusty and static shots have never been my strong suit so it is what it is.

Gear is a Nikon D610 (yep, traded the D3S in a while back when I stopped shooting professionally) with a Sigma Art Series 35mm f/1.4, Rokinon manual focus 85mm f/1.4, and Nikkor 20mm f/2.8.


DSC_3127.jpg by maximstensel, on Flickr

DSC_3201.jpg by maximstensel, on Flickr

DSC_3207.jpg by maximstensel, on Flickr

DSC_3252.jpg by maximstensel, on Flickr

Pretty fun to ride in, too.

DSC_3321.jpg by maximstensel, on Flickr

We found a modded S2000 on the way down and had some fun with him. (And no, we weren't running this close, this was taken after we caught up with a slower car ahead.)

DSC_3425.jpg by maximstensel, on Flickr
 

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