Today’s post is a super long one in terms of images but just today we had a really special local event. Here in Edinburgh we absolutely love our festivals, whether it be the Fringe Festival, a book festival, a science festival or even a food festival. There’s almost always some kind of festival going on.
Between now and September there is a new-to-myself festival called the Forth Bridges Festival which runs between South and North Queensferry. This weekend marks the 50th Anniversary since the legendary driver Jim Clark became British Touring Car Champion (BTCC) so in conjunction with the BTCC race at Knockhill this weekend an event was held in South Queensferry and the Forth Road Bridge. This morning a number of Jim Clark’s famous Lotus cars, including his Cortina and F1 car, were on parade in South Queensferry along with a number of BTCC cars and drivers, with their respective drivers being from Scotland.
The drivers from the BTCC were Gordon Shedden in a Honda Civic Tourer, Aiden Moffatt in a Chevrolet Cruise, David Newsham in a Ford Focus and finally Glynn Geddie in a Toyota Avensis.
When I arrived it was raining so I had a walk around the cars for around 30 minutes then jumped in the car and crossed over the bridge. I arrived around 9.30 and the organisers were to close the bridge for approximately 10 minutes at 10.55. By the time the cars were due to arrive the rain had cleared and the sun came out and we were treated to half a closed road bridge with full blown race cars driving over. There was a media line of photographers which I joined and I was one of just a couple photographers who stayed at the side so I didn’t have to move at all when the cars came by.
Another thing that was really cool for me was a I hired a Nikon 300mm f2.8 G ED VR II AF-S Nikkor lens. Most of my photography really doesn’t call for super telephoto lenses. 99% of the time I can do with a 200mm lens but I’ve been hired to photograph a bike race this Saturday and I’m going to the touring cars at Knockhill Sunday (weather permitting) so I decided to hire this lens.
These normally retail for just over £4000 but I found an online company, http://www.lensesforhire.co.uk and renting from them has been awesome so far. I just signed up, detailed my criteria, paid for delivery and paid for a courier pickup and the lens arrived the next day in a hard case and perfect condition.
How is the lens? Absolutely amazing! Probably the best lens I’ve ever used. Picture quality is up there with the best 6×6 format Hasselblad lenses I’ve used, focus is instantaneous and the picture quality is phenomenal. I shot entirely with a D4 and the photos below have been downsized for the blog but for all the pictures of the cars coming over the bridge I used the 300 and it was phenomenal.
I’ll use the lens hell of a lot before I return it so I might even do a review of it as well but for now here are a collection of photos from this great event. In case you’re wondering what the coolest car was, easily Jim Clark’s Lotus F1. Even though it’s 50 years old it sounded and also smelled absolutely great.
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