Well, the answer is in. JG accepted my "convincing" and sent me a credential form. I'm very grateful to him for reconsidering after the email I sent. I sent him a brief note to convey my thanks.
It helps for this weekend, but I don't exactly know how it's gonna go in the future. However, I'll do my best to refrain from negativity and doomsaying.
Paul's post has real good info, particularly about parking and not takin a car onto the track at major events. That's a bitch for me and I may end up seeing if I can afford to rent a golf cart. Hell, maybe several of us could go in on one together. I know that some of the "big boys" share carts...why not us? Something to think about. I'm for sure gonna have a back pack rather than carrying everything in my camera bag.
In other news, Jim Halladay and I are about halfway through getting his Chevy Colorado pickup ready for the 130 club on the salt flats during WoS starting next week. Hell, if all goes as projected, we may both become 130 Club members. If not, there's the Monte Carlo that can be run next year.
Back to work on the photo editing. I should have Concours photos in a few hours...see attached as an artsy-fartsy example.
r On 9/8/2010 3:46 PM, Michael Wells wrote:
All,Well maybe it's because I'm newer to this whole gig that keeps me enthused, I also have the benefit of having no little kids at home to chase after. As much as my wife loves me she's not about to come to the track and watch me take pictures. So my only other alternative is to hang out with you bunch of misfits. John has been good to me so far and I'm pretty lucky to have found someone that will sponsor me for credentials. I had to work for this one and I'm going to ride it as far as I can.As much as I love to shoot nature & waterfalls they can't give me the same kind of adrenaline rush that motor sports has. And the fact that I've been able to sell a few photos is a huge bonus & ego stroker. I'd hate to not see you at the track any more Ray but I haven't walked in your shoes so I don't know your level of frustration. Part of this is the camaraderie, where else am I going to hang out with a bunch of mentally deranged photogs? I don't know where this will lead but it's been fun and I hope this continues. I hope something works out for you Ray, Brandon, the guy that came to the ALMS race with me will only be there Sat til 3, I don't know if credentials are transferable but he won't be using his either Friday or Sunday. Just walk up and say you're Brandon Storr, who knows? I don't know if that will work but it's out there.I also can't wait for the lunches at Hires, my wife just rolls her eyes when I start talking about panning & shutter speed and so on...Well there's my two cents. Michael aka Dr ZOn Wed, Sep 8, 2010 at 12:37 PM, Ray Buck <rbuck@xxxxxxxxxxxx <mailto:rbuck@xxxxxxxxxxxx>> wrote:After talking with John Gardner about credential requests, and in particular, www.landracing.com <http://www.landracing.com> (he said "give it a try") he denied my request. I pointed out some things he might not be aware of (like my photos of MMP on landracing) and asked him to reconsider. I haven't heard from him. If I don't hear back and I don't get credentials for this weekend, I'm considering severing my relationship with MMP. The credentialhoops and changing rules and moving targets are too much hassle. I may just cut back to doing car shows and the salt flats. Itwould sure be a nice thing not to have to do a paper chase for every fucking event and find myself in conflict with the "big boys" who have corporate backing and departments who handle all that stuff for 'em. Working 16-18 hours a day to get all thephotos edited and on the web is gettin to be a real energy drain. I know that it's something that I've chosen to do, but it mightjust be for the best if I didn't have that never-ending series of hoops to jump through. When Spencer Young bought the old Bonneville Raceway Park and built Rocky Mountain Raceway, it just stopped being fun. I'd been a permanent fixture at the Saturday nite roundy-round races and ran my Monte Carlo on the drag strip there. After numerous incidents (the biggest one was not being allowed to bring a "cold cup" of water into the track) I decided that the costs outweighed the benefits and I stopped giving Mr. Young my money. I haven't regretted it at all. MMP is starting to get that way for me. Since Larry's death, the track has begun a downward spiral that just doesn't look very good. It wouldn't surprise me if it didn't go up for sale or just closed down. But aside from that negativity, I get the feeling that they'd rather not have to bother with ANY photographers, no matter how much free PR they get. We've discussed this in the past and I don't see any changes that would make things better. So if I don't get the credentials for this weekend, I'll shoot the Peach Days car show in Brigham City and probably not even bother going back to MMP. Besides: next year is lookin awful bleak as far as events. No ALMS, no vintage or historic races, only Superbike, Grand-Am and NASCAR West (combining 'em is really a dumb idea) and some bread and circuses for the masses like the off-road stuff. Superbike has been a pita from the word go and that only leaves 2 major events. I can live without 'em. RtR On 9/7/2010 1:56 PM, PAUL W WATSON wrote:Yes,Does anybody know what track configuration[s] are being used? NASCAR in the past has used the 3 mile perimeter track and theGrand Am cars use the full 4.5 mile track. Paul ----- Original Message ----- *From:* Michael Wells <mailto:mcwellsphoto@xxxxxxxxx> *To:* ratpack@xxxxxxxxxxxxx <mailto:ratpack@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> *Sent:* Tuesday, September 07, 2010 1:11 PM *Subject:* [ratpack] Re: Credentials Sounds like the start of a party for the Rat Pack. Will the Big Sigma be along for the ride? Michael On Tue, Sep 7, 2010 at 12:58 PM, PAUL W WATSON <TSWATSON78@xxxxxxx <mailto:TSWATSON78@xxxxxxx>> wrote: I'll be there Thursday thru Sunday. P ----- Original Message ----- *From:* Michael Wells <mailto:mcwellsphoto@xxxxxxxxx> *To:* ratpack@xxxxxxxxxxxxx <mailto:ratpack@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> *Sent:* Tuesday, September 07, 2010 12:05 PM *Subject:* [ratpack] Credentials All, Well the credential confirmation came through on Saturday so Brandon and I are good to go. Are we going to see everyone there? Michael-- Dr. Zaka Michael Wells MCWells Photography mcwellsphoto@xxxxxxxxx <mailto:mcwellsphoto@xxxxxxxxx> 801-850-7279-- Dr. Zaka Michael Wells MCWells Photography mcwellsphoto@xxxxxxxxx <mailto:mcwellsphoto@xxxxxxxxx> 801-850-7279-- Dr. Z aka Michael Wells MCWells Photography mcwellsphoto@xxxxxxxxx <mailto:mcwellsphoto@xxxxxxxxx> 801-850-7279
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