A Photographer's Journey at Le Mans Classic
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What an unforgettable four days it has been at Le Mans Classic! As an automotive photographer, this event is like a dream come true—a blend of history, passion, and some of the coolest cars on the planet. However, as with any event, it came with its own set of challenges and triumphs...
First thing first, seeing the accreditation letter in my inbox is something I'll remember probably forever...I'm really grateful to Josué, chief editor of Speedster magazine, who helped me along the way of getting my package together till the confirmation. Unfortunately, I've got my accreditation feedback relatively late, this meant a bit of a challenge on it's own making me decide on tackling the road to Le Mans via car instead of a plane. This meant the longest drive I've encountered in my life, a journey across Western Europe with a total of approximately 1700km's. Thankfully MINI Hungary came to help me out with something equally cool, a British Racing Green Cooper S (5 Door) that worked out to be an excellent partner and an overall positive surprise given that these little cars usually aren't meant for long distance travels!
Four Days of Intensity From the moment I arrived in Le Mans, the excitement was palpable. Each day was packed with activities, from vintage races to stunning parades of legendary cars that have shaped the history of motorsport. The atmosphere was electric as enthusiasts from around the world gathered to celebrate the rich heritage of auto racing. During this immersive experience, my camera was almost glued to my side as I sought to capture the magic unfolding in front of me.
I must admit that I faced a personal hurdle: my panning technique was surprisingly rusty! With so much action and excitement around me, I found it challenging to keep my shots sharp while following the dynamic movement of the cars. It was a gentle reminder that even after years of practice, there’s always room for improvement. Yet, rather than letting my disappointment linger, I used it as motivation to refine my skills—often the best lessons come from our struggles. Friday morning meeting with Zoli, aka. classic.race sharing a morning coffee catching up, and a quick "Le Mans Classic" know how has gave me an extra boost of confidence, for which I'll remain grateful to him. So as days have been progressing I slowly learned to "walk again" and images improved mostly with a better hit rate (at this point must say all my respect to motorsport photographers who not only manage to take sharp and technically perfect photos, but compose those images at the same time!). I still felt occasionally lost and pressure but managed to go with the flow not build artificial pressure on myself.
Best Photos Born on Sunday Through the ups and downs, Sunday, being a rainy, normally -let's stay in the bed- kind of day, emerged as the highlight of my photography journey at the event. I always enjoyed seeing cars race in the rain, and this was no exception I felt the atmosphere shifted, and the cars took on a new life. I managed to capture some of my best shots that day, showcasing the stunning designs and irreplaceable characters of these classic machines and the heroic driving skills of their drivers.
All in all this event was everything and more than I ever imagined. I'm really grateful to those who helped making this dream come true, and those who I had the pleasure sharing these moments with. As Peter Auto (organisers) announced, this was the last event in it's currently known form and they will be back with a new format, that will be held now annually instead of every 2 years! Either way, they got me infected...I'm really looking forward to the next one!
