Round 1 2016 / May 21, 2016 by Matt Pham

First event of the 2016 season and I wanted to do something special. So I decided to rent the new Nikon 200-500mm F5.6 and Nikon D4s. I heard a lot of good things about the 200-500mm and wanted to see for myself. It's true what everyone says. It's sharp and hard to believe it cost less than S1,500. I was warned it was heavy but I didn't find it all that heavy. Not something that you can hold all day but light enough to hold for brief bursts. The only thing I'm worried about is the lack of weather sealing. Lots of dust and being caught in the rain are my two main concerns. Besides that, this lens seems to be worth every penny that Nikon is asking for it. Now lets get to the images!

The only portrait I managed to take with the 200-500mm at F5.6 and look at the sharpness. Nikon worked some magic with this lens!

The extra reach helps fill the frame while the drifters are getting warmed up and adjusting to the course layout.

The course layout tends to change from event to event. 200mm can be wide enough to capture tandem runs.

The tight course really allows me to get up close and personal without me being in danger which is a plus.

I really wanted to push the limits and dropped my shutter down. 1/60 of a second is out of my comfort zone for a big telephoto lens like the 200-500mm. The results turned out better than expected.

Drivers have improved vastly over the years, tandems were one of the tougher things to capture. Drivers these days can get pretty close to each other which makes my job easier.

Smooth drivers make grabbing photos so easy.

The drifting version of "The Creation of Adam" painting by Michelangelo.

Got to love it when the drifters just create billows of smoke as they drift by.

The sun started to set and I wanted to switch things up. This is time for the D4s and 35mm to shine.

I've been on the hunt for this image for years and finally got something solid for the first time. The lens flare adds a slight cinematic feel as the sun slowly begins to set.

Again smooth driving makes for better photos and makes it so easy for me.

Gold 350Z during golden hour.

The last and final image before packing it up. Another successful event in the books. After being away for a few events, I enjoyed my time back on the track. Didn't get to ride along this time but there is always the next event. I have some plans mix things up for future events, so stay tuned!

G-Shock / March 7, 2016 by Matt Pham

NOLA / February 21, 2016 by Matt Pham

Being stuck in bumper to bumper traffic has it's perks. While sitting still, I was able to grab a few images to create a panorama. Not the easiest thing to do since you have to account for cars going by in the other direction. A bit of good timing and fast shutter speeds help pull it off.

Round 4 2015 / November 28, 2015 by Matt Pham

With the 2015 drift season coming to a close, I decided to doing something special since this would be my last for the season. I wanted to rent a longer lens since the 70-200mm at times comes up short. I wanted a lens with a bit more reach on the track. I had one lens in mind and that was the new Nikon 200-500mm F5.6. So I went to my favorite place to rent photography gear and put in my rental. Everything went just fine...except for a few days later. I got a call a few days later that the lens I wanted didn't come back into time. But I was given two options, the Sigma 150-600mm Sport or the Nikon 200-400 F4. I choose the Nikon and was not prepared for the sheer size. That goes without saying, a monopod was packed for the day.

As a bonus, I took my GoPro and attached it on to the hotshoe of my camera. I got some footage of the drifting from my point of view. It's a view not often seen. I love that you can even hear the shutter even with the screeching of the tires and engines roaring as the cars go by.

Tunica Hills / October 18, 2015 by Matt Pham

I went to do something out of my normal comfort zone, it's somewhere I wanted to check out but haven't had the chance. It's a beautiful place, I have to go back in the near future.