In a city filled with flair, vibrancy, dynamic colours, and with an atmosphere to rival any sporting event in the world, Shutter Speed returns to showcase the sights, the passion and the beauty of the 2021 Mexican Grand Prix on and off-track.
This week, we feature two Aston Martin Cognizant Formula One™ Team and Motorsport Images photographers, Glenn Dunbar and Zak Mauger – Zak appearing for the first time in this series – who select their eight best images from across the weekend in Mexico City before diving into the finer details behind each shot.
Shot on a Canon EOS 1D X Mark II fitted with a wide-angle lens
Zak: "A lot is going on in this image, you have the team working on the car, but the main focus of the image is the top where Lance is climbing into the cockpit.
"The grid is always a really busy period, but we were also able to get a good amount of branding in this image, which always plays a part.
"It's great to be able to go on the grid and take these sorts of wide shots of the car, as well as the driver in the moment."
Shot on a Canon EOS 1D X Mark II fitted with a 16-35 lens
Glenn: "This is all about a long, slow shutter speed to showcase the speed of a Formula One car. The important thing with this shot is keeping Lance's crash helmet as the focal point.
"The motion blur around the helmet helps to focus your eyes on that central point.
"It feels like the car is going a million miles an hour, and it just looks so dramatic."
Shot on a Canon EOS 1D X Mark II fitted with a 70-200mm lens
Zak: "I think Sebastian was reading the data off his screen, and it's reflected in his eyes. Using a shallow depth of field, you're able to bring that to life in the image.
"It's all about the focus and the details in this shot. It’s a long lens, which also helps because you can single out what you want to focus on."
Shot on a Canon EOS 1D X Mark II fitted with a 72-200 lens
Glenn: "In Mexico, you get access to the grandstand, which gives you a different angle to work with and a unique perspective.
"The aim here is to encompass lots of different elements: the dragon mural, the huge crowds, and create a busy picture as the car moves at speed.
"I find it to be a really pleasing shot on the eye."
Shot on a Canon EOS 1D X Mark II fitted with a wide-angle lens
Zak: "This is a shot that's again good for sponsors, but it also shows just how cocooned the drivers really are inside the cockpit of a modern Formula One car.
"It's a technically simple shot to take, but it's very striking. It’s about using the colours of the car and the lighting within the garage to really pick out the little details, especially the maple leaf on top of Lance's crash helmet.
"The lighting within a garage can be your friend in these sorts of shots."
Shot on a Canon EOS 1D X Mark II fitted with a 600mm lens
Glenn: "This shot was taken at the top end of the circuit, which we call the 'horseshoe', and you can get up close to the cars here.
"We had three great days of weather, and this was taken at around 3pm, when the daylight is just starting to soften.
"I like how the light was hitting the drivers' helmets as they were exiting the corner, so I decided to track the car in the frame to give it more impact, which you can see by the light hitting the Aston Martin wings on the wing mirror and the glint off Lance's helmet.
"This is just a dynamic shot that proves you don’t always need to use the tricks of the trade to achieve a good image."
Shot on a Canon EOS 1D X Mark II fitted with a 70-200mm lens
Zak: "This shot was taken just as Sebastian was readying himself to leave the garage. His eyes are trained on Mikey Brown [Sebastian’s No.1 Mechanic].
"In this image, I’ve isolated Seb's focus, and your eye is drawn to the reflection of him in his wing mirror.
"As a result, you're overexposing the surrounding furniture to keep the focus on Sebastian, but you do end up with this nice, clean effect with the lighting on the AMR21."
Shot on a Canon EOS 1D X Mark II fitted with a 16-35 lens
Glenn: "This year, the Mexican Grand Prix organisers helped create an incredible dragon mural in the Foro Sol Stadium section, and it's a really vibrant backdrop.
"It also reads Mexico City, and you’re trying to incorporate all the colour into one image, while also showing the car at speed.
"It's impossible to tell here, but this image was taken through catch fencing, but you remove it by slowing the shutter speed down significantly.
"It's a technique that requires practice, and knowing the tricks of the trade, to bring that vibrant stadium to life."
Thanks to Glenn Dunbar and Zak Mauger for sharing their passion and creative talents: #IAMCREATIVITY.
Discover more of Glenn and Zak's photography on their Instagram: @glenn_dunbar and @zackarymauger.
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