Start/Finish

Brabham Straight

The high safety fences give little opportunity for side-on panning shots, even from the grandstands. It is possible to get a decent rear view up the straight from the outside of Clerks Curve, and also into the pit lane entrance. Head on views down the straight from Paddock Hill Bend are also possible, especially if you have access to the Paddock Hill Bend Grandstand.

Lens range: 70-300mm+

Sample Photos:

Turn 1

Paddock Hill Bend

A very fast and exciting corner, one of the two most incident prone corners on the circuit (the other being Druids). Very thick, high safety fences restrict the view, however down towards Hailwood there is a bank which allows excellent views over the fence, especially with the aid of a small step ladder.

Lens range: 400mm+

Sample Photos:

Hailwood Hill

Safety fences, the pedestrian bridge and other obstacles make clean views from the outside of Hailwood Hill very sparse. However crossing the bridge to the inside gives excellent views over a very low fence. It is still quite difficult to get exceptional photographs from here though, as the light can be quite harsh and the backgrounds on the top half of the hill are a little fussy for my liking.

Lens range: 70-300mm+

Sample Photos:

Turn 2

Druids Bend

Probably one of the best locations for photographers at Brands with great access and lots of out-braking action. The outside has high safety fences however it is still possible to get excellent shots through the fence looking down Hailwood Hill, and also across the apex of the corner from both sides. There is a gap in the safety fencing allowing unrestricted rear views across the apex (see image left). The inside has low fences only a few metres from the track and so allows for superb pans even with a short lens. As a result both the inside and outside areas are always crowded.

Note: For the DTM event in 2007 the inside of Druids was closed to the public.

Lens range (inside): 70-200mm

Lens range (outside): 300mm+

Sample Photos:

Turn 3

Graham Hill Bend

This should be a good corner for photography as the spectator area is on the inside of quite a quick corner with the sun behind you. However the fences are high and some distance from the track so the opportunities for panning shots are very limited.

Lens range: 200mm+

Cooper Straight

High safety fences on a high speed straight with messy backgrounds make photography very difficult.

Lens range: 70mm+

Turn 4

Surtees

Low fences very close to the track on the inside of a high speed corner make this an excellent position for panning shots. The slightly elevated position also means that the backgrounds are kept very clean. The light is excellent in the mornings but can get a little harsh in the afternoon.

For the 2007 season a number of PA loud speaker posts were erected which has made autofocus tracking more difficult.

Lens range: 70-200mm

Sample Photos:

Turn 5

McLaren Bend

There is no direct spectator access to this corner although it is possible to shoot head on from the bank at the end of Clearways, or rear views from Surtees. The bank at the end of Clearways also provides excellent panning shots with the light behind you.

Lens range (from Surtees): 150mm+

Lens range (from Clearways): 250mm+

Sample Photos:

Turn 6

Clark Curve

The final corner has no spectator access to the inside, and high safety fences round the outside. Rear views of the entry to Clark, and across the apex, are possible from the Clearways bank. There is a small window in the safety fence (sometimes used by TV cameras) about half way round the curve. This gives superb views across the entry to the corner, but does tend to be a very popular spot with photographers. There is also a gap in the safety fence which allows unrestricted rear views of the exit to the corner.

Lens range: 250mm+

Sample Photos: