Sports and Action Photography With Canon: Frits van Eldik

Frits van Eldik: a good action shot tells the whole story

For years, Canon photographer Frits van Eldik has held a high position in the Dutch motorsport photography scene. He has achieved this position by consistently doing things differently than his competitors. His vast experience helps, but his preparation is also meticulous. “You can’t just get on a plane and think: I’ll figure it out when I get there.”

Who is Frits van Eldik?

Frits van Eldik (1969) grew up as the son of a garage owner who had photography as a hobby. You couldn't ask for more of a passion than that. Like all photographers of his generation, he took his first steps in photography with analog equipment. He photographed rallies and Easter and Pentecost races at Zandvoort and subsequently went on to work for a photo press agency. He photographed his first Grand Prix in 1989. In recent years, he has also focused on other competitions, such as endurance races and MotoGP.

Frits is a Canon ambassador and helps Canon with the development of new products. For instance, the joystick on the vertical grip of the Canon EOS 1DX Mark II is called the 'Frits button' at Canon. "The controls of a camera must be the same horizontally and vertically. That is why I felt there needed to be a second joystick on the camera."

During the 24 Hours of Le Mans, I run on adrenaline.

Inspiration

There is probably no race that the man from Soest hasn't photographed. That started at a young age, when he headed out with a camera and two rolls of film to capture rallies and the Easter and Pentecost races at Zandvoort. “On Saturdays, during practice, I took my photos. Then I would rush off to develop the film and print the photos, so I could sell them to the drivers the next day.” This little business led to him eventually being asked by a press agency to take photos for them, and that’s how things started to snowball. “Since I was 18, I have photographed nothing but cars.”

Sometimes it has to be right the first time.

Many Grand Prix and 24-hour races all over the world later, he knows exactly what to do to come home with good results. Thorough preparation is very important in this regard. For instance, Frits uses apps to determine where and at what time he needs to be to take a beautiful photo of a race car at sunset. “My favorite race is the 24 Hours of Le Mans. The moments of sunrise and sunset when you can take a beautiful photo only last four minutes.” So you really have to be in the right spot, because a lap at Le Mans takes about 4 minutes. Frits: “If I’m standing there in front of a BMW, that car only passes by once. So it has to be right the first time. I don’t get a second chance in that race for that specific photo of a BMW.” By now, he knows all the roads within the circuit by heart and knows where to be for a striking shot. He doesn’t have to walk: “Fortunately, I have a little Yamaha scooter at my disposal.”

An action shot must also radiate action. “You can photograph a racing car at 1/1000th of a second, but then it looks like it’s parked. I photograph with a longer shutter speed, for example a 1/80th of a second, and pan the camera along. Now, more colleagues know that trick, so I use an even slower shutter speed, a 1/5th of a second for example. That way, you always try to do something just a little different from the others.” Frits calls it 'improving reality'. “I give the car even more speed than it already has.”

Time management is also important. The reality is that clients are willing to pay less than they used to. As a result, Frits often photographs for multiple clients at the same time, and time is scarce. But because he has been involved in the industry for so long, he has good contacts. And that helps. “I ask Red Bull in advance what time Max Verstappen is going to drive. Then I know I have time to do other things. My 'colleagues' who don't know this are already waiting at the pit box at half past eight for Max to drive out. I don't arrive until around half past nine, a few minutes before Max drives out of the pit box.”

I give the cars in the photo even more speed than they already have.

Complete picture

Classic race circuits are Frits' favorites. Not because of nostalgia, but because they have character. “In my field, it is not only important that your photos exude action and dynamism, but also that you can see where a photo was taken. The viewer must be able to see that this is Monza, and that is Zandvoort. Le Mans and Suzuka (Japan) are also beautiful circuits; not just the track, but everything surrounding it.” For that reason, he has no interest in more modern circuits. Disapprovingly: “They are concrete dumps that they plop down somewhere. Only then do they start looking at how they can dress it up a bit.”

Although Frits goes by the name of a motorsport photographer, he feels the term gives too limited a view of his work. He is also a portrait and landscape photographer: “I don’t just photograph fast cars, but also drivers and singers, and actors who are always walking around the paddock during such a weekend. And as I just said: as far as I’m concerned, a photo of a race is only complete when it tells the whole story. That includes *where* you took that photo.”

In Monaco, which lies at the foot of a hill, Frits once drove all the way to the top to photograph the Grand Prix from above. He had meticulously figured out in advance when he needed to be there, how to get there, and exactly where to stand to capture the best shot. He also researched which lens he needed and, finally, how to get back down as quickly as possible. After all, he couldn't afford to miss important moments, or worse: the dramatic conclusion of the race. With a smile: “You can take some risks, but you shouldn't overdo it.”

Tips

If you want to get started with motorsport photography yourself, read these tips from Frits van Eldik.

• Learn to walk before you run. “If you are going to photograph a race, make sure you know your equipment and can operate it blindfolded. The decisive moment is over before you know it.”
• Do what others don't do. “Anyone can take photos with their camera in sports mode, but then you are taking the same photos as everyone else. If you want to earn something from your work, you have to create what no one else creates. Forget that sports mode.”
• Use a monopod. “Firstly, because it is much less tiring if you can place your camera with a heavy lens somewhere, and secondly, for the stability, of course.”
• For those who want to make a living from it: find multiple clients. “If I have to go to Australia for a race, it costs me 4,500 euros in total. I would like to earn that back, and if possible, I would also like to have something left over. That works better with multiple clients.”
• Stay original: “Before I travel to a match, I first check what I photographed last time. Then I know what I don't need to bring home.”

Equipment

Frits van Eldik photographs exclusively with Canon equipment, the brand for which he is an ambassador. He always carries three cameras with him: two Canon EOS 1Dx Mark IIs (view the successor, the Canon EOS 1DX Mark III ) and the Canon EOS R. "For motorsport, the EOS 1Dx Mk II is unsurpassed. And the reliability is superb. It has never let me down."

Frits prefers using prime lenses. Depending on his destination, he prefers to take the most important prime lenses from the Canon L-series: the EF 14mm F/2.8 L , the EF 24mm F/1.4 L , the EF 35mm F/1.4 L , the EF 50mm F/1.2 L , and of course the 85mm F/1.4 L. Finally, the EF 400mm F/2.8 L is not missing. If the travel distance is manageable, Le Mans in Northern France for example, all of that comes along. But when he travels by plane, it is usually zoom lenses: naturally the 24-70mm F/2.8 L and the 70-200mm F/2.8 L IS III . "They don't take up as much space." Teleconverters complete his equipment.