This weekend I got back to my old stomping grounds near Ottawa, Ontario for round 8 of the CMRC Monster Energy Motocross Nationals.  Sand Del Lee did an amazing job hosting this event and a good time was had by all in attendance.  I’ve shot at SDL a few times and it’s one of my favorite tracks to photograph.

It’s been a pretty crazy summer and I haven’t had much time to spend with my wife and daughter.  One of the great aspects of this venue is it’s proximity to my wife’s family cottage on Big Rideau Lake. I was able to stay with them and shuttle to and from the race.  We arrived at the cottage on Friday afternoon in time for some much needed relaxation and a swim in the lake.

I made my way to SDL on Saturday morning to grab a bit of lifestyle and take a peek at the new track.  It looked amazing and I knew I would get some great stuff come race day.  The past few venues have been challenging to shoot but the abundance of sweet corners and the multiple options for lighting looked very promising here.  The forecast was calling for thunderstorms but the jury was out as to whether the month without rain would end this weekend.  Here are a few images from Saturday.

I made my way back to the track on Sunday in time for the riders’ meeting.  The weather was unsettled and there was a threat of thunderstorms.  I packed all my rain gear but hoped I wouldn’t have to use it. The morning was overcast and slightly foggy.  The light remained fairly flat but given the extreme heat and humidity everyone welcomed the slightly diffused sky. For me, it meant I could shoot in whatever direction I wanted without having any harsh shadows.  This same lack of shadows also make images look flat and without depth.  The light is the boss though and you have to work with what you have.  The sun broke through here and there but remained hidden for the most part. The rain rolled in towards the end of the day and I had to run back to my car for rain gear.  It eventually passed and it was a decent day overall.  I liked shooting this track and am happy with the shots I got.

I had an amazing time shooting this round.  The track, racing and people were great. The team at Sand Del Lee did a terrific job!

Huge thanks to Gauldy, Mark Stallybrass, the whole team at CMRC and the Hangman Crew for making this weekend possible.

Thanks also to MotoXRadio host Brian Koster for the plug during this week’s show!