Photo Guidelines

We have a few simple guidelines for those of you considering submitting some photos, whether it be for Grassroots Motorsports or Classic Motorsports:

• The car should fill about 3/4 of the frame--it shouldn't be a dot in the background, but the bumpers shouldn't be cut off, either.
• We can work from a .tif, .gif, .eps or .jpg digital file, but the images size must measure at least 1280x960 pixels. (This is important: If the image is too small, then we can't use it — bigger is always better.) We use Macs, so a PC-only format can be difficult. Imbedding the photo inside an e-mail message can cause problems, so we'd rather receive the image as an attachment.
• We can also work from color prints or 35mm slides. We cannot use "photo-quality" images printed on a bubble-jet or laser-jet printer. We also cannot work from something that has already been printed, like a calendar, poster or magazine page.
• We need permission from the photographer to run the photos in the magazine. (If you shot them, then in theory this won't be too hard.)
• A nice, clear photo of a parked car always beats a blurry action shot.
• When photographing the car, keep the sun at your back — but watch out for your shadow. Better results can usually be obtained early or late in the day, or under cloudy skies. Shooting from down on the ground or above can look cool, too. A fill flash can work wonders. Have fun with it.
• Take notice of the background. A busy background doesn't help. Please avoid junk behind and around the car: tents, people (or parts of people), Dumpsters, light poles, etc. A cool background can help, but a busy one doesn't.
• Tell us something about the car and its owner. Is there a Web page where people can get more info on the car? Please include a daytime phone number and/or e-mail address.
• You can e-mail digital photos to David Wallens at David@GrassrootsMotorsports.com. If sending a CD, prints or slides, mail them to the Motorsport Marketing office at the address listed on our contact page.