Sunday 24 October 2010

Eddie Jordan

I just watched the post Korean F1 Race analysis on the BBC (still inbox apocalypse from the move, so I did not watch the race...highlights for me, I'm afraid), with the excellent former F1 team owner Eddie Jordan making team owners squrim with his excellent insightful questions and comments.


It made me recall the time I had to shoot a portrait of him in 2004

It was a million miles an hour portrait, ie I had only a couple of minute's with him

So it was a matter of pre lighting the car before he came along and persuading him to sit down next to the car

He was initially reluctant due to time constraints but when I engaged him in a bit of banter about his first season in F1, where I watched Michael Schumacher retire in his debut Grand Prix race in the infamous green cars

I told him how it happened right in front of me at the spectacular Spa Francorchamps circuit (even if you are only halfway interested in F1 do go to the Belgian Grand prix at Spa, it is one of THE most spectacular sporting events)  and he was hooked


I only had a couple of minutes with him but he was on for it, a lovely passionate bloke who is nobody's fool



This portrait was a 3 light set up, all with Elinchrom Rangers, side lighting him with a medium Chimera softbox on him, an on axis backlight at the same ratio with barn doors and one light on the background at about half a stop under the other two lights, picking out the wind tunnel model

Exposed at 60th sec F8 on a Canon 1Ds Mk1 with a Canon EF 'L' Series 70-200 F2.8

I do hope the BBC retain this wonderful sparky man

2 comments:

M. Christopher Holloway said...

Yay Drew! You got to photograph one of my F1 favs! I always admired Eddie for everything he brought to the sport. Sad when Jordan F1 was sold.

And although I live in the US, one day I hope to go to SPA!

Thanks for the post and the great photo.

Cheers!

Unknown said...

Hi M.C H

Thanks for the comment, Eddie is a one off who knows his stuff and made F1 work for him (ie he didnt leave broke!)

Spa Francorchamps is a cathedral to motorsport

Worth the trip-even from the USA!

Cheers

Drew