August 19, 2012, 2:34pm

How long did it take to create this image? Depending on how you look at it, the answer varies. The Exif data of the digital file will suggest that it took a small fraction of a second. Given the fact that this photo was taken toward the tail end of a MotoGP race, one could argue that it took a little over half an hour. Personally, I think of it as having taken me four years to make. Starting in 2009, I’ve been experimenting with panning shots from the Indy grandstands, trying different angles, shutter speeds, focal lengths, elevation, and a myriad of other variables that I can no longer recall. Luck also played a big part, as there are a plethora of background and foreground elements that do not blur well (the vertical fencing posts, for example), and I am physically incapable of timing it precisely enough to ensure that they don’t fall within the frame. In my opinion, this turned out the best. I continued to experiment with this shot for a further three seasons, but have been unable to improve on the composition.