Monaco is great! Expensive, but great and if you are here during the Monaco GP week you will love it. Yes, Lewis Hamilton won another grand prix after leading the field around turn 1 and heading up the hill.
But his weekend was the polar opposite of Charles Leclerc’s. He should’ve started up the front but a team tactical error during qualifying resulted in him starting 16th and then retiring early. He was appreciative of the crowd’s applause after the race as he walked pit lane, giving them the thumbs up.
Grid girls were back for Monaco.
And grid boys.
There was plenty of glamour and beauty on show elsewhere in the pits and paddock.
But what value would these fashion brands place on the exposure they get from their logos being visible on images and vision seen around the world.
Hotel de Paris also gets some first class exposure.
The shot below shows how popular the race is with every balcony full of spectators.
The boats in the harbour are chock-a-block full of fans who pay upwards of 1,500 Euros on race day to enjoy the spectacle and eat and drink as much as they can force down their throats.
On Saturday I shot from the inside of the exit of swimming pool and I can tell you it is quite the experience.
And this is the shot you get from that spot.
In the paddock I have been trying to get a shot of the two Ferrari press officers for some weeks now. Mia Djacic (left) has proved hard to convince for this shot and when I pleaded with her Saturday she was not keen as you can see.
Thankfully her associate Britta Roeske managed to convince her and it was one of my most popular images on Instagram (@kymillman_f1) over the weekend.
Looking at images I post it is obvious that shots of people are more popular than car shots. Here are two other popular shots from the weekend, the first featuring Minttu Raikkonen and her husband Kimi arriving together and walking through the rather scruffy looking paddock.
And here’s rarer two-shot of the Ferrari drivers heading to the drivers’ briefing on Friday evening.
Daniel Ricciardo had new custom-made race boots for Monaco.
This track has armco on both sides but in a few spots there are opportunities to shoot with the camera right on the ground and the lens shooting underneath the armco. The resultant shots are completely different to those taken above the fence.
As you can see, the tyre rubber is evident in the foreground (out of focus as a result of shooting at a low f stop) and it gives it a totally different look.
This next shot features the palace in the background.
Although if you go up to the palace with a good camera they’ll stop you taking photos of it claiming you need special permission.
One of the funniest moments this event was when Nico Hulkenberg, riding out of the paddock and over to the pits, flipped the bird in a playful fashion to one of his mates from the FIA. And I was ready for it!
It’s fair to say we get amazing access at this street circuit and sitting here,
allows me to shoot this shot.
And standing here,
results in shots like this.
One of my favourite places to shoot from though, is the tunnel where the background turns black as the cars emerge into the light. You can even see the vapour trails coming off the rear wing.
And given that I now have to catch a flight I will sign off and leave you with my favourite shot of the weekend. Lewis, exiting the tunnel and shot from the bottom
Au revoir my friends, more from the French GP in 3 weeks, oh and apologies for some inconsistencies with the formatting here; time was my enemy this morning. .
