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Joe McNally was witnessing one of the world's most intense races as dozens of off-road vehicles roared by at frightening speed. For the Baja 1000 road
race along Mexico's desert Baja California Peninsula, McNally was not at the contest as a spectator, but rather doing what he does best - photographing
the action as he experienced it. Most photographers would not risk life, limb, and equipment to get that close to a race with such laidback rules for
racers and fans alike, but McNally knew that there was no better way to get the kinds of shots he wanted if he did not get as close as possible.
Shooting in harsh conditions takes its toll on both the photographer and his gear. Although the desert provides an interesting backdrop for such a
dangerous race, the constantly flying dirt and silt, along with the punishing sun and relentless heat contribute to the difficulty of the experience.
Because of the nature of the shoot and the fast-paced contest, McNally had to be sure to carry most of his gear with him at all times, in order to keep
up with the non-stop excitement. "You have to be ready at less than a moment's notice," McNally explains. "The speed at which everything happens is
amazing! With trucks, ATVs, and dirt bikes flying past me like they were, I had to keep up with nothing holding me back. Carrying all my equipment just
made the most sense."
Additionally, since the Baja 1000 is a linear race over rough terrain, it was crucial that McNally be in the right spot every time the racers roared past.
"Each time I stopped to shoot, I only had one chance to get the shots I needed and then I had to move on to my next spot," McNally notes. "I scouted out
the best shooting positions along the course a month before the actual race. I needed to make sure I had the best locations each time to maximize my
chances because I was only going to get one crack at it."
Assignments like shooting the Baja 1000 are exactly where McNally excels. World-renowned for his photographic versatility, McNally has shot for National
Geographic Magazine, Sports Illustrated, Fortune, ESPN Magazine, Time, as well as Sony, Nikon, Lehman Brothers, and General Electric to name a few. The
preparation for and the demands of a shoot like the Baja 1000 are no stranger to McNally.
Because of the rapid shooting and constant movement that was needed at the Baja 1000, McNally needed a memory card that was fast enough to keep up with him
and the race. "The speed of my memory card is always important, but at a fast-moving event like the Baja 1000, it was critical. My Lexar Professional 300x
CF card was fast enough to capture all of the shots I needed and reliable enough to keep them safe," McNally says. "And since a shoot like this is so
physically demanding, I was literally exhausted at the end of a full day of capturing. My 300x card and my UDMA-enabled FireWire 800 card reader was able
to quickly transfer the images I shot to my computer, which made my life a lot easier!"
Joe McNally's confidence in Lexar Professional UDMA 300x CompactFlash memory cards and readers enabled him to take some great images in adverse conditions,
without having to worry about how fast he was shooting. "I know that wherever I am, under any circumstances, my Lexar cards will give me the maximum
performance and reliability," McNally says. "With that kind of trust in my gear, I know I can just keep shooting."
Visit Joe McNally’s profile page.
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