ImageMaker Adventures: Zero to 250 MPH with Ken Sklute

Journey with Ken Sklute as He Shows You What It Took To Capture This Amazing Photo

Believe it or not, I began my photographic career because I fell in love with the look, sound and smell of professional drag racing! I was lucky enough to be taken under a driver’s wing as he introduced me to what would become my lifelong passion.

I would go to the racetrack as often as the funny cars raced, that is, if my ride would take me on the 50 mile, one-way journey. I admired the warriors that drove these 2,000 horsepower cars down the quarter mile at 200+ mph. From those early days, I have always wanted to capture images of these pilots in their 7-layer nomex fire suits and masks as they were strapped to the chassis, becoming one with the car as it blast down the 1,320 foot course. But back in the 1970s, cameras were large, heavy and early in their development.

I’ve spent many years photographing these now 300 mph missiles, joining the NHRA tour of 24 National Event stops across the USA for 8 years at the beginning of the 21st century. I began working for some of the top teams in the NHRA, providing them, as well as accounts like the Associated Press, daily images for their websites, handouts to fans, and use in newspapers and press releases. I always pushed the envelope as best as I could, returning with images that were different from the rest. But due to the limitations of the race series, the safety factors involved and the importance of minimizing the weight of the car, which affects speed, I wasn’t able to accomplish the ultimate image that I had seen in my mind’s eye for decades.

Fast forward to this year and the technological advances that seem to continue to make the impossible shot possible!

I recently attended a race in Boise, Idaho, during which I was going to attempt to quench my quest of photographing those earthbound pilots as they blast down the track at g-forces similar to fighter pilots. Embracing some of the finest camera mounting tools that Delkin Devices continues to create, I reached out to fellow New Yorker, Tony Bartone, and his nostalgia Top Fuel dragster to quench my 40 year old desire. Working with Delkin’s lineup of Fat Gecko products, I was able to mount multiple cameras to the car in ways I never could have before; I found it remarkable to be able to position my tools virtually anywhere I wanted. I safety wired the cameras and mounts in case these 5,000 horsepower machines rattled them loose, but I’m happy to say that not one mount ever moved once placed on the cars!

My favorite image of the race was of Tony as he muscled his dragster down the drag strip from a perch that was right in front of him; using a wide-angle lens, I was able capture the man and his opponent in the other lane, slowing down from the 250 mph run. What a sight! Onboard images allowed us to see things we weren’t able to see before. With the help of Delkin’s Fat Gecko camera mounts, I now have perspectives on a race car that until today were previously impossible to capture.

Using a variety of Fat Gecko camera mounts, I was also able to mount cameras on several other types of cars. Check out the images below to see how the Fat Gecko Dual mount and others were used. In addition, I also outfitted the cockpit of my storm chase vehicle with several other Fat Gecko mounts to keep my instruments handy. I use Delkin’s Fat Gecko Smart Phone Bracket to keep my phone in view, the weather radar on my mounted iPad at my fingertips to continually monitor the changing course that most storms take, as well as a GPS and Dashboard camera to complete my instrument cluster. With Delkin’s innovative Fat Gecko products, I can safely organize my tools for optimum guidance during the often crazy chases.

The post ImageMaker Adventures: Zero to 250 MPH with Ken Sklute appeared first on .