I didn’t actually take many vertical photos this year. My battery grip died on Friday while I was at the track, which made shooting vertically much more difficult. I didn’t realize just how much I used it until it was taken from me. Ripped from my hands by the cruel fingers of humidity. I’m naked without it. A shell of my former self. Lost. Alone. Scared.
Anyways…
I went without the grip for the whole 24h, and that brought my vertical rate down from over 11% of all my photos in 2025 to around 3% in 2026.
I also learned:
1) The R6 is too small for my hands without the grip
2) The 500mm feels very front-heavy without the extra weight of the spare batteries
3) The biggest advantage of the pro bodies like the R3 and R1 is that the battery grip can’t break if it's part of the camera
That said, a few shots –like the speed seats in shot 6– were actually easier without the grip's added weight. I was able to whip the camera faster and track the cars a bit better because of how light the camera was in my hands
I’m going to try to fix the grip. I’m hoping the extreme humidity was the culprit, and that a bit of contact cleaner will get everything working again. If not, and the grip is actually dea,d I’m going to be really disappointed because it’s only about 2 years old, and I’ve done less than a dozen big events with it
1: This sunset spot was on my list of "must-get shots" for 2026. There's an iconic photo of a driver blocking the sunset at Le Mans with his hand, and ever since I saw it, I've wanted to capture my own version. Unfortunately, I didn't see any drivers doing that this year, but I still got some amazing photos here at the entrance of T5.
2: The Valkyrie's diffuser is mind-boggling. It's easily the largest in the hypercar class, and the car's shape means the entire thing is on display. Of course, in this photo its pretty much impossible to make out. I think I have as many photos of the rear of this car as I do of the front.
3: This section of banking is one of my favorites. I love seeing the flag flying high over the "Daytona" lettering. I always try to capture one of the American manufacturers as they fly underneath, and this year I managed to catch Ford. I don't love their rebrand. I think the Ford Performance branding and livery were amazing, and this new rebrand is a little basic, but as long as there's a big N/A V8 under the hood, I'm happy.
4: The fog this year was intense. I normally visit Turn 6 late at night to catch the cars racing past the grandstands as they enter the banking, but this year the grandstands were completely blocked by the fog.
5: HSR became a battle of the CEOs for a bit this year. Jim Farley of Ford piloted the #4 Riley & Scott MKIIIC, while Zac Brown from McLaren drove his #61 Castrol Jaguar XJR-10. Unfortunately for the F1 boss, his Jaguar wasn't the most reliable over the weekend, completing only 20 laps in the qualifying race, compared with Farley's 37, and failing after 3 laps of the main event, while Farley went on to take 2nd.
6: I've done this shot multiple times during the day, but have never attempted it at night until this year. I always love the sense of speed this angle conveys. At night, the stands are mostly empty and the color of the seats shines through in a way that is often not possible in the day.
7: I got a lot of questions about this spot this year. Everyone asked if I snuck onto the track or went past the gates, but this –like every other photo on my page– is from a spectator area, right where the first NASCAR banking meets the back stretch. I'm going to miss the Huracan. I'm not sure when WTR is slated to get their Temerario, but they won't have it in time for Sebring. If you're going, make sure to enjoy the V10 one last time.
I'll be sharing more about these photos when the Rolex 24h Hour-by-Hour returns later this year.
As always. If you want these wallpapers:
(or copy and paste this link)