How It All Started

Like I stated in my first blog, I am currently in the process of setting up my photography business where I live. This is a very nerve wracking time for me. I'm not very good with change but this is a HUGE change for me and my family. Maybe I'm making it into something that is bigger than it really is? If that is the case then this all should be easy peasy once I really get going.

As for my photography, I am a stock car racing photographer by trade. That is where I cut my teeth and my heart is. Over the past couple of years I have really become interested in nature/landscape stuff and have also started to dabble in portrait work. I really hope to expand in both of those areas so I can become a well rounded photographer.

I have been a racing fan for as long as I have been alive. I went with my parents almost from the time I was born until we moved from PA to FL when I was pretty young. Like most things, racing in FL wasn't/isn't the same as it is in PA and I can probably count on my fingers how many trips I went on to track with my dad, mom wasn't having any of it. When I got old enough, I befriended some gear heads and racers and realized it was just in my blood to be at the track. This went on pretty much up until I left for the military which took me overseas (much more to follow on that in later posts) where I got my first SLR. Yeah, that is the film type and I sucked!

One of the very first things I did after I bought a car after coming home was find the nearest race track, I was living in El Paso at the time. I believe that was a Wednesday and the track ran on a Friday. Went, fell in love all over again, and was rewarded by finding out there was a sister track in Las Cruces, NM, about a 45 minute drive West on I-10. That is where I met the man that really set all of this into motion.

When I arrived at the track I was very early and noticed someone setting up his video camera. I remember him being at the track in EP and for once got brave (I used to be very shy) and decided to ask him a few questions about the track. He said, "sure as long as you don't mind helping me carry this stuff up the stairs." From that point on I became his helper and from that point on, almost every Friday and Saturday night that I was free I was there helping Ed.

Before I knew it, my wife purchased my first DSLR for me and Ed had me out on the track taking pictures of the cars practicing. What a rush!!! Man I bet my wife wishes I wouldn't have mustard up the courage to talk to Ed that summer. LOL Hey, in our defense, Ed's wife warned my wife about what was going to happen. LOL

Fast forward a few years and here I am now. I don't get to shoot racing as much as I would like to but that is mostly by choice. I have no desire to become a track photographer like I was in TX. I learned the hard way that it is all about balance, something I'm not very good at (I swear I am good at stuff). My hopes are to shoot roughly 15 events across the area as well as doing some portrait work when not at the track and spend as much quality time with my family and friends as possible.