To ALL MOTOR SPORTS PHOTOGRAPHERS: Please, please know what is going on at the event you are shooting. Know who is in first place…who is in second place and so on. Know who is doing well in the event…know what race it is. Even if some racers are new, not well known or don’t have a fancy appearing car. Try to shoot EVERY CAR. I know it’s difficult, but if you try to do that, you’ll be sought after and praised and the possibility of making some real good money for your work will be much, much greater.

When you tell some racer “I can’t shoot every car”…it is pure bull shit and everyone knows it. Your attempt to side step the fact that you just didn’t do your job, might have worked 40 years ago when there were just 12, 24 or 36 exposures on a “roll” of film. But Mr. Photog, digital photography and video has blunted that excuse and every racer knows it. For some racers, it may be the last time they race for whatever the reasons might be.

If you can’t get an action shot, try to get a shot of that car after the race or in the pits during a lull in the action. And please don’t spend all your time shooting the “prettiest” car there with 20 or 30 shots of what you think is the best looking car at the event. That does not make for good “coverage” of any event. Remember, all those shots of the same car is for just that one person. Two or three good shots will accomplish that task quite well.

Last, when you miss shooting a car at an event and later the racer asks you why, please don’t give them that phony “BS” answer, just apologize and tell them you just plain missed it…their feelings are already hurt, don’t make them feel worse by insulting their intelligence.