Speed. Power. Adrenaline.
The three words that define a race. It’s the sound of the tires drifting on the gravel. The rumble of the engine, the buzz in the air, the cheers of the fans. Motorsport racing is one of the most popular sports in the world. Statistics show an estimated 500 million people around the world watch motorsport races such as Formula 1.
Photo taken by Chyna Gabriel
In the midst of all the thrills, one of the most overlooked highlights of races is the photography. Media plays a significant role in the popularity of motorsports. Without race photography, many of the most iconic moments in our favorite races would not have been captured. While motorsports races have official media coverage, many photographers attend races to capture the high-speed changes.
Chyna (Chy) Gabriel is a videographer and studio photographer based in Dubai who has been doing photography as a full-time career for over 10 years. She specialises in creative and lifestyle shoots, studio photography, portraits and more. “I’ve just started my journey into racing photography,” Chy says. “It’s more of a seasonal passion, not something I do professionally, but I really enjoy it.” Her first introduction to this genre of photography was the 2023 Asian le Mans race in Dubai, following which she attended other motorsports races including the Dubai 24 and other Le Mans races.
Vinay Pandit, is a Mathematics and Computer Science teacher who has been doing photography as a hobby for 6 years, specialising in wildlife photography. His interest in racing photography began when he attended the DSBK Championship, which involved sports bike racing. He describes capturing the “motion” and “shooting the fast-moving cars” as the highlights of his experience. Since then, he has attended the 2023 Asian Le Mans Race, NGK Spark Plugs and other races at the Dubai Autodrome Circuit.
Photo taken by Vinay Pandit
The behind-the-scenes photography atmosphere is just as thrilling and exciting as the race itself. “What I enjoy about race photography is the rush; everything happens so fast, and you have to be really alert to catch the right moments.”. While race photography is not her primary photography style, she enjoys the challenge brings. “I wouldn’t say I like it more than other types [of photography], but it definitely gives me a different kind of thrill compared to my usual shoots.”.
When asked what her most challenging race was, Chy recounted her experience with the Dubai 24H race. “With the long hours and fast-moving cars, I had to stay super focused. I even took over 500 shots just to get a few good, clean ones. It was exhausting but totally worth it.”
Photo taken by Chyna Gabriel
Vinay specializes in wildlife photography, a style which he finds peace in- and one that remains his signature, but he also enjoys the thrill and the challenge of capturing the high-speed cars and bikes in motion. One of his biggest highlights this year was after the DSBK Middle East Championship when a few racers and key people, including Mohammed Shamsheer, Simon Reid, Saska Totaro, Yuri Nekrasov and others shared his photographs on Instagram. Vinay’s most challenging race to photograph was the first he ever attended: the Asian Le Mans Series in 2023. “I was trying racing photography for the first time.” he recounts. “The speed of the cars and the time to find the perfect location to photograph them was the most challenging part.
With a background in various types of photography, Chy’s creative process with race photography is slightly different. She mainly focuses on “capturing the action in the moment.” and when editing her photographs, she enhances the coloring to make the images “pop” while still maintaining a natural feel. Chy currently uses a SONY A6400 for its versatility to different types of events.
Vinay has a similar creative approach to his work. “I am not fond of editing photos. For me, the photo should be natural.” he says. He prefers to use mainly small edits to the colouring to enhance the photo. Vinay uses the Nikon D3300 with a 70mm – 300 mm lens to capture his shots and occasionally his trusty Vivo X200 Pro phone.
Photo taken by Vinay Pandit
For the two photographers, it’s not only about capturing the chase but also about the community feeling that the race creates. “Witnessing the dedication and passion of both the drivers and the spectators adds an extra layer of excitement to the experience,” says Chy. It creates a space for her to “combine [her] love for photography with [her] appreciation for the exhilarating world of motorsport.”
As photography enthusiasts, their experience also comes with many challenges and restrictions that hold them back from getting the best shot. One of the most challenging aspects of motorsport photography is “capturing the “motion of the car”, says Chy. “Finding the perfect angle to capture those unforgettable moments. It requires a lot of creativity, especially when access is restricted at events.”
Vinay also notes that as a setback, since they are not professional race photographers that are officially registered, “there were not enough viewpoints for the photo enthusiasts.”.
Photo taken by Chyna Gabriel
Chy believes investing in higher-quality cameras and lenses plays a great role in maintaining the high-quality imagery of the races. Still, the quality of the photo also comes down to the creativity and the skill of the photographer. Her top tips to capture the best shot include:
- Use a fast shutter speed to freeze the motion of the cars.
- Pre-focus on the racetrack to capture cars quickly.
- Pan with the movement of the cars to convey speed.
- Choose strategic locations for dynamic shots.
- Experiment with different angles for variety.
- Capture the race atmosphere with the crowd and surroundings.
- Adjust exposure settings for proper lighting.
- Prioritise your safety at all times.
Photo taken by Vinay Pandit
So, what next for these two photographers?
Vinay hopes to continue attending races when the opportunity arises. He also expressed he has recently gained interest in black and white photography as it adds a “more humanistic touch” and is keen on exploring this new style. Chy says she hopes to cover bigger races and is planning on upgrading her gear “to a full-frame camera” to take her work to the next level.
Chy and Vinay’s photography and experiences are a testament to the technical expertise, creative vision and direction that define motorsport racing photography. The photographers are two of the many talented photographers around the world behind the iconic photographs that capture our favourite moments from motorsports races. Next time you see a photo of a race, or find yourself at one, take a moment to acknowledge and appreciate the photographer behind the lens capturing all the magic!