3 Key Achievements in 2024
I love being able to see through images how much I grew with my motocross photography from the first moto to the last.
I set some goals for myself once I made the decision to pursue motocross photography, working on them with every rider that rode by. This list lived in the back of my head for an entire race season, and I love being able to share with you the goals and changes I made as the season progressed.
1. Less editing
Cropping and straightening hundred of photos was burning me out. That meant that I needed to have the raw image set to the crop that I liked when I hit the shutter button, this would keep me from having to individually crop hundreds of photos. That also meant I had to pay more attention to what was in the background and how straight my shot was (I'm looking at you water tanks and fence posts).
By striving to not crop images I also learned my favourite way to take motocross photos. Following the rider with the lens until they are where I want them and taking 1-3 images as opposed to waiting for them to land in my view finder and aimlessly taking 8 photos - half of which were empty track space.
2. More consistency.
I wanted to be able to get the shots of riders the first time they came around the track. The first race I went to I spent alot of time trying to get the rider in focus, aiming at a rock or surviving grass on the edge of the track as a reference point. By the time the riders came back around for a second lap I would have it in focus and able to snap the same photos of every rider.
4 races later, when I was photographing at the Dawson Creek Track, I was able to enjoy playing with the focus points and adjusting shots last minute.
3. Finding my style.
At the first race, I was just taking photos for fun, not much purpose other than keeping my focus sharp. The next time we attended a motocross race I had a shot I really wanted to capture and began seeing motocross photography as something I could be artistic with.
By the time Dawson Creek rolled around, I was confident in scouting around the track for shots I would love sharing with the riders. There is nothing I love more than the dusty shots, even if I cry inside for my camera.
So now what? Well, with a fresh race season comes a fresh set of goals. Accountability is best achieved when you share it with others, right?
Goals for the 2025 Season
1. Capture more candid shots in the pits and at the starting line.
2. Do a risqué/bougie motocross shoot.
I'm looking at you moto wives...
3. Work on morning exposure/lighting.
My favourite time to shoot is the afternoon, and I want to love my morning shots the same way I love my afternoon shots.
4. Get atleast 1 photo of me at the track, because as far as photo proof of me being there last season, it's non-existent.
With each race weekend and moto, I adjusted and pushed myself to change one thing I was doing, even if I didn't think it needed adjusting.
I'm a strong believer that the moment you think you have nothing more to learn is when you will stop improving. There is always room to grow, experiment and learn, and I can’t wait to see how I grow this season.
