If you are like me, you are a photographer and a motorsports fan. Whether you're into Formula 1, Endurance Racing, NASCAR, IndyCar, Drifting, or Rally. If you want to combine your love for photography with your love of racing, keep reading. It doesn't matter if you've been a photographer for less than a year or more than 20, the road is exactly the same.

Now, while you may dreams of shooting the glitz and glamour of Formula 1 or the hard work and exhaustion of the 24 Hours of Le Mans the unfortunate truth is, this is not going to be the starting point for most budding motorsport photographers, but don't think this is something that will take 20 years to achieve, I went from starting my own photography business in 2019 to now shooting Formula 1 in 2025, it is achievable to anyone who strives to be the best.

Every major championship or race series in the world will have some form of accreditation system, the means by which you apply for a media "pass", and while the process may be different depending on country or series, the requirements are generally the same.

Getting your first gig as a photographer in motorsport can be quite challenging as often teams, drivers, or the press will want to see a portfolio of images. There are two ways to go about developing a portfolio of images:

The first method is all about attending the events that you love and bringing your camera equipment with you and shooting from your spectator areas, this can be a particularly effective strategy at some racetracks that have good vantage points. In Australia, some of these racetracks include Winton Motor Raceway, Sydney Motorsport Park, Calder Park, and Sandown Raceway. Note however that each venue or series might have conditions on what photographic equipment spectators can take into the venue.

The second option is reaching out to grassroots clubs and offer to shoot their events for them. This may involve working a few events where the images are exchanged for access, or they could be paid events. This options allows you access to the circuits and to all the areas that accredited media can go. In addition to having the better vantage points, this also allows you to get familiar with the circuits and how to go from one corner to the next. Additionally, having access to the drivers and teams allows you to network and potentially pick up future clients.

Regardless of the method you chose to use, this will allow you to develop a portfolio of images which you can submit when applying to work either with the press, teams, drivers, or series.

Press Accreditation

Perhaps the easiest form of accreditation to get, press accreditation means that you are working either as an employee or as a contracted photographer for a press organisation. This includes: Magazines, Newspaper, Photo Agencies, or reputable websites that report on motorsport content.

The higher the series is and the greater the television audience, generally the higher the required circulation figures to warrant accreditation. For example, the local newspaper for your home town may get you accreditation to local events, however it is unlikely to be sufficient for Formula 1.

Applying for press accreditation involves contacting the organisation or agency you wish to apply for and submitting a contact sheet (a collection of photographs), a resume or cover letter explaining what you can offer the organisation in exchange for press credentials.

It is worth noting that these days a lot of press agencies work on a freelance basis, meaning that they will endorse an application for media accreditation and allow you to sell the images through their platform however you will likely not be paid expenses for any costs incurred for the job, as opposed to working on assignment where they will pay for, and send you to where the job is.

Working for a team or driver

The second and perhaps the more lucrative is to apply to work closely with a driver(s), team or the series itself.Generally working for the team or a driver will involve additional work than just photographing race days, this involves shooting promotional material, driver portraits, livery launches, as well sometimes managing their social media content as well.It should be noted however, that most teams will lock in a singular photographer on a renewing contract, and are very unlikely to replace their existing photographer unless there is a very good reason to do so. This is especially true at the higher levels of the sport where they want their team photographer to be a part of the team and have rapport with all members of the team from the administrative staff, to the mechanics, drivers, and logistics personnel. If you can find yourself a job with a team it is worth taking, as these opportunities are rare and may not come around again.

Perhaps the most lucrative option of them all, being the official series photographer is the holy grail of motorsport photographer and carries special perks.

Generally the series photographer will be responsible for all promotional material for the series and will have the highest workload on race weekends. Their work will usually include:

• - Photos of all competitors in the series both on and off track

• - Photos of all entertainment acts, guest speakers, and promotional material on race weekends.

• - Responsible for all promotional photography.

It is also sometimes a requirement of the series photographer to be the head of media as well, although this is usually not the case at premier level events due to the workload.

This job is not one that is taken lightly and is usually a job that requires years of hardworking and networking, and a little bit of luck. Depending prestige of the series, these positions are sometimes opened to tender (a process by which different media companies will submit bids) where the bid with the most value will be selected. Generally, these positions are open to organisations with not just photographers, but multiple staff working behind the scenes to edit and deliver images quickly.

Getting into Motorsport photography may seem like a difficult task but with a little patience and perseverance you too can get the opportunity to experience this exhilarating world of motorsport through the lens of your camera.

Remember becoming a professional motorsport photographer within the world of Formula 1, IMSA, WEC, WRC, etc. Isn't just about skill or luck, it comes about because of persistent hard work and taking the opportunities that come your way.