My good friend Jamey Price is what you would call a modern-day renaissance man. Not only is he a real up-and-comer in the world of sports photography, but he is also a first class jockey with several wins under his belt. His photographic work has been featured in The Racing Post, F1 Racing Magazine, the Charlotte Observer, the Raleigh News and Observer, the Danville Advocate Messenger, WSOC-TV.com, Living North Magazine, South Park Magazine and Steeplechase Times along with a variety of sporting websites around the globe. I have always found a real sense of energy and excitement in his work. So needless to say, I am excited to introduce you to Jamey in this edition of “13 Questions”

 

When did you realize you wanted to be a professional photographer?

I was given a Nikon D80 as a gift in 2008 and I took to the art like a duck to water. But I didn’t really think about it as a profession until spring of 2009 when I started covering steeplechase horse racing regularly.

Who has influenced your work the most and how?

I am a quite a fanatical Formula One car racing fan and a photographer who has been at it quite some time is Darren Heath. He is a brilliant photographer who has a way of seeing the world that I really try to emulate. He finds detail that everyone elses misses. In fact, a detail on a Mercedes Formula One car was what got him his big break into the business.

What quality to you admire most in others work?

I admire the ability of some to take the most mundane light and turn the photos into unspeakable beauty. It really pushes me to work harder and open my eyes more when I see work that I respect and admire coming from very average conditions.

Have you ever considered a different medium?

No. If you have ever seen my drawings from high school art class, you would know why!

From where do you draw your inspiration?

I think my inspiration comes from the photographers of the past. For sure, there are some great photographers shooting today, but I think in my particular fields, the best shooters were those of the 1970′s and 1980′s.

 What do you find hardest about your craft?

With the sports that I shoot, repetition is something you can easily find yourself succumbing too. There is only so many ways to shoot a steeplechase race, or to shoot a car racing by you. It really pushes you to find something different when presented with situations you have seen play out 1000 times before.

What has been your greatest achievement?

This past November, I had a photo published on the cover of the Racing Post in England. This would have been about as exciting as a rain drop in the ocean to most Americans but millions of people read the Racing Post in England and Europe so to land the cover is more or less the equivalent of a New York Times cover image for news photographers.

 What is your professional motto?

“Photography is a contact sport. If you don’t come home dirty, bruised, sore and tired, you haven’t done your job.” It’s so true too. I know when I’ve had a great day shooting when I come home and my knees ache or my back aches from contorting my body into awkward positions to get the best photo.

One day, where will I see your work?

Hopefully in the “Leading Off”section of Sports Illustrated or the equivalent “Zoom In” section of F1 Racing Magazine.

Today, where can I see your work?

The steeplechase Times, a monthly publication running news and photos from American steeplechasing uses quite a few of my images.

When are you at your happiest?

When I am standing trackside (horse racing or motorsport) and the afternoon light is incredible and I’m pushing my own boundaries. That is when I feel that buzz of adrenaline and it just pushes me to make more unique images.

What is in your camera bag right now?

A Nikon D700 FX body with a variety of prime lenses ranging from 14-24mm 2.8 up to a 70-200mm 2.8.

Last Call  – tell me something else about you that I would never think to ask.

I’ve often been asked why motorsport over horse racing photography. For me it comes down to the fact that I ride race horses for fun, and to me, riding is more fun than shooting, so I’d rather cover something I have no chance of ever doing professionally, like drive a Formula One car.

To See more of Jamey’s Work please visit www.jameypricephoto.com