So, you’re thinking about diving into the world of motorsport photography? Before you take the leap, let me share some hard-earned insights from over five years in the industry—what you’re truly getting into.
First, don’t expect to get paid. Venues often expect you to provide your photography entirely free of charge. You won’t be compensated for your time at the event, your travel expenses, or accommodation costs (if required). On top of that, you’ll need to purchase an annual Media License to cover yourself with insurance—yet another cost to bear.
Still interested? Think carefully. Motorsport photography sees a high turnover of talent. Why? Because photographers are not treated as professionals. Instead of being paid for their craft, they’re expected to sell their work to competitors, which is a notoriously small market. Many competitors won’t even buy photos—they’re happy to share them online without compensation, leaving you empty-handed.
Venues also expect you to promote their events and provide free advertising materials. They use your photos to grow their brand and draw in more attendees, profiting from your work while offering you nothing in return.
This exploitation is why many photographers leave the motorsport scene, particularly in disciplines like burnout competitions. In contrast, some media companies are paid thousands of dollars to promote events—but this level of professional respect rarely extends to independent photographers.
Some might say, “You shouldn’t do it as a business, but for the love of it.” Well, tell that to the event promoters and organizers, because they’re definitely not doing it for the love. They’re in it for the money—that’s why they keep doing it. You can only do something “for the love” until your bank account says otherwise. Passion doesn’t pay bills, and the reality is that many passionate and talented photographers burn out because they can’t sustain themselves in such an exploitative industry.
Here’s the bottom line: Would you be content to help someone else’s business grow—providing free advertising and high-quality images—while you struggle to make ends meet? As their profits soar, your unpaid contributions are often dismissed. And if you dare ask for fair compensation, they’ll likely replace you with someone new, repeating the cycle and pushing out skilled professionals in favor of inexperienced amateurs.
Without photographers, these events can’t promote themselves. You deserve to be paid for your work—your time, skills, and creativity have value. Don’t let anyone convince you otherwise.
Stand your ground, know your worth, and demand the respect you deserve.
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