A Challenging Start

Supermotard Race in Montlhery I shot in 1988

It was both very challenging and a great chance to start my career as Sport photographer, especially in the film area (without any possibilities to immediately check the result).
By Franc Peret

Challenging because shooting moving things (especially fast ones) is one of the most difficult technical thing in photography as you have to solve several problems in the meantime.
The most obvious are getting the right focus point (while following movement), anticipating shutter speed to get the right effect (Freezing impact or tracing motion with blurred background) and getting the right exposure as it might change along your tracking.

At 20 years Old I started an exciting life by racing Side-Car-Cross. I am here on number 6.

One more thing, which is often unknown if you are not used to action shot, is “tempo”: which means pressing the shutter button as the exact right time, when the action reach its climax or when the subject is perfectly positioned in your frame on the right focus point (in case of predictive focus) without overlapping with disturbing things in the background.

Getting out to keep the balance was my mission, a tough one, when others were hitting my back with their front wheel or throwing stones with their rear wheel (same race, me on Number 6)

Sliding full gas in a long curve, an exciting way to start a life full of sparks and adrenaline, which helps me later on to become a sport photographer.

All of this seems complicated a long to explain, but the reaction of the photographer has to be instantaneous.
Somehow, a sport photographer has to be as fast as competitor themselves, adrenaline is part of the game as well to record the shot on the right tempo.

Our usual price after the finish line: dust, sweat and pain mixing up, but it was nothing compare to the exciting load of adrenaline.

As far as I am concerned, the fact I was a racer before becoming a photographer did help me greatly on this.
When you are involved in Motorsport, so many things are happening at the same time, your brain needs to process very quickly and action is seen almost in slow motion.
Since I was 19 years old, adrenaline was my drug, while racing Side Car Cross for 3 Seasons. I choose this sport because,as a student, I couldn’t afford a racing bike and to follow up on a season on my own.

My second Season racing with a new pilot, new engine and a lefty side car from England

And being the “Monkey” in the side car, I was part of an extreme thrilling experience without having to worry about cost.
My investment was purely physical and I often invested more than I got, despite my long and intensive physical training before each race.

I am trying to fly over the bumps, full throttle, pushed by a Norton 930cc

I was exhausted, hurt and sometime wounded, but this was one of the most exciting part of my existence and a very good start to not be scared by anything (except boredom) later on, for the rest of my Adult life.
All those shots of me racing between 1983 and 1985 were taken by two of my best friends of that time (Lionel Prieur and Jean-Louis Toribio).

Franc Peret is a professional Photographer teaching Essential Photography Classes, Advanced Photography Workshop and Film Making Classes in Shanghai