The Beginner Photography Podcast

Capturing the Action at the Indy 500 with Chris Owens

• Raymond Hatfield

Share episode

#565 Chris Owens is the Director of Photo Operations for IndyCar, and in this episode of The Beginner Photography Podcast, he shares what it’s really like to photograph the iconic Indianapolis 500. From his first experiences with disposable cameras as a child to leading a team of photographers at one of the world’s largest single-day sporting events, Chris details the technical, creative, and logistical challenges that come with high-paced event photography.

He explains how persistence, adaptability, and a passion for storytelling have shaped his career. Chris offers practical advice for breaking into event and sports photography, highlighting the importance of volunteering, networking, and being proactive with your portfolio. 

KEY TOPICS COVERED

  1. Breaking into Event Photography & Building a Career - Chris discusses his early fascination with capturing memories, the path from hobby to professional, and strategies for getting noticed—including the power of volunteering and keeping a portfolio visible.
  2. Operational & Creative Challenges at the Indy 500 - The massive scale of the event requires intricate planning, teamwork, and shot lists; photographers often multitask and cover everything from action shots to sponsor events.
  3. Creative Storytelling in Fast-Paced Environments - Chris shares the importance of finding unique angles, moving beyond standard shots, and using techniques like slow shutter speeds to capture both speed and atmosphere.

IMPORTANT DEFINITIONS & CONCEPTS

  • Shot List: A detailed plan assigning photographers to specific events, angles, or moments, ensuring coverage of all necessary aspects of a large event. Relevance: Essential for organizing coverage at events as vast as the Indy 500.

DISCUSSION & REFLECTION QUESTIONS

  1. How does volunteering and working for free early in your career add value, and when should you start charging for your work?
  2. What are the unique storytelling opportunities at massive sporting events compared to smaller assignments?
  3. In what ways can photographers push themselves beyond “safe shots” to develop a recognizable style or perspective?

RESOURCES:
Visit Chris Owens' Website - https://www.chrisowensphotography.com/
Follow Chris Owens on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/chrisowens/

Sign up for your free CloudSpot Account today at www.DeliverPhotos.com

Download your free copy of
46 Creative Photo Ideas to Get You Out of a Rut
at https://creativeimageideas.com/

Connect with Raymond!


Thanks for listening & keep shooting!

Chris Owens:

If you see all the photographers are standing over there, you go somewhere different because now you have a one of a kind new different perspective that doesn't exist in the world except for yours because no one was there but you. Pick somewhere new. Go somewhere new. Go somewhere different.

Raymond Hatfield:

Hey, welcome to the Beginner Photography Podcast. I'm your host, Raymond Hatfield, and each week I interview one of the world's most interesting photographers to learn what it really takes to capture beautiful images so that you can start to do the same. In today's rewind episode, we are chatting with the director of photo operations for IndyCar. Yeah, Chris Owens about what it takes to shoot the Indie 500. But first, the Beginner Photography Podcast is brought to you by Cloud Spot Clouds Spot has everything you need to build a thriving photography business. Impress your clients, deliver a professional experience and streamline your workflow all in one platform. Grab your free forever account today over@deliverphotos.com and only upgrade when you and your business are ready. Now, I know that the Indy 500 is a big deal all around the world, but it's especially so, here in Indy during the month of May. The 8,500 is the biggest single day sporting event in the world. So today I chat with Chris Owens about what it takes to photograph an event of this size and this caliber and speed with cars whizzing by you at 230 miles an hour. Where you don't have time to figure it out on the fly. It's a fun conversation. And side note, since this original conversation, I've had the chance to meet Chris in person on a few occasions and he's one of the nicest dudes you could ever meet who genuinely wants to share his knowledge with those who share his passion being photography grew. Great dude. So with that, let's go ahead and get on into today's interview with Chris Owens. Chris, thank you so much for coming on the podcast

Chris Owens:

Hey Raymond, thanks for having me.

Raymond Hatfield:

I am really excited to get into this, episode, obviously living here in Indianapolis. I'm actually kind of a transplant to Indy. But growing up, my family's been into racing, so I've always known of the Indy 500. So moving out here was really exciting. And this year, actually, after having been here for, seven years, was my first time going to Indy. And it was,

Chris Owens:

it was,

Raymond Hatfield:

it did, it did, but it was an amazing spectacle, to actually see in person and then to find out that you, who I've been following on Instagram for a long time for that reason, To actually see you working was a really cool thing. But before we get into, like I said, the logistics of shooting an event like the 500, can you share with the listeners how you, first got your start in photography?

Chris Owens:

That's kind of a, there is really a few ways. It's, kind of interesting. I more sometimes say that photography kind of found me. Growing up as a kid, I went to a lot of events and of course car races, which kind of explains where I am today, but, I was always gifted a disposable 35 millimeter camera when we go to those events and, I was so passionate and so interested in, like, Indiana Pacers and, NBA basketball and car racing and all that growing up. It was really important to me to capture these events on this camera, and it wasn't, the camera wasn't something I was asked for, it was just given to me. so that was really great to be able to not forget, which is a lot of my relationship with photography, I think what also interested it. And me growing up was just I didn't want to forget some of these special moments So, you know between that and then actually early childhood the strangest thing I was actually gifted as well as like a toy i'm talking like four or five years old This old like german camera my grandfather brought back I guess like my parents didn't want to mess with it or wasn't important to them or whatever but This was literally in my toy box. I can remember like walking around and like marking things up with this camera and literally saying the words, you know, make it work, make it work. I knew it did something. I knew it wasn't just, you walk around with this. So I think that like, that was really in bed with me at a young age. And then, um, actually as a junior in high school, they offered a photography class, at school and. I instantly knew whenever I heard and you know, saw that was on the list. I was like, yes, I will be very interested in this. because I had already, you know, been shooting all these things with my disposable 35 millimeter and also, even like buying them with allowance, which is kind of weird for a kid to do, you know There's all this stuff, but

Raymond Hatfield:

I did the same thing man. I'm right there with you

Chris Owens:

Yeah, and I I remember I actually had even these 35 millimeter negs where i'd set toys up in the yard And moved them and shoot like tried to make a flip book Of course I had like no tripod and Out of focus and everything so it looked horrible. But um, you know that photography class i'd always been being so young. I wouldn't say a photographer, but I had an interest in new of Photography, so, once I got going in that, things just really took off I had a great photography teacher, lenny beyerwalter at high school and he was just super supportive of my Just me being overzealous for photography, which it's quite a bit stranger from there So after taking that class and you know being a senior in high school and making these like life decisions of like What am I gonna go to school for? What am I gonna do? Well, as I'm kind of going through those moments in life, kind of started to venture towards media, which is kind of, obviously in the same realm, but radio. And, then with the day you graduate from my high school, they give you a letter. Okay. That you don't remember because you write it to yourself when you're in fourth grade. All right. So I opened this letter and I'm like, this is the coolest thing ever. What is fourth grade me going to have to talk about. What's that?

Raymond Hatfield:

You don't remember writing this letter at all? I

Chris Owens:

mean, now I do. I do now. But when you're a senior in high school, you don't remember, you didn't remember that I was waiting on you. Does that make sense? Of course. Until you get it and you go, oh yeah, we did this years ago. So, you know, there's some pre drafted questions that teachers make up for you and to how do you answer? Well, mine was, what do you want to be when you grow up? Don't ask me why. Some reason on this day I write a ESPN or Sports Illustrated Photographer.

Raymond Hatfield:

No way.

Chris Owens:

It gave me chills. It shook me. I was like, this is weird because I'm really right in my life. I'm really interested in the photography. And then that's when I think I even realized that at that age of 18, like, This is something that's kind of been with me for a while. From there I got to school and started doing the radio and the media thing and I was like No, i'm a photographer because all I was doing in my free time was running around taking pictures so from there, you know, I just kind of started to pursue my passion for photography. I've always photographed my friends and just snapshots are my favorite. I know that sounds awful because everybody's trying to be an artist and they're trying to get all these creative images and I am too but I find that I get a lot of those by just messing around taking snapshots.

Raymond Hatfield:

Yeah. Yeah, I get that that's an incredible story. So before we actually get into how you started working at the indianapolis motor speedway Can you tell me first what your job title is? entails

Chris Owens:

At the speedway.

Raymond Hatfield:

Yes

Chris Owens:

Yes. Okay. So i'm the manager of photography for the inneapolis motor speedway and indycar series And that has a lot of responsibilities and a lot more responsibilities than the fun part, which is shooting. Um, There's some days I feel like i'm lucky to get out there and shoot but I have an incredible staff that helps with that. So I guess sorry to back up You to answer your question, just to say a little bit about what I do there, I guess, as the manager of photography. that would involve Selecting all photographers who, uh, for my staff, for the IndyCar and IMS staff that go to all IndyCar races, picking their travel dates, you know, making sure they get hotels, all that kind of stuff. coordinating shoots, booking shoots for our studio days where we do our like white backdrop media portraits. I shoot day to day whatever pops up and most of what my job is is pop ups. So that will be like so and so from the Indiana Pacers is dropping by. We're gonna take a tour of the museum and go for a pace car ride and all that. I'm your guy. I'm there. So when you see the picture on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, uh, or the spill at the beginning of the YouTube video, that's something that me or my staff, shot. Yeah. From there, just, yeah.

Raymond Hatfield:

I think that sounds like a dream job for a lot of people. A lot of people love the creativity of photography, but maybe they're they don't want to venture into the business side of things and I think the idea of of working under a company or something to still be able to create what it is that they want to just sounds amazing and myself included. I think this sounds very cool So

Chris Owens:

yeah, and it is but I will say as a photographer is huge adjustment for me To go from being a staff photographer and having people, Being just being a shooter, you know, that's a lot different I could handle that and I I did handle that and I love that And I love being obviously in a manager role, too It just means a lot more emails and a lot more meetings and planning. And really when it's event time, every time that you're out shooting, doing what you love, that's actually a moment you are getting behind on planning tomorrow's, a front row photo shoot, and it comes down to little things like making sure there's chairs, they're making sure there's a flag of the nationality of the pole sitter. I was running around the offices at Indianapolis Motor Speedway at 5 a. m., frantic, the day of the front row shoot, looking for Simon Paginot's French flag. There's a lot of things people don't understand, yeah, about that. If you want a role like this, obviously starting as a beginner in photography, but if you want to grow into a role, something like this, they do exist, I'm proof of it, but you just have to know that shooting becomes the thing. Sometimes you're far too busy taking pictures to even go take pictures, if that makes any sense at all. No, it does. Taking pictures that are required parts of the job.

Raymond Hatfield:

Yeah, yeah, so thank you for sharing that that's a great insight into your position Can you tell me now how this job became available for you? How you found out about it and how you pursued it?

Chris Owens:

Well, I first basically my first introduction to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway was like 2004, I think I was 14 or 15, a youth group, at school, which, you know, I wasn't a part of, but I was really into car racing and drag racing and all that as a kid. So I, living in Indiana, you know, this Indy 500 thing, right? Like you were talking about earlier, I'm just like, you know what, I need to check mark off my motor sports adventure list. I want to go with these people. So I'm like, yeah, I'll go, I'll go. We went, they sent us there, we were supposed to flip burgers, like in a, uh, one of the concession stands for the youth group or whatever. I see. They said somebody needs to take a break first. I was so jacked up about the place, like, I'll take a break first, you guys work, I'll come and shift, you know. I left with a few friends. We never came back the whole day. They were, pissed. The bus was waiting on us. Like, it was full. All the kids were mad. We left like an hour because we were over, like, trying to beat Victory Circle. So, you know, that, that really, watching those cars, anybody who has been to a professional car race, or especially the Indy 500s, seeing those cars come past you for the first time, you'll never forget. It's incredible. And, at the same time, I have pictures from that day because I had my disposable, you know? Yeah. So, these wheels were turning far before I knew. You know, from there, kept going to the race. And as I got, as a senior in high school, like we were talking about, May's when you graduate, May's during the 500. I'm thinking about it, I remember sitting and turning through with my camera going, There is a person who works here, this is their job, to take these photos. I couldn't never have this job because someone has it but I could have a job like this one day I remember telling myself that in the inside of turn three and from there ended up transferring Really to be closer to Indianapolis the city and the track I've always loved the track transferred to Indianapolis to go to art school here just started knocking on the door out there at the track

Raymond Hatfield:

Really? Like you showed up.

Chris Owens:

Yes, like showing up I showed up twice there and the manager of photography that time director of target. He wasn't there But I was given a phone number and an email address Started sending to that started sending that wasn't hearing anything back And really, all I wanted to do was try to build a portfolio and, be a fanboy at the same time, get pictures of my favorite race cars and race car drivers. And, after doing that long enough and sending those emails, just being persistent, just keep going like, monthly sending an email. Hey, hey, hey, just because I knew I had one shot. So, um, if they don't respond, you keep going. And I would tell that to any photographer, that wants a position. Sometimes people, they're not ignoring you or stuff. They don't like you. They're just busy. And I feel horrible because it happens to me. Sometimes people are like, I sent you an email on May, whatever, a random April weekend when I'm in Long Beach shooting Long Beach Grand Prix. And I'm like, I got 40 emails that day and I was doing another shooting as well. You know? To finish up on that though, how I got there eventually, I was working, selling cameras and always kept, at a retail store and I always kept a portfolio book on the table. Right. because as a photographer, you should always be promoting yourself and show, you know, showing your best work. And I always wanted, to keep that there, hoping maybe I could land a job from that in photography one day. right person saw it and said, these are great race car pictures. I should show these with my friend, who is the director of photography. No way. With a speed light. I was like, yes you should, because I've been trying to do that, for a year, and so, you know, she did. I was lucky enough that that person came into my life that day and did that and sent that email. I don't know if, he owed her a favor or what, but he responded that day, said, I look at your pictures on your Flickr. I love them. They're the kind of thing we're looking for. because at this time, photography, and especially, photography is kind of transferring from digital to digital. There's still some guys that were, they weren't shooting film, but they were fresh to digital cameras in this, you know, in 2007. They've been under 10 years shooting digital. So from there, I got in just as a volunteer. I would, take time off work, unpaid, just to go out there and try to shoot every day.

Raymond Hatfield:

Okay, actually, I got two follow up questions for you. One of them, you talked about, being persistent and following up and keep sending emails. As somebody now who's in that position, who is continually getting emails, is there, a fine line between being persistent and being pushy trying to follow up? I know that's something that a lot of

Chris Owens:

I'm not sure. And I'll tell you why. for me, I like to be, if someone is trying to offer me something that, Maybe sounds great and it's great, but at that point in time, I can't use or maybe, my credential allotment is up. I'm not allowed to add more people or things like that. you know, or I can't shoot something for them that they need shot. For me, it's just important to, to tell them, tell them quickly, be fair and be transparent and clear and say, Hey, look. Thanks for reaching out. I can't do that for you right now. So I think that's also up to whoever you are trying to be persistent towards Yeah, they're answering you or they're not giving you clear answers me personally that's my personality. I would say, hit them up keep returning on your thoughts until they tell you until they are weak and say yes, or they decide they do need what you have to offer, or they just say, Hey, look, I'm sorry. We can't do that right now. I've had people do that to me. And, I think that. I would say, yeah, be, you know, you don't, I don't know that you want to send some eight email every day saying, Hey, I'd love to shoot for your product or, Hey, I would love to be on, shoot for your, team company brand, but, um yeah, I would say do it until you get a yes or no. Right,

Raymond Hatfield:

right, right. Okay. I gotcha. that's a great answer. So this is what you did. You finally got the opportunity to show up and volunteer your time. Were you following somebody or was it, Hey, here's your credentials. You can just walk around and shoot whatever you want.

Chris Owens:

I gotta be honest with you. I had no idea what I was doing at first. I couldn't believe that brought me on. I've looked back at some of the pictures I sent as portfolio. They were like, a lot of them were like out of focus, you know? I think that they acknowledged that they needed new blood. They needed to keep rotating and getting new photographers, new styles. But at first I really didn't get a lot of attention paid to me and I contribute that I actually think that that really helped because it was literally like I mean I was 19 years old they were like, yeah, man, here's your credential Don't go over the pit wall. Don't get hit by a car things like that, which is easy to do, it's easy to stay out of the way But um, it was kind of those things So stay out of the way and come back with some neat pictures. I did it I mean I was hardly coming in and sitting down I was just out shooting all day popping whatever I thought looked neat, Taking trying to get a unique perspective really without even knowing I was because they'd all been doing it So long a lot of them were doing it the same way. Yeah, I really contribute being not having assignments at first my first year or two not having assignments not having anything You I was responsible for allowed me to go out and kind of make great pictures. So I hope that answered your question. I already forgot what you're

Raymond Hatfield:

It was when you first started, did you have assignments or were you kind of off given free reign? And, uh, you did answer that. So, let's transition a little bit because now You're in this position. So let's talk about the 500 the 500 indianapolis 500 is arguably the probably the most high profile event that you guys shoot at the speedway I mean,

Chris Owens:

without a doubt, it's one of your larger single day sporting events or claim to be the largest single day sporting event in the world.

Raymond Hatfield:

I did not know that. That's interesting.

Chris Owens:

Yeah. I mean, there's events that bring in more people. And festivals and things like that, but it might be over a weekend or a week or like the olympics, More people that's kind of going but for like an eight hour day. It's the time Yeah, it's the most people it's the biggest single largest sporting single play sporting event in the world it's right here in in indiana right here in speedway where I live every year

Raymond Hatfield:

every single year. So For an event like that. How far out does Preparation start for the 500 for you.

Chris Owens:

That is also interesting because for us it can be almost a full year effort and why that is Is because when you think about what would make sense is yeah a few months before we should really start ramping up and transferring our lenses and our computers and loading in and all this stuff and starting to think about shots from our creative standpoint and marketing which they do earlier in the year but Us sitting down as a team and starting to talk about it You think about us doing that a few months before but the reality is a few months before we're already working a car race In st. Petersburg, florida the street race, the grand prix of st Petersburg or the long beach grand prix, uh, we're in birmingham alabama You know, we have a schedule the list goes on so if working on the IndyCar side, that is, the IndyCar series is a championship just like any other sport, but they travel from event to event instead of playing team to team, it's event to event trying to win. So yeah, I mean, a few weeks before the 500, I'm in another city shooting a car race. So that, that makes it very difficult. You're doing a lot of your planning on, Wednesday, Thursday, Monday or Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, because Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday, you're off in another city. You have to make quick, quick decisions and, you know, you have a lot of long hours and that's something you'd have to be committed to, to have a job in

Raymond Hatfield:

politics. Of course. And I think if it's something that you like tried to pursue, that makes it probably a little bit easier to do those long days rather than just kind of taking a job because it was the only thing available.

Chris Owens:

A hundred percent. I truthfully, I'm lucky enough to say I worked very hard, We've all had jobs, and we all have jobs, and we work. I haven't really worked in a long time. You know what I'm saying? Of course. Because of what you just said, when you do what you love, it doesn't feel, you said it yourself best, it doesn't feel as much like work, and it's fun for me all the time to when I met, a party or with friends or meeting new people, I have a lot of pride in getting to say what I do when they say, well, what do you, and it's, it's, that's great feeling in life to be able to do that, but somebody say, well, what do you do? And just to go, I'm a race car photographer and just watch them, watch them just be like, what this person is an accountant and there's nothing wrong with that. Or this person, does heating and cooling. What do you do? I take race car photos. Well, what do you do? Like that's it. That's how I get It's incredible,

Raymond Hatfield:

right Absolutely, absolutely. I had the fortune of believe it was two years ago now photographing when Red Bull came to Where was it just I guess that whatever what's the other race

Chris Owens:

or the motorcycles?

Raymond Hatfield:

No, no, no, no. It was their, like, World Rallycross that they were doing. They had, like, a Rallycross series. And I had the fortune to be able to go and, like, shoot that. And it was an incredibly taxing day. Like you said, you're on your feet all day. The race isn't very that long. It's a bunch of different legs, so you got to really be prepared and preparation was a huge thing that I had to learn to expect, right. To look forward to there. But at the end of the day, my feet were sore. I was sweaty because it was like 200 degrees that day and it was, I didn't even do anything with the photos because it was just, so like, enjoyable for me, that at the end of the day I felt, I felt fulfilled. So, you're absolutely right, you're absolutely right.

Chris Owens:

That's where a lot of my work starts is, Whenever you're done, I then am like, you have to sit down and crank out because you're working for the media as well.

Raymond Hatfield:

Yeah, yeah. No, I definitely want to get into what happens after we photograph the images, but real quick, I want to go back again to kind of the prep side of the Indy 500. So how many photographers are, under you?

Chris Owens:

Currently I have somewhere between 15 and 20 photographers, and that kind of can adjust. Yeah,

Raymond Hatfield:

well Those are like staff photographers?

Chris Owens:

They are staff photographers, and you might ask, why would it take that many? That was my next

Raymond Hatfield:

question

Chris Owens:

Yeah, I mean lot of people think that what i'm doing So how about this going out taking the pictures of the race cars? That's the easiest part That's what everybody wants to do that is like this much of what is needed for my job because you know whenever you're shooting for a company and this might be interesting to anyone who's interested in any kind of Event photography or shooting something they're passionate about, What I'm doing is sometimes what I'm responsible for may be like, hey, we need pictures of beer sponsor is having a party in a pavilion tent during qualify. I need someone to go over there and take a picture of their event or what's going on while qualifying check presentation type thing is going on. You know what I mean? So obviously someone has to cover that because it's the racing That's why we have jobs and we're there but at the same time there's something else going on and then while that's going on there may also who knows be something that's important to the marketing department some poster autographed poster giveaway That's going on at the same time because at these events, there's things going on for different demographics of people at different times. we have requests throughout the whole company. Someone from facilities may say to me, Hey, we need a picture of every branded garbage can because that brand paid a lot of money to have their names stapled on every garbage can You didn't think about stuff like that. You know what I mean?

Raymond Hatfield:

I did not

Chris Owens:

all this is going on what on a friday Practice session while you know, there's a lot going on. It takes a lot of people and like at this point I have myself. I love race car photography I have so many, photographers on my staff who are so talented at race car photography You what's really important to us is our staff the most valuable right now are the staff that can go out and take a picture of a Hospitality event after hours guests doing track laps things like that Those are the kind of things that are less, glorious about the job. People here sometimes are like, oh, yeah Well, I'm up at or you know, you're out shooting race cars and having a good time and doing all this stuff It's like I'm also there at 7 a. m. With of a sponsor while they take Uh, two seater ride along pace car laps. You know what I mean? That's not as cool as being in a victory circle for the Indy 500, but it's part of the job and, I got where I am by paying my dues, volunteering and doing those things. and that's how I'd say part of how I got the call for the job, was because there was a time where I, left Indianapolis. I moved to Fort Wayne, to be home for about six months. The Speedway would still call me. They thought I lived in Indianapolis. They'd say, Hey, on a Wednesday, they'd be like, Hey, can you come take pictures of these people? Doing Pace Lab rides on a Wednesday in October tomorrow. I'd be like, yeah, I drive two hours just to go down just to stay in good graces and to show them that I was committed to them And that's the kind of dedication you have to have Those kind of jobs

Raymond Hatfield:

And you said how many years it took you to do that kind of get the attention?

Chris Owens:

Yeah, let's see. been about three years of doing that until, um, you know, they got to the point where the director of photography had retired. And they kind of started looking around for a I guess lack of a better term a new and young perspective and they called and asked me if i'd come in and talk about it and I lost my mind That was the coolest day of my life At that point. It was pretty awesome.

Raymond Hatfield:

Yeah. No, I can imagine I can imagine That is an awesome story for those who have never been who have never had the ability to go to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, it is, it's huge. So I did a little research and within the walls of the IMS, you could fit, it's like the Roman Coliseum, all of Churchill Downs where they have the Kentucky Derby, all of Liberty Island where the Statue of Liberty is, the Rose Bowl Stadium, which is the second largest college football stadium, the Taj Mahal, the White House. And the entire Vatican City, oh, and Dodger Stadium, all of this can fit within the walls of the IMS. It is massive. So, on race day, for the 500, there's no way that you could possibly shoot everything. How do you decide what gets covered and what doesn't?

Chris Owens:

Yes, Also to follow up when you're saying how big it is, Sometimes it will be pouring rain in turn three. We will be on the front stretch and they'll call a yellow flag for safety. And we're like what's what's wrong? It's a sunny day over here. It's that big. I'm not kidding. That's not a joke That's incredible three and three and you look and there's like a cloud over there. But um, your question is how do you choose what to do? How do you get it all? How can you attempt to get it all you can't it's too big Too and too big of an event and too many things going on First off that's why obviously we work on a staff. But um, like you said it's about preparation there's not a whole lot of time to prepare during an event like this because I'll be shooting the day before a couple days before the 500 or even the day before the 500 I have events to shoot and sometimes you're not leaving there till 9 or 10 at night done with your product with your photos editing and all that. So, you know, you're not going to stay there longer. You can, I have, but to plan things, you've got to do a lot of this earlier in the month and a lot of what it comes down to. seeing what other photographers have done saying, Ooh, this is great, but they, that's a nice photo that somebody took in the 500. They kind of missed this. I would have done it this way to put this in. So basically. lack of a better term. I don't want to say stealing other people's images, but all creative thoughts and images, they've all already been made. The only thing you can do is elaborate and make yours and make a different way. What kind of others have done. And sometimes in the process, you make something that you've never seen. And that is new and fresh. And to me, that's the best advice, on being creative, and doing something new. But for me, really doing that image investigation from what I've shot, from what others have shot in years past. How do we make it better? Cold day in the winter when there's not as much going on, going somewhere in the facility that you have an idea for of a car, where a car would look on track or where the fans are going to be. I've done that a dozen times where I'm up in the stands with a camera and. know

Raymond Hatfield:

That

Chris Owens:

might work. I have to wait till people get here. I have to wait till there's cars on track But um, preparation just being prepared thinking ahead Throughout the year keeping notes. I like to kind of keep a next year's 500 note on my computer I recommend anybody who shoots an event or shoots a regular reoccurring event does that Do it when it's fresh, you kind of jot it down, and then by the time you get ready to investigate it, if you can remember what your notes mean, you can, you know, you might be able to make something neat, from it. Also, my rule of thumb is, To start really This this might sound silly too, but kind of planning equipment even the day before I know it's a stretch but um, even like, you know before I go out and do something I used to have an issue a lot where I'd get out to a point like oh, I forgot the polarizer I forgot this I forgot that You really have to almost make yourself a shot list, which is, you know, a personal shot list. Obviously we have one for all our photographers, but one for you. What do you want to achieve and what equipment are you gonna have to take with you? I've been known to make a small on my phone. I'll make basically a small list of, I mean, this equipment for the day. And that's, that's how you don't forget it because it's crazy running in and out the door shooting assignment needs to be uploaded quick. You walk back out the door and you go, I forgot what I was going to bring with me. Yeah, hopefully that's some good advice on preparation, but it's for sure, you know, it's very high paced doing the racing. It's just, it's crazy because there's so many items on a daily shot list.

Raymond Hatfield:

Yeah. So there you go. mentioned the shot list. I kind of want to know a little bit more about this. Does each photographer have their own? Like, region of the, speedway that they have to cover, and then things within that, or is it all free reign?

Chris Owens:

No, it's not free reign, and it's kind of all over the place, and back to, when you first asked me some of the responsibilities of my job, this is one of the hardest days of the year. The day before the 500, I have a handful of things I shoot in the morning, and then from there, I just, I kind of shut off, because, I have to make, I don't even know how many items, it's well over a hundred item shot list, okay? And that is things from, credentials has, assignments that they, for me, they want things shot for their next year's ticket. Something specific, or their, their ticket or their lanyard. You know, ever facility, like back to facilities, I just don't have the garbage cans, all this, all that stuff I was talking about, that is all on this race day shot list.

Raymond Hatfield:

Oh my goodness.

Chris Owens:

So I have, it's like making a puzzle that nothing fits, but you have a knife. So you're able to like kind of bend all the pieces and make it flat. That's kind of like what making the Indy 500 race day shot list is. And I mean, there's everything on this from who's responsible for shooting, The dead center car coming in at victory circle, you know, and who's going to get these milk shots all the way down to Yeah, who's going to take the trash can?

Raymond Hatfield:

Yeah

Chris Owens:

So, um, that literally takes me an eight hour day That takes me a full day to put everything that everyone that works in our company that has an image request that they need onto one document piece of paper. it's like triple padlocked in a briefcase. So I don't lose it. it's very It's it's um,

Raymond Hatfield:

yeah important right to the speedway and a lot of people

Chris Owens:

just going out taking pictures, man You know and and this is kind of where people who do want to start something in photography have to decide is that your kind of workflow? Do you want to work like that? You know?

Raymond Hatfield:

Yeah, of course. And it was you who, uh, do you plan yourself in the great chats? Cause If I remember right, from a post that you put on Instagram, you were the one who photographed, Will Power last year, drinking the milk that eventually went on the, uh, everybody's tickets. Is that right? Yeah,

Chris Owens:

I mean, that's kind of the perk, right? I've got a couple things that I kind of planned myself. I mean, that would be

Raymond Hatfield:

framed in my house. I would keep That's totally right,

Chris Owens:

if I have to do all the work. Yeah. Yeah, so I normally take, obviously being the track photographer, the series photographer, IndyCar, I normally do the dead center low. Yeah. car coming in, the celebration of the winner, and What's really though is great is I have our staff photographers peppered all throughout that grandstand, to get the winner. And they get better stuff than I do. They get great shots, they get incredible stuff. Yeah, I mean, really just having an amazing staff of guys is what, that's what makes me look good. Those guys are awesome. And then I get to do the things that I wanna do as well because of them and wouldn't be able to do it without them. And we've just grown so much. We're getting really good, man.

Raymond Hatfield:

Yeah, that's awesome to hear. I mean, every photo that I see comes out is just like, it's not, the old NASCAR photos that I saw growing up in my uncle's garage. Like, this is new. Oh, it's art, man. It's fun stuff. It kind of brings me into my next question, which is obviously when you're shooting film it costs a lot of money or at least it costs money when you take a lot of photos. It costs a lot of money so having the ability to shoot digital You kind of have this freedom to be able to play around to add more context to your photos And ultimately what we're trying to do with the photos simply just tell a story within a single frame so I would imagine that a photo of a car going, 230 miles an hour around the track can only tell so much. How do you incorporate more story into your images?

Chris Owens:

That is interesting and it's kind of evolved for me, over time. There was a point in time where for me, Just getting the image, the car in the frame and hitting it sharp. I was like, hell yeah, turn that in. You know what I mean? But as time goes on, I've kind of explored myself. with different, you know, different techniques of doing that. what I like to do, in the last few years ago, what was really big to me was I wanted to start showing more of the racetracks. So where a lot of people are doing what I said, they're just zooming in with a zoom lens, they're getting a shot of the car still. to tell its story, I was kind of trying to do more of these big sky shots. Car small at the bottom, big sky, and incorporate some motion. Slow shutter speed. photography, which is another thing obviously to look into, but you know, showing motion in the images any way you can, showing a little more of the venue, that's kind of what's, important anymore, me. and then from there just getting, you don't always have to shoot the car from the back, or from the front, sometimes you can shoot the car from the back, you know what I mean? Any angle, any photographer, any race car photographer who's truly invested. These guys, they're like cockroaches. These guys are crawling all over everything. They're up in the street courses. We're up in the buildings looking down where, you know, we're, you're laying on the ground and shooting through a crack through a separation in the wall. and it's really, that's an important thing to tell beginning photographers is, um, that's what makes a good photographer. A lot of photographers are going to these predesignated photo holes that are, a safe bet, you know, you're going to get a photo from it for credentialed photographers, but some of your true, your best images. are from somewhere different. Because think about it, everybody's going to that same hole. So if you're doing something someone else isn't, whether your image is good or not, there's no comparison. Another one doesn't exist. Yours is the best, because it's the only one that exists. Now if you and I both shoot out of the photo hole, you might beat me, right? You might get a better shot, because we shot the same picture. Am I making any sense here?

Raymond Hatfield:

Oh, a thousand percent. So I would

Chris Owens:

tell photographers, the best way I can find to make myself useful, and I've always thought this, and I still try to stick with this, is how many photographers can I turn myself into in a shoot? So I want to be the guy standing here getting the main shot, right? Because that's the shot, and that's the safety net, and that's what we need, that's what we're all here for. All right, I'm shooting, I'm shooting, I got it, I got it, I got it, I'm done. Let them stay there, and you go around. Now you go, as long as you're not in their shot, move around and get something different, you know? Or if it's something that's not overly important to you, or you're not overly invested, but you want a nice photo of, If you see all the photographers are standing over there, you go somewhere different because now you have a one of a kind new different perspective that doesn't exist in the world except for yours because no one was there but right, but you. Pick somewhere new. Go somewhere new. Go somewhere different.

Raymond Hatfield:

That's a great tip. I think just kind of in life, you know, if you just replace the word shot with decision, that's like solid life advice right there. Maybe, maybe

Chris Owens:

I ought to have a job doing this, I'm kidding.

Raymond Hatfield:

thank you for sharing that. I think a lot of people are going to get a lot of value out of, that statement right there. It is something that I don't think is taught. as practical as that, as clear as that. We're told to get different shots, but there were some real concrete examples there, including laying on the concrete. So, yeah, again, thank you. Um, so, does, camera gear work in a position like this? Is this a job where you bring your own camera gear, or is gear provided?

Chris Owens:

Well, it's kind of a mix of things. So, obviously for my staff, we have a great partnership, with Canon cameras where they let us try out and loan. loan equipment to try. We own our own, equipment for the company. The staff and our photographers have their own equipment, but, um, with the backing of, Canon Professional Services, which travels to a lot of sporting events and events in general and, and car races, those guys are awesome. they provide a lot of, unique equipment for us to try. And, then if we, like that, that's something obviously to purchase, down the road. So, Canon is pretty awesome stuff. it's great equipment for action and sports. It's always been known for that. myself, I've shot Nikon in the past, and that stuff was great. but you just, you really can't, you can't beat the Canon professional services as a professional photographer. Mm hmm. And their equipment, their people.

Raymond Hatfield:

so I'm going to kind of branch off here. Let's say that you have an idea for an image in your head and it's going to require something like a, something super, super specialized, either tilt shift or like a 800 mil lens and you don't. is that something that you would reach out to Canon and say, Hey, we want to try this shot. Can you ship something out?

Chris Owens:

You know, that is, I'm not sure what that, I'm not sure how that relationship works for all photographers, I know on site at a lot of events, that's an option. but yeah, my staff, yeah, if that's something Canon has available,

Raymond Hatfield:

yeah,

Chris Owens:

that's something that they could help out with.

Raymond Hatfield:

Very cool. Very cool.

Chris Owens:

they do that. Like if you're at a, if, you know, let's say you were shooting. I don't know. That's some kind of sporting event and can of professional services there. And you're a credentialed photographer. You can go to their booth and talk to they'll clean your lenses. They'll clean your camera bodies. They'll let you borrow a lens for the day if you want to try something new. So, for photographers who are credentialed events that CPS can and professional services is at. Yeah, they'll hook you up and they'll do it with a smile. They'll clean your camera. Hell of a deal.

Raymond Hatfield:

So for an event like the 500, which is really a once a year event for your staff photographers, how much do you stress getting the safe shot versus getting that crazy equipment and doing something that's never seen before?

Chris Owens:

Oh man, that's so, we need it all. We need it all, I think most photographers in what I do and what, and in event photography in general, maybe this, I would imagine this is most photographers. That's the first thing you do. You get your safe shot, you get your sharp, still, well exposed, you get those out of the way, and then you play. And I try to do that with everything I go do. So if I need to document, The way the crowd looked from the stage. I want a picture of a crowd. I just go wide pop it I normally carry two cameras. So I'll go wide high shutter. So it's nice and still and sharp pop it Then if I want to do something if I have another creative lens with me or I want to do a zoom You know in or show some depth then I play from there But I think that's probably you know, I do that with I my on the side I do concert photography and I do that with that too. I think that's safe you really as a photographer I mean everybody wants the flashy, the banger shot, the amazing picture. You really got to cover your bases first because that's how you have clients. That's how you keep clients. So, get your staple, get your stuff out of the way that you know is required and then play. Because at the end of the day, the stuff they're probably going to use is going to be all your creative stuff anyway. But if you don't get the still sharp documentation shot, then what'd they hire you for? You know? Yeah. It's a torture game, this whole photography thing. It's a lot of fun, but it's You're constantly in your head bouncing back to not wanting to do what you're doing and wanting to do it a different way. You're just being torn,

Raymond Hatfield:

I haven't thought about it like that. that's very true though. That's very true. Yeah, they'll always be mad if you don't get the safe shot. Yeah, that's true. But you'll never be mad if you get a more creative shot. It's smart. okay, so, we go, we know what needs to be covered the day of the 500. We know who's going where, what shots they need to get, the equipment that they need to use as well. Winners, the winner wins, you go, you photograph the milk, you photograph the kiss of the bricks, you come back, and how many photos would you say that you have at the end of the day of the 500? Do you happen to know from this year's numbers? I mean, is it thousands?

Chris Owens:

Yes, yes, yes, I would guess that it's in the years past, I would say probably, for some reason the number like four or five thousand sticks out to me, that might be crazy.

Raymond Hatfield:

Just for you. On a staff of 25 photographers.

Chris Owens:

Yes, just for me. But, at the same time, I have learned, and having more responsibilities and more assignments, and understanding what will and won't work in photography and at the track, that number for me has gone down a little. I recommend for anybody who's a new shooter, shoot a ton, because you have more things to choose from. And especially if you have time and not another job following up. You know, me, after shooting the 500 on Sunday, I then have an assignment the next morning at like 8 a. m. with the winner. So I've learned over the years, if I take 5, 100 photos, that is 5, 000 pictures I have to look at. And I have to spend five seconds with making a decision whether I'm going to use it, whether I'm going to scrap it. So think about that too, you know, of course. I want to say like this year is probably quite a bit less, probably half of that probably took a couple thousand photos and race day. Tons of them are from victory circle whenever, you know, when the winner gets out of the car from there, I'm not going to lie to you. It's, you know, the still that you see, that's the one. It's not some creative genius. It is a one picked out of 300 from a brrrrrrrrrr, you know?

Raymond Hatfield:

Yeah, Again, you gotta get that safe shot. I get it.

Chris Owens:

Yeah, you got it. I could wait for the one second for the decisive moment, but I, no. You

Raymond Hatfield:

have a job to do and there's a lot on the line. So I get it. So, you mentioned earlier that your job kind of starts At the end of the race, right? Because now you have all these photos. So what happens to the images after race day?

Chris Owens:

last couple years the way we've done it is, I'll kind of stand there. I'll wait I'll get that reaction shot from the winner and then once those shots are done The winner goes out to the yard of bricks and does their Kissing of the bricks and some other traditional shots at the speedway You at that point, I then literally sprint, like I run into the media center, throw the card in, because at that point, that moment's already five minutes ago and that's what. The racing world is, in sports world is waiting for. So, I have then someone fill in for me and do some of the other sponsor commitment photos with the winner. and then from there, you're just, you're there. So, if the race gets over and I don't even know, cause I never gonna have time to look at the clock three, four, whatever it is. I'll be there till 9 30 or 10. And then eventually you just, you call it quits. You go, you get tired and you go, this is what I'm going to have. These are the images I'm going to have from this event, bundle them up, ready to turn them into our, our internal archive. And I put them on our media page where media goes to, to get images, after our events. And of course, some of them are more important than others. So I'm throwing some of those up while I'm trying to finish the rest. I mean, it's a juggle and it's a constant brain assessment of. What's the use of this image? How important is it? Who needs it? Can they wait a day? Does it need to be shown to the world now? You're just firing up all cylinders mentally and physically for an entire day of the Indy 500. and you know, when you're out shooting, sometimes you're waiting on a shot, you see this awesome shot, the one you want the shot, and you go, I can wait here two more minutes for this, because there's so many other things going on. So for me, it's just an entire day of celebrating your victories and, you know. Like not, walking away from your losses and then having a plan before the day starts before the month starts up on race day. I want to go to this spot and get this shot. I want to do a shot. I want to do this shot this way. I want to do this shot this way. having them in mind. And not spending too much time anywhere

Raymond Hatfield:

Yeah, I would imagine that for every shot that you do get there's got to be at least one or ten more shots that you Don't get that you every

Chris Owens:

year. Yeah that I was a part of I was there for i'm just like Okay, but it's not that cool,

Raymond Hatfield:

right, right, right okay, so just to clarify when you run back to the media center and then you said that you're there all night You're going through those photos. You're selecting the images that are going to go out, right? You

Chris Owens:

Yep, correct.

Raymond Hatfield:

Okay. when you're doing that, about how many images would you say go into the, I believe you said the archive of the, the race?

Chris Owens:

You know, for the day, I probably contribute, I would say under four, around maybe 400, 300.

Raymond Hatfield:

And that's between all the photographers?

Chris Owens:

No, that's myself for the day. Just for the five, like a race photos. Yes, those are just mine and others, they have, they might do the same or more. I was told, from my photography teacher young and I stuck with this that a photographer only shows their best work. I don't find benefit in turning in a ton of images. a lot of times I just find for clients that that gets them confused on what to pick. You're putting creative decisions in their hands. they paid you to make those decisions. You pick the best one You give them that and it never fails as a photographer. I've heard this everywhere and it happens to me daily The photo you like the least, that's the one they're going to use

Raymond Hatfield:

every time.

Chris Owens:

So don't, don't give them to, you know, you don't want to give them too much. You want to give them what's good. so yeah, that's the way I do it. Probably race day between three, I'm guessing it's under 400, probably 300.

Raymond Hatfield:

Yeah.

Chris Owens:

but we're doing, we're not doing an any 500, but we're doing events. And practice and qualification time trials all that kind of stuff And in a road course race at the beginning of the month, we're doing that every day in may So I mean by the end of the month Like, I am in tune with this camera. I'm one with this camera. Two years ago, I got a little, like, rough, almost patch like callus on the tip of my nose. No way. From hitting a camera against my face for a thousand pictures a day or whatever, like, That's incredible. Yeah, I'm sorry. That is a badge of honor

Raymond Hatfield:

right there.

Chris Owens:

Yeah. I ramble. What was your question? I'm sorry.

Raymond Hatfield:

I mean, really that was it. I was really trying to figure out how many images get added to the archive at the end. That makes sense. That makes sense. really delivering the best work is still part of your job. it's not just taking the photos, but it's delivering the best photos. I would imagine that having to, deliver photos quick for the rest of the world to see that there's. Next to no editing being done to the image itself, right?

Chris Owens:

You're just we're moving quick. I'm moving quick man. I'm getting him in there and If it's a slow day, not a race day. I have time where I play with them, you know, I do a little manipulation I just I don't do super heavy manipulation part of that is because i'm trying to make editorial images that are used

Raymond Hatfield:

Sure,

Chris Owens:

you know, you're not like

Raymond Hatfield:

changing the winner Like just

Chris Owens:

And really the world is lightened up, believe it or not. I mean, not your big publications, but for standard editorial news, they'll use an image that's doctored a little bit. or as we like to call it, cooked. Sometimes you see somebody over edits an image, it's, The colors are messed up. It's a little crispy, too much clarity.

Raymond Hatfield:

Yeah, that's not who won the race

Chris Owens:

That guy didn't work in a coal mine. There's charcoal all over this guy

Raymond Hatfield:

so, having captured all of these images and then you know submitting them since you're not a freelance photographer Are you allowed to use these images for your own personal use?

Chris Owens:

Yeah, I'll use them on my website portfolio, which makes sense. That's as a photographer, that's how I would make my living moving forward. If I weren't to be with the Speedway should be showing what I'm capable of. also, social media it's today, that promotes the brand that promotes, the Speedway and the App Store Speedway and IndyCar Mysteries and all that. So, obviously anything that you see that I post, it's always on a positive light. I don't have anything bad to say about the series of cars or the drivers. It's all just promotion. Of any car and showing the way I see the world in car racing. So i'm able to do that. my images. they're not for sale. I can't sell them prints of them, you know because technically when you work for a company, or a client like this they own their likeness and that's what they're paying me for. So they're not my images to sell but um,

Raymond Hatfield:

I think that's what I was trying to get at I think, now I could be totally wrong here, but for a while I was really trying to get Pete Souza on the podcast who was Barack Obama's photographer in the White House. it never came to fruition, but I remember reading and doing my research somewhere that he doesn't own those, like he can't use those photos. For anything and the question that I wanted to ask was because like apparently those photos are government property and Obviously, he has a very popular instagram account where he posts photos that he took and I guess the way around it Again, I could be totally wrong is that he has to get those photos off of flickr and then post them Almost like with a link because again, like he's not allowed to use any of these photos. I could be totally wrong. This could be totally made up, but I guess I was just trying to get more of an idea.

Chris Owens:

I would believe it, um, because I had recently, had conversations with someone about the current White House photographer and how they had some images of themselves. And just I guess it's an interesting thing of how they were going to acquire those images to use them and it sounded like it was um

Raymond Hatfield:

a process

Chris Owens:

it was a Me maybe it couldn't be done or process and i've heard this kind of thing about military photography as well that I, I don't know that you're really even technically allowed to keep those images you take for the military and government. I don't know how those images exist in the world and how those people get their hands on them. Or maybe it's just literally they're stealing up their back. That's what I would do. I don't know, you know.

Raymond Hatfield:

Right. Yeah, again, I guess I just wanted some sort of insight as to, cause I've never had to deal with this as a, like a freelance photographer. You know,

Chris Owens:

it really, it's basically, That you own certain, companies will do it that way and it makes sense. they're paying you It's their property. You're creating the property. you're creating their creative likeness and That's what they pay you for. So yeah, I don't own those images. I would actually i'd have to look into that I mean i'm sure there's a photo lawyer out there Somewhere that could tell you, how many years, those copyrights last. I think it's a

Raymond Hatfield:

hundred. Again, I could be wrong, but

Chris Owens:

I'm not gonna live that long. That's disappointing.

Raymond Hatfield:

Yeah, I think that's what it is for, for music to become royalty free. I think it's a hundred years. So, in a hundred years, I'm having some really interesting YouTube videos for sure.

Chris Owens:

Yeah,

Raymond Hatfield:

we're kind of winding down here. I got a few last questions for you. you've been super gracious with your time. I want to know what is something that you think most people don't realize about shooting an event like the Indianapolis 500?

Chris Owens:

that's a great question. I think the thing I, that I find a lot with photographers is, probably this, it's a little generic, but It on the racing side of it catching the cars, people see these awesome images that my teammates and myself make And I think a photographer a good photographer Like a good photographer thinks I can go out there and do that Some of it you can but some of it's like i'm not really great at and i've been working at it for years so

Raymond Hatfield:

example

Chris Owens:

I would say more of the blurry stuff, the creative pans you see. If you see these cool pictures of race cars and, there's blur everywhere and these neat colors coming off the side of the wall or because a fence is in the way or whatever, a good photographer can go out and get that stuff and they still would come back. with a big, big blurry mess is it's a very, very thin line between making a blurry photo creative and a blurry photo, a blurry bad photo. So, I would say that I find, and I say that because I've known a couple photographers who have literally, done that. We've had come out and said, hey, you know, I want to try to help you for the day or whatever. And they kind of come back saying like, hey, that's way harder than I thought it was. Just because like I said, the fine line between a blurry creative photo and a blurry blurry bad crummy photo. It's a fine line. I'm trying to find it. I'm close to it. I don't know right where it is, but I can always tell which side of it I want. So, um, I would say that I think people like you mentioned earlier, don't realize, sometimes the hours put in on and the commitment involved. To event like the 5500 or any big event, you know a horse race or anything like that You have to cover of being there at 4 or 5 a. m Before all the people flood in and the traffic is too full and you get stuck out on the highway, That's what happened Standing like you had mentioned standing on your feet the entire day staying alert. not getting bored not losing focus and you know every time You go to take a shot just realizing that whatever obstacles or resistance you have inside you that's telling you i'm too tired I need a break This i'll be fine with what I got already Things like that. That's just resistance and that's keeping you from Having great portfolio images and it's keeping you from your next paycheck and your or even extending your hobby or one day creating your career in photography You Just that's what people don't realize. there's a lot of resistance in, in what I do get tired, get sore, get hungry, get or, you know, you gotta, it's, so there's a lot. Um, it's really got to stay, got to stay on it.

Raymond Hatfield:

So my last question for you was going to be if you showed up tomorrow and you had a new assistant Which obviously you would know about because you would be the one in charge of finding them But so let's say you showed up to work tomorrow and there was a brand new assistant there for you What is the one piece of advice that you would give them? But would it be that would it be persistence?

Chris Owens:

I would say yeah, you know, don't to to not risk not resist Whenever something great comes to you or when you get tired or whenever you start losing focus, I would also tell them, the greatest way, to be at the top of this is, to be there, to be present, to volunteer, to raise your hand, to be the one to get up and go do something when it's needed by another photographer. Being helpful. I know that's so generic, but I feel that that was the way I got, to the point where I'm at, who can go shoot the sponsor event in the tent. Me. Did I want to? no, I hated it. I didn't want to do it, but I guess I just figured out that if you're helpful, By being helpful is the way Is a great reason for people to use you, you know, it's generic as it sounds you got to pay your dues in photography You have to and I know a lot of photographers you hear them say things like oh never work for free if I wouldn't work for free I would never be doing what i'm doing Because I had no, portfolio. You're not the greatest when you first start with your brand new digital camera, you have to have a reason to be good. And the best I would tell this person is also to shoot, shoot, shoot, because the way I feel that I got to be a good photographer. is by always volunteering and doing all this stuff. So I'm always the one shooting while everybody's sitting around. and I just, you figure things out. There's no school, there's no, there's nothing that can really, there's small things that can help you, but nothing can teach you. To be a better photographer, no thing and no one than yourself by just going out and shooting and figuring it out. So I would say a lot of shooting, find what your interests are, volunteer for if you're new, if you're literally, I mean, if you're an advanced photographer, I get it. But if you're a new photographer, maybe you're not ready to be taking money from clients and people. But if you are working with people who are taking money from clients and are, working professionals. You, you're getting to watch what they do, you're getting to learn from them, and one day you're going to be in their shoes. It's not going to be next month, it's not going to be next year, it's not going to be the following, but you never know. You may, a few years, five years down the road, you might go, Wow, I've been shooting a couple events, or a couple of portrait sessions, volunteering. For years, I got this now. I know all the, trials and tribulations of it. I've seen the problems, I've seen the pros, the cons, and I know how to get through it and get over it. that's kind of what I feel about myself. I've learned a lot in what I've done from others, and I can take that to do whatever I end up doing eventually. whether it's earshooting car racing forever, or forever. Doing anything else. So, I would just say shoot you got to shoot a lot and you got a volunteer to shoot

Raymond Hatfield:

It all comes back to persistence. Yeah, that's incredible. that was like a roadmap for No pun intended, but that was like a roadmap to like getting where you want to get to like from the beginning That was wonderful

Chris Owens:

Yeah.

Raymond Hatfield:

Yeah. Just

Chris Owens:

gotta pay your dues. Try things out. Get your, get your friend, go take pictures with your friends. Go do portraits to your friends. Go ask a wedding photographer if you can tag along. Your images are a bonus, you won't get in the way. Right,

Raymond Hatfield:

right. Yeah. I've told people the exact same thing. If you're just getting started, why not shoot for free? And I think that that gets lost. So I'm glad that you shared that. Thank you.

Chris Owens:

Yeah

Raymond Hatfield:

Chris, oh my gosh, I've kept you for so long and I apologize. again You have been so gracious with your time and sharing seemingly everything that there was to ask about shooting Before I let you go Can you let the listeners know where they can find some of your work and follow you online?

Chris Owens:

Sure, absolutely. my personal webpage is, chrisowensphotography. com. It's that easy. chrisowensphotography. com and on there, you see everything from car racing highlights to, street photography, which is kind of my other passion other than shooting car racing is just street art. It's a lot of that on there. I do stories. From music festivals or from concerts or from car races on the blog section on there So, that's something that gets updated pretty often always something new rolling on there also on instagram is where i'm most active and that one is also super simple. It's just my name at chris owens so That one lucky enough to have that handle. That's an easy one then from there, obviously if uh, you're interested in, car racing photography Indycar. com which is the sanctioning body that hosts all their cars that race in the Indy 500. so IndyCar. com is a great gallery from, me and, uh, Even more great creative stuff from all of the my teammates all the awesome IndyCar photographers who Inspire me and and hopefully I inspire them too. So there's great stuff from all of us on there.

Raymond Hatfield:

Awesome I know that there's going to be a lot of listeners checking out your work and just interested in something new You know what? I mean? It's all about hearing new fresh perspectives and This is something that I have never done on the podcast is going to talk about the logistics of a singular event like this And I learned A ton. So again from me and from the listener. I thank you so much for coming on chris.

Chris Owens:

Yeah. Thanks. Thanks for having me.

Raymond Hatfield:

All right, action item time. If you implement just one thing this week that is gonna move the needle forward in your photography, let it be this action item. Learn to use shutter speed to tell a bigger story. Chris's use of shutter speed, honestly, like if you look at his Instagram page, is masterful. When you're photographing a car going 230 miles an hour, and you have a shutter speed high enough to freeze the action, it just kind of looks like the car is just parked on the track. Like it's not that exciting, even though that's the norm for this kind of photography. So explore ways that you can use shutter speed in your photography to tell a larger story. Remember, different is better than better, so try something new. That's it today. Until next week. Remember, the more that you shoot today, the better of a photographer you'll be tomorrow. Talk soon.