Leon Wall
I first fell in love with photography around 10 years ago, using a mobile phone of all things.
A Sony C902 with a 5Megapixel camera, I was amazed that a simple phone camera could do a better job than the camera I had at the time. (I had always taken family snaps on Film Compact cameras).
After using the phone for a few weeks I took some shots while away in Criccieth in North wales.
After I got home I had a couple of shots printed on canvas as they were that good.
After showing them to a friend he kept telling me I had an eye for photography and should pursue it, but with a “proper camera” which is when my wife bought me a Fuji S1500 for Christmas later that year.
With this little thing I ventured out to my 1st ever rally,
the Pirelli up in Kielder. I had the zoom to reach the cars as they hurtled around the forestry lanes showering everyone, including me and my new camera with gravel and dust.
It was amazing. The people were so enthusiastic and friendly. And the noise! I couldn’t believe I had never done this before.
And the shots? Well now I look back they were not that good. But back then I was so impressed, especially with this shot of a Volvo Amazon sliding round a bend spraying stones everywhere.
As time went on I soon realised the Fuji was too slow for what I wanted, so I opted to “upgrade” to a Panasonic SZ45 Bridge camera. I wasn’t too impressed and the following year I was offered an almost brand new Canon 1000D with a couple of lenses for around half the price of a new one.
As I went to more Motorsport events I got ever more serious about this side of the business.
I met the owner of Cetus Solutions, Mike, who gave me the opportunity to go Trackside at the Three Sisters where he sponsored a Rally. I got to go TRACKSIDE!! It was amazing.
Chatting to a couple of the organisers who said if I share a few shots with them every month I could get closer to Over the next few months, I was being asked for copies of shots I had taken at different venues - Kielder, Three Sisters, the Promenade stages at Blackpool, and on the Wirral which were my first Closed rallies.
After a year or so I upgraded to a 1100D and then a Canon 70D. The difference was unreal. How had I been getting rally shots with 3FPS? The 70D changed things again, with a weather sealed body mated to Canon’s 70-200F4L, I could be anywhere and not really worry about my gear getting too wet.
I had heard of Harewood Hillclimb up near Leeds. So one weekend I ventured up to see whet hillclimb was all about. I could not believe how close I could get to the cars. The drivers were friendly and so willing to chat to you about their various cars, from humble 1.0L Mini’s to ex formula 2 single seaters and everything in between.
Now I had a really good opportunity, so I got myself some PLI and I was in. One thing led to another, then the phone call came asking me if I wanted to be “Tom Ingram’s official photographer”. I nearly dropped on the floor.
Sadly he blew the gearbox on the 1st timed run, so I did not got that many shots, but they still appeared all over the Internet, even appearing on the BTCC Crazy site, and in a few publications such as Autsport.
Now I go to almost every Harewood Hillclimb. I’m almost part of the furniture these days. I also attend lots of events at Three Sisters, working directly with a group of owner driver karters. That’s very entertaining to photograph!
So, after 10 years photographing anything from karting to single seaters breaking records at Harewood. I am looking to work with teams and sponsors to cover any events anywhere in the country, no matter what the weather to ensure YOU have the best images to show off your brand.
You can contact Leon Wall Photography via his social media links or email.
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