Darren is an award winning Photographer who specialises in Formula 1 and Car photography. He has a number of clients including Mclaren, Ferrari, Bridgestone, FIA, Top Gear, The Telegraph and The Sun.
He has also worked closely with F1 personnel like James Allen and has revealed some of the teams hidden secrets just through his pictures. He now has a successful website and large following on twitter so i felt rather privileged when he agreed to do an Interview with me via email.
Click "read more" to see the full interview.
Firstly i would just like to emphasise what a fan i am of Darren's work, he takes beautiful pictures of the most stunning cars in the world, and i really can not wait to see what images 2012 will bring.Here is the interview:
Firstly you have taken some extraordinary images of F1 over the last few years and have built up a number of famous contacts, have you always wanted to be a photographer?
Thank you and yes! When I was a boy I wanted to be a fighter pilot, train driver, astronaut and of course racing driver! But, when I fell in love with photography and worked out I wasn't bad at it I simply married my two loves and set about having the career I've been fortunate enough to enjoy for 24 years.
2) What race were you at when you photographed your first professional F1 picture?
The British grand prix at Silverstone 1988. My first foreign grand prix – which seemed far more important career-wise – was the German grand prix at Hockenheim July 1989.
3) Do you have any favourite pictures of your own? If so what ones are they and why?
There are a few pictures I'm proud of for various reasons but really one is in such a constant quest to improve that I'm always looking/thinking of the next picture , thinking of new and better techniques, positions on the track from which to shoot, and getting inspiration from other photographers – mainly from outside of F1.
4) Which track is the best to photograph?
You can't really beat Monaco, it has everything a photographer could ever wish for but I do have other favourites; Monza, Montreal, Sepang, Singapore. Every circuit we visit has some qualities that a good photographer should be able to work with.
5) How did you get into Formula 1 Photography?
Studied photography at a college in east London then phoned every agency involved in the sport regularly for a few months enquiring about job opportunities. Zooom Photographic gave me a chance at the end of 1987 to try-out in the black and white darkroom and I started there in January 1988. It was then a case of practise, practise and practise some more so as to prove I was worthy of race coverage. I shot at least 35 race weekends in 1988 and covered my first foreign grand prix – as I already wrote – in July 1989, beating my early career plan by a year and a half. It was then a process of doing a good job in F1 (when called upon to attend) mainly in F3, F3000 and the BTCC. F1 became all I shot in 1994.
6) There are so many beautiful F1 cars in the latest season, which ones are the best to photograph?
Red Bull's RB7 is the most beautifully designed car – as far as packaging is concerned – but the most photogenic by some margin is the McLaren MP4-26. That chrome paint work is to die for!
7) Do you use any special effects, Aperture or Shutter Speed settings when photographing F1 cars?
I use a number of techniques that work for me but nothing really that special. Manual exposure is the norm and generally manual focus too.
8) Which F1 corner produces the best or most creative pictures?
The one you're shooing at! Seriously that's an almost impossible question to answer as the light, the weather, the cars, backgrounds, etc, etc all play a part. Really the most important thing – when shooting race cars – is to work the corner as much as possible getting as many different angles as one can in the time available.
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| A picture by Darren at the Monaco Grand Prix 2011 |
Click "read more" to see the full interview.
Firstly i would just like to emphasise what a fan i am of Darren's work, he takes beautiful pictures of the most stunning cars in the world, and i really can not wait to see what images 2012 will bring.Here is the interview:
Firstly you have taken some extraordinary images of F1 over the last few years and have built up a number of famous contacts, have you always wanted to be a photographer?
Thank you and yes! When I was a boy I wanted to be a fighter pilot, train driver, astronaut and of course racing driver! But, when I fell in love with photography and worked out I wasn't bad at it I simply married my two loves and set about having the career I've been fortunate enough to enjoy for 24 years.
 |
| All images in this interview are sourced from Darren's website, the link will be at the bottom of the article. |
The British grand prix at Silverstone 1988. My first foreign grand prix – which seemed far more important career-wise – was the German grand prix at Hockenheim July 1989.
3) Do you have any favourite pictures of your own? If so what ones are they and why?
There are a few pictures I'm proud of for various reasons but really one is in such a constant quest to improve that I'm always looking/thinking of the next picture , thinking of new and better techniques, positions on the track from which to shoot, and getting inspiration from other photographers – mainly from outside of F1.
 |
| Formula 1 mixes with nature in Canada 2011 |
You can't really beat Monaco, it has everything a photographer could ever wish for but I do have other favourites; Monza, Montreal, Sepang, Singapore. Every circuit we visit has some qualities that a good photographer should be able to work with.
 |
| Monza 2011, Darren said its one of his favourite circuits to shoot. |
5) How did you get into Formula 1 Photography?
Studied photography at a college in east London then phoned every agency involved in the sport regularly for a few months enquiring about job opportunities. Zooom Photographic gave me a chance at the end of 1987 to try-out in the black and white darkroom and I started there in January 1988. It was then a case of practise, practise and practise some more so as to prove I was worthy of race coverage. I shot at least 35 race weekends in 1988 and covered my first foreign grand prix – as I already wrote – in July 1989, beating my early career plan by a year and a half. It was then a process of doing a good job in F1 (when called upon to attend) mainly in F3, F3000 and the BTCC. F1 became all I shot in 1994.
6) There are so many beautiful F1 cars in the latest season, which ones are the best to photograph?
 |
| Darren says the Mclaren's chrome paint is "to die for" |
7) Do you use any special effects, Aperture or Shutter Speed settings when photographing F1 cars?
I use a number of techniques that work for me but nothing really that special. Manual exposure is the norm and generally manual focus too.
8) Which F1 corner produces the best or most creative pictures?
The one you're shooing at! Seriously that's an almost impossible question to answer as the light, the weather, the cars, backgrounds, etc, etc all play a part. Really the most important thing – when shooting race cars – is to work the corner as much as possible getting as many different angles as one can in the time available.
 |
| Darren's work doesn't end when the chequered flag is waved. |
Thank you so much Darren for that interview. I think F1 fans never get a real insight into F1 Photography and some people aspire to be one, but do not realise the hard work that is put in.
Darren has built up a large archive, I have had it saved to my favourites for a while but there are just too many images to look at, all of which are incredible and professional.
3 comments:
Great stuff jack, you managed to get an interview with one of the top dogs in f1 photography. Well done. If you get to interview him again, ask him how to get involved with formula one (inspiring sport photographer Vincente Lazaro)
Yep, DH's the man when it comes to F1, well, even if it's not F1-related he's still THE man.
I can dig his dreamy style, it's interesting; although the guy who got me personally into photography in PH Cahier, he does these dark, moody stuff, a bit opposite to Darren really. I used to bang my head against the wall every time he would post an update or supply his stuff to grandprix.com, very exciting.
Wonder why Darren prefers mainly artsy, blurry manner of shooting pics, sort of painting a big picture. Some local shots coming one day maybe?
I swear that I enjoyed it really much , his way to answer is making the interview more interesting ,,
But what a question when you ask about best corners to get photos from xD
You are lucky to get this opportunity to interview great photographer like Darren Heath , thanks for him first of all , and well done for U
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