Coming to terms with being uncomfortable


Welcome to my blog! That sounds strange in my head and sure as hell looks stranger written out. Writing is an idea I have been contemplating and bouncing around inside my head for a period of time now, which is somewhat ironic considering my biggest issue with posting content on social media is often not having anything to say about a photo. But as every side hustle seems to have a side hustle these days and my side hustle is exhausting enough to balance with my career as a wage slave in construction as it is. This is all before I even consider delving into video, designing flyers or graphics or selling shitty straw hats and merch like some of the other creators in speedway.


I thought I would try my hand at typing some of my thoughts out at my own pace as an escape from the side hustle that is ZP Images. As uncomfortable as it is to put my thoughts out in public through a medium I am not familiar with, I feel like it is a change from my normal line of thought. You know what they say: change is as good as a holiday...

Opinion or Fact, Race Recap or Race Reflections?


In a world where there is no shortage of opinions, reports, gossip, or general shit talking, the likelihood of this page gaining a following of people eager to read the thoughts of just another cog in the machine that is speedway is low. Is that a blessing? The introvert in me thinks so. The fewer people who see this, the less I feel I will be judged.

But the very same mindset helps me maintain my photo work to a standard that I’m happy to showcase, so why can’t I apply the same approach to a blog? I may just type away my ramblings here, and if people value my opinion, they can have a read.



Balance


The balance between being factual and being opinionated is a tough one. It’s common knowledge that there are those who will use facts while omitting others to garner traction and clicks on social algorithms, all while bringing the sport into disrepute for their own gain. If I can be at least one source of common sense in a world where it seems increasingly like a superpower rather than something truly common, then why not? Even if it is detrimental to the reach of this blog. At least the first comment on every post I put up won't be me plugging some merch.

Old is New


All in all, I have to be honest here: the idea for this blog has come from multiple sources. Since long-time photographer and publisher Tony Loxley has returned to shooting in Sydney, having the chance to talk with him about writing and hearing him discuss his projects has me excited to try my own hand at putting words to a screen.

While writing is still a relevant medium to some extent these days, with postings on Facebook and press releases, the world is certainly trying its best to leave it behind, in my opinion, as video media becomes increasingly accessible to the general public, and everyone tries to compress their posts to keep up with diminishing attention spans.

But when done correctly, writing can be a breath of fresh air. Noah Thorley, a young photographer from Victoria, does this very well, and I certainly need to credit him and his talent as another inspiration for this creative attempt.

Freedom from the Algorithm


Time for some hard facts: social media in Australia doesn’t care about anything other than sprint cars. Anyone can argue that as much as they like, but when I post an average shot of a winged 410 and follow it with an awesome shot of a late model or street stock, the numbers of interactions are sobering. This isn’t just me; plenty of photographers see it too.

Doing this means I can put effort into what I see in other classes of racing without feeling discouraged by the low engagement. As previously stated, if people value my opinion or reporting, they can come and see it here. Freedom from the reactions...

Ending with a Beginning


If you have gotten this far, thank you! I don’t expect anyone to gain anything from this blog other than maybe a slightly different insight into what is already out there these days. Moving forward, there will be race recaps, my thoughts on classes and different cars, what it’s like to be a speedway photographer, and possibly what I don’t like about it.... boy, that will be a loaded topic! I’ll also type about whatever else comes to mind. If people read it, then great; if not, at least I have a little echo chamber to express my thoughts. There’s plenty on social media that could probably benefit from the same...