Essentials: Richard Kelley

Famed Formula 1 photographer Richard Kelley is the latest personality to be featured in our Essentials segment. Having documented the grandest tales, alongside some of the most fascinating and notorious personalities in motorsports history, Richard Kelley is responsible for bringing the golden age of motor racing to the wider audience. Officially making his start as a Formula 1 photographer in 1972, he has provided art for countless feature stories and covers for the Chicago Tribune, Observer Newspapers in Detroit, and Car and Driver magazine. In addition, over his stellar career he has worked with the largest multinational automotive manufacturers in the United States including Audi, BMW, Volkswagen, Porsche, Ford and General Motors, to name but a few. His mantra – “make photographs that tell a story; remove yourself; disappear; leave out the vanity; and, make emotional and elegantly composed images that point to a truth about your subject” – has been reflected throughout his work, resulting in some of the most intimate Grand Prix images ever captured. Hence, the main attraction in this essential is his Nikon D700 DSLR camera equipped with an ultra-wide Nikon 14-24mm f/2.8 lens, perfect for track conditions and those bright flood lights. Furthermore, the Canon G10 provides him with a more portable companion when shooting on-the-go.