Published =)

[Jaedon]

So a few weeks back I was shooting at the Canadian Castrol Touring car series race at Mosport International Raceway at the behest of the Hyundai Genesis team. Turns out they liked my shots so much they are using 4 of them for their promo cards.

The team is being sponsored in part by a group called Laps for Kids where they take the race cars to various venues to meet the kids and let them get up close and personal in the cars. As is traditional the drivers are making promo cards for signing autographs and handing out. Their graphic designer chose 4 of my shots for their use for which I have already been paid a very small amount since it is for charity as well as my name on all the cards (images provided by Jay Tomchuk) and exclusive access to the drivers on Thursday as their event photographer while they are at Toronto's Sick Kids Hospital for some Toronto Indy pre race activities.

the good news is that I have been given trackside access for the Toronto Indy now... the bad news is that I am not accredited by Indy yet so I cannot share any of the images I shoot....period.... of anything Indy related unfortunately. Unless I shoot from outside the fence again. So I will still be shooting =)

Here are the 4 shots they are using:

[ciddog91]

Congrats !!!!!!!

Job well done !!!!

phil

[OldClicker]

Nice job! - TF

[mattbikeboy]

Sweet! Good job.

[racedraper]

i think this site is helping everyone out to be the best by helping each outher out. congrats you deserve and dont forget about us little people. :thumbsup:

[Grandpaw]

congratulations and keep up the good work. It is definitely exciting when things like this happen. You have some very worthy pictures, Jeff

[Jaedon]

Thanks for the support everyone. A lot of it has come from seeing your posts and learning a little bit more everytime. I love this site for the fact that when one asks a question... even a less intelligent one (like I ask sometimes =p ) the answers are always given in a manor that everyone can learn from.

I will get a scan of the promo card put together before the weekend. I get my copy on Thursday but then it is the Toronto Indy eating my time till Monday.

[Jimmy B]

Congrats Jay, keep up the good work.
Jimmy B

[masdog]

Awesome! Congratulations!

[Photo-John]

Congratulations. And I'm very happy to hear you're being paid. I don't believe in giving photos away for free. We all work very hard to polish our photo skills and we spend a lot of money on equipment and for stuff like race passes. Giving away work for free is not a good thing. If people want to use your work, it's worth paying for - period.

Not sure what to think about the Indy accreditation. You can't use the photos unless they grant permission? Even if you have permission from the track? That sounds like excess PR control to me. But I understand that if you want to have a future relationship with them you'll have to play along. I don't like it, though. I believe organizations exercise way too much control over photographers - photographers that they need in order to make money. It's the same for music photographers. When a band is small they love any kind of photographer attention. But as soon as they make it big they start putting all kinds of restrictions on photographers at concerts.

Anyway, I'm always very pleased to see a PhotographyREVIEW.com member having some success. I love it when I can see that the site has been able to help someone get some recognition and make some money from their passion. Congratulations. I hope this is just the beginning for you

[Homer]

Great job and Congrats!

Jim

[jacobovs]

Congrats, great job sounds exciting.

[WesternGuy]

Jaedon great images. If I were you, I would do everything I could to get the Indy accreditation. Maybe you can get some drivers or other photographers to help you. I really do not like it when organizations try to exert such control over artists. It is really not in their best interest as it puts a stigma on anyone who can publish Indy photos legally and it puts a stigma on the Indy organization. Go for it!!

WesternGuy

[Jaedon]

We're still working on getting accreditation. The media company I am going with has apparently asked them how they can be good enough to shoot Music Videos for Will Smith bu yet are still not good enough for Indy (or at least that was the argument they were talking about when I last talked to them lol) Regardless of the outcome there people will see me... people will see what I can do.. and hopefully they will want me to do more of it for them after all is said and done.

Indy is all tied up with Getty images just like NASCAR is so they are very protectionist about pictures in the advent of DSLR's and the amount of people carrying them around. I can still shoot Indy stuff form the stands but just not trackside. I won a paddock pass from a radio station yesterday so therefore I have the right as a fan to shoot what I can from where I have access now.

[SmartWombat]

When I was at Indy, despite having a pit lane pass, our bags were searched on the way in.
My 70-200 just passed their checks.
Apparently if it had been longer than their forearm, it wouldn't be allowed.
So using a 4/3 camera would be a distinct advantage over my 1.6 crop or full frame 35mm.

I just hope the organisers of these events don't get tech savvy, because video cameras are not allowed. So I assume they don't know about the 5DmkII, GH1 etc and those can get in because the look like cameras...

[jorgemonkey]

Congrats!

Its always nice to see your work in print

[Old Timer]

Congrats!!! Nice way to get the foot in the door. Hope you can get those Indy creds.