Quote Originally Posted by tommeke_B View Post
Well, there was Richard Balint who I've often seen on interesting places (try to google WRC face to face, he made some yearbooks which were really nice). He knew how to make and edit great photos, for me he was probably the best WRC photographer. Anyone who knows what happened to him? It seems like he stopped last year, I think a year after he started working together with André Lavadinho...

But I do agree that many of the professional photographers have no clue about rallying, and that's not just about picking the places to shoot their photos. I've been standing next to plenty of WRC photographers, some do like to talk as if they know everything and have all inside info (that inside info often comes from inside their own head I think). Once I was next to one who didn't understand that 208 (R2) and DS3 (R3) are not the same category... A few years ago I was a bit envious against those WRC photographers, travelling the world and having one of the greatest jobs. But during last years I've seen enough. Travelling with 4 in one car, all going to the same media point together (usually to end up with similar photos), then discussing where to go to eat (obviously where it's for free, at some media lounge of a WRC team, or where it's very cheap, like some mc donalds) all 4 together... If the job would properly pay for them, they obviously wouldn't all travel together and compromise in terms of photo quality and own comfort.
The worst thing is that they do not seem to be passionate about the sport itself, they do not do any recce of the stages they are going to visit, probably to keep the cost low, i doubt they earn a living if they are not affiliated with an agency like Giggigallino1 who is affiliated with a VERY WELL KNOWN ONE and he is the big boss in there.

Its a pity because their post processing is trully phenomenal at least on a few of them, but this is rallying, i want to see action not mountains,sunsets and flowers and abandoned houses and tanks (since germany is closing by). Maybe its because the turned a hobby into a job and got fed up with it.