Roger Lane Photography: Through an Amateur's Eye - Photographing the 1960's Motor Racing era

Published Articles

Graham Hill - Monaco GP 1967

PHOTOGRAPHING THE 1960'S MOTOR RACING SCENE WITH AGFA GEVAERT

I am sure every amateur photographer aspires to experience life on the professional side of the camera at some time in their life but not all achieve that opportunity. Although still an “amateur” photographer after more than forty years behind the lens, I consider myself more than fortunate in having been given a number of photographic opportunities over the years.

Photography for me started in the 1960’s and to some extent complimented my interest in motor racing. As a member of a local car club I frequently carried out photography at meetings, providing black and white en-prints for competing friends.

I later became a marshal with the British Automobile Racing Club and race meetings expanded the opportunity to wander around the paddock during lunch breaks, capturing images of cars and drivers.

Motor racing and photography also combined well during a visit to the Monaco Grand Prix in 1967. On my return I decided to make more of photography and joined my local camera club. In many ways this was a turning point, not only for my photography but the opportunities I have found along the way.

Wimborne Camera Club was a very forward thinking and active organisation. At the time I joined they were about to start on a new venture of Photographic Teach-In weekends to be held at an old country house in the New Forest.

The ‘Avon Tyrell’ weekends became a landmark on the UK photography calendar and attracted many prominent names from the photographic media including Reggie Mason one time Editor of Amateur Photographer and George Hughes then Features Editor. Many famous photographers including Sam Haskins also gave their time in support of the events.

It was at one of these Teach-Ins that I met John Shire, then Advertising Manager for Agfa Gevaert. John was very keen to promote their new Agfa CT18 colour film. After seeing some of my motor racing images John offered me the opportunity to photograph the international motor racing scene for the Agfa Gevaert Lecture Programme.

I was given a brief of capturing the colour and atmosphere of the sport. Not just the action shots but the drivers, teams and personalities, mechanics and cars. Audrey Tapson, John Shire’s personal assistant arranged the necessary ‘Photographer’ passes and fifty rolls of Agfa CT18 arrived on my doorstep; the rest was up to me.

It helped of course that I knew my way around the circuits as a motor racing marshal. Motor Racing is a dangerous sport and one must always be aware of this fact, not just out on the circuit but also in the pits and paddock where cars are being manoeuvred. Equally important one should know when to photograph drivers at close quarters. At times the atmosphere can get pretty tense, particularly when things are not going too well for a driver or team. I therefore decided to do pit portraits during practice sessions and either ask first or work unobtrusively. In reality I always found the drivers and teams of that era very approachable and helpful.

It was all together an amazing experience and a tremendous opportunity to photograph my favourite sport. It was an era of the sport which was unique, very experimental and at times tragic. It was not long before the motor racing scene became more commercial and far more controlled.

John Shire and his team were pleased with the results and Amateur Photographer Features Editor, George Hughes was asked to write the script for the Agfa Lecture Service programme.

When the images were received back from Agfa I set about putting together ‘Race’, an Audio Visual feature using dissolve projection, commentary and soundtrack. Since then the images have been stored until I retired in 2004. I have since scanned and revived some of the faded images in Photoshop where they can be seen on my website. They have received significant interest from magazines and authors researching or writing about motor racing in the 60’s, and now we have the book ‘Out of the Shadows’ published by Halsgrove in September 2009.

I had no idea when I captured those moments of light and shadow at Monaco in 1967 that more than forty years later they would provide
the images for a book cover called 'Out of the Shadows'.

I may never have made it as a full time professional photographer but I certainly had a tremendous opportunity. In today’s very commercial and highly regulated Formula One scene I doubt such an opportunity for an amateur photographer could ever be repeated.