by: Chuck Lemaster
Thursday, August 6, 2015 | 3:40 PM
Probably one of the most recognized faces on the GNCC series is Ken Hill, our staff photographer. His high quality photographs can be seen every week in the Photo Reports section of the website. Yet, because he’s so busy behind the lens, many people don’t know much about him. GNCCRacing.com caught up with Ken and asked a few questions.
GNCCRacing.com: Hi Ken! We’re hanging out at Loretta Lynn’s this week and wanted to ask a few questions for Tuesday Toolbox.
Sure! What do think people want to know?
For starters, how long have you been the full-time staff photographer for Racer Productions?
Oh, I don’t know. I guess it was around 2012 that I came on board full time. I had been shooting for ATVRiders.com alongside Harlen Foley. We would shoot different series together and submit to the magazine. I sort of “retired” around 2010 and started doing some freelance stuff. It wasn’t long after that Racer Productions called and asked me to do the GNCC series, the ATVMX series and Loretta Lynn’s Amateur National.
Well, you’ve become a staple on the GNCC series and we look forward to your photo reports after every race! You’re obviously skilled at what you do. How did you get into photography?
I just always had an interest in it. I had a 35mm camera, which was the standard back in the 90’s. I did some photography courses at the local college and learned the basics; Rule of 3rds, protecting highlights and shadows, etc. It was different from what is now! We didn’t have Photoshop. If you wanted the lighting changed, you would take your film to the processor, he would develop it, you would inspect it and then tell him to lighten or darken and he would reprocess. I learned quick to get it right the first time!
So did you shoot action shots right away?
No, actually, I just did part time stuff to make ends meet. I would shoot wildlife and do some occasional weddings at five or six hundred dollars a pop. It was basically just a cool hobby. I knew I couldn’t get into action sports because with a 35mm camera, it was just too expensive and labor intensive. For example, right now at an average GNCC race, I shoot about 5,000 photos. There’s no way I could have that many photos processed on film. And digital cameras were about $20,000 when they first came out, so that wasn’t really an option!
So how did you go from being wedding photographer to action sports expert?
Around 2002, my friend Harlen (Foley) was still racing and he needed someone to pit for him. I went along to help out. By then, digital cameras had come down in price and I bought a cheap one just to mess around with. I would sit on the tailgate of his truck and shoot photos until he came in for a pit stop! Then my kids started racing ATVs and I upgraded to a DSLR and started taking more shots, getting creative with angles and all that. Harlen got involved with ATVRiders.com and he brought me along. We both had a passion, and now, here I am!
That’s really cool. From hobby to livelihood! Take us through a typical weekend. What does your GNCC race weekend look like?
Generally, I travel on Thursday or Friday, depending on how far away the race is. I always want to be at the track Friday afternoon, getting some pit shots in, scouting places to shoot from and just settling in. I usually arrive at the track at 6:30 Saturday morning and get to shooting the Youth ATV. Then, depending on the weekend, there might be a Polaris ACE Race or maybe a few minutes break before the Amateur ATV. Then there’s the 1:00 race and either a mini race or UTV race. I don’t usually leave the track until 6:30 Saturday night. Then it’s back to the hotel to download and upload photos until 1:00 or 2:00 in the morning. Sometimes, it takes all night! I’ll get a shower, a cup of coffee and head back to the track to do it all over!
So you are up all night editing these photos?
Not exactly. There’s definitely no time for editing! Like I said, I learned in the 35mm days to get it right the first time. Although I have access to Photoshop now, there’s just no time. All I can manage is to pull the photos, maybe crop a few, and then upload to where they need to go. Through the typical weekend, I take 5,000 photos. Only about 400 – 500 are used, but it takes time to sort through all those.
I can imagine! We see a lot of photographers at the races, but your photos always seem to have that extra crispness, clarity and quality. I suppose that’s why we have you on staff!
Well, some are doing it for a hobby and some for a living. I’m not any better than anyone else, I just get better circulation because of my position! I actually enjoy looking at shots that other photographers took. I am kind of bound to certain types of shots, so when I see lifestyle shots from the pits or something different, I’ll check it out and say, “Oh wow! Look at that – that’s really cool!”
Do you have any advice for someone trying to learn photography?
Yes! Read! The internet is your friend. Back when I started, it was classroom or at least correspondence courses. We would shoot, develop and submit. Now you can go about anywhere and get a local pro to put on a clinic. If you can just get the basics down. It’s like racing a four wheeler or dirt bike, “Learn the basics!” The rest is up to the photographer and their equipment. Heck, for that matter, the equipment isn’t even all that important! I can’t even see through ½ my stuff, it’s so covered in dust an mud! If you’ll take the time to learn, practice, get the basics of light, anyone can take pictures better than me.
I am very skeptical on that last statement! But we sure appreciate what you do! Who would you like to thank?
Oh, just everybody! There are a lot of companies that support me, the riders are great to work with. I take pictures to show this sport to the world. I get a lot of love on social media. The “Likes” are cool and I’m glad to be able to broadcast this great sport through my work.
Speaking of “broadcasting to the world,” we are at Loretta Lynn’s MX Finals this week. Any comments regarding this?
It’s hot! I mean, we are sitting in air conditioning right now taking a break as I upload the last hour of photographs. But when we step back out there, we’re likely to melt! This is so much longer than shooting a GNCC. This is 6 days vs. 2 and it’s non-stop! There’s a gate drop every 30 minutes from 7:30 to 6:30 at night. It’s really pretty neat, though. To think that of the 10,000 – 12,000 images that I shoot, there’s one that will really matter in 5 years! We don’t know today who the next Ricky Carmichael is. Or the next Villipoto, or Tomac or Dungey. So I shoot them all! We’ll use maybe 300 pictures right now. But in 5 years, when this next prodigy emerges, we can dig into those thousands of photos and see that talent “back in 2015; at the Ranch!” It’s actually an honor to be here, at the heart of American motocross!
So true! Thanks for all you do. See you at Unadilla!
You bet! I’m looking forward to some cooler, northern weather and maybe only 7 races instead of 70!