Chula Vista, California (May 15, 2007) They call themselves artists. Blending creativity and capturing the moment hidden from behind an expensive glass lense. Some refer to themselves as historians. Louis-Jacques-Mandé Daguerre is well-known as the forefather of photography in 1839. However, we are not sure Daguerre quite had in mind the digital age.
Fastforward a mere 168 years and you have a slew of so-called professional photographers who reign kinds in every facet of their own photography world. But what does it take to be not just a photographer, but one that specializes in off road motorsports that includes desert racing, closed-short course, rockcrawling, motorcycle and ATV racing, racer potraits and more.
World reknown motorsports photographer and journalist, Peter Brock, has traveled abroad capturing imagery from the most remote regions of the African continent during the Dakar Rally. Earlier this year at the season-opener race for the 2007 SCORE Desert Series, Brock, was involved in an incident, which could have taken his life. While on assignment capturing the moment, the spree world-class photographer had a fate meeting with an off road race car that resulted in moderate injuries. Luckily, Mr. Brock is on the mend to a full recovery.
Another exquisite shooter is DIRTsports KingPin - Boyd Jaynes. His name is synonomous with excellence and his artistry is second to none. For decades, Trackside Owner - Jim Ober, has spent countless days in the desert awaiting the arrival of the deserts fastest race machines to capture in a split second, that particular moment in history.
The list of accomplished desert photographers who have shared their artwork in publications nationally continues with Jordan May, Mike Ingalsbee, Fidel Gonzales, Patrick Chicas, Jason Zindroski, Brittany Sanchez and Mike Hobbs to name a few. No doubt, this list is long and distinguished and we are the first to admit these named are only a "few of the good" ones in a very long list of off road motorsports photographers.
However, the future of the digital age has arrived or perhaps could be considered to have already arrived and moved forward!
Enter Bryan Harrold current age 19 years old. Lead photographer for DIRTnewz.com!
When he was a mere 3-years old the young child captured family history with a worn-in 35mm camera. In the following years, he attended off road races with his dad, Chris Harrold, an accomplished off road desert racing veteran and fireman. Bryan burned rolls and rolls of 35mm film practicing for that day that would eventually arrive. In his teenage years he moved into the world of Hi 8 Video and eventually a Handycam. All the while he entertained a wide-variety of family and friends with his natural born talent as a photographer. He studied photography while attending Hilltop High School in Chula Vista, California and admittedly fell victim to the passion of photography.
At the same time he shared the passion of off road racing with his dad who was the second driver in the 2004 SCORE Baja 1000 where they placed third and captured the 2004 SCORE Class 1 Championship.
It was August 2005, when DIRTnewz took notice of his talents and quickly recruited him for the DIRTnewz.com launch in January 2006. Bryan Harrold is not only a photographer, but a desert racer as well. In early 2006, he entered the Chula Vista Taste of the Arts Competition and took first place in the student division. His artwork was scrutinized at the San Diego County Fair and he received top finishes with second and third place respectively.
His talents were also noted by his family and he was outfitted with his first digital SLR camera and lense collection a short time later. He continued his career handling a variety of staff photographer duties at race events throughout 2006 and he launched his company, Bryan Harrold Photography in August, 2006.
As a student at San Diego State University, Bryan passion of artistic creativity continued during the off season as he road tripped with the entire DIRTnewz crew around the country from race to race all summer long.
From the SCORE and BITD off road racing world to the short closed courses of Championship Off Road Racing, Harrold captured some historic moments at the tracks and deserts of North America.
His photography has been featured in various FOX Racing Shox advertisements, as well as in DIRTsports, Dusty Times and Off-Road Advertiser publications. Additionally, his graphic design talents and photos have been put to use by several professional off road race teams in the creation of team marketing material.
DIRTnewz presents the works of Bryan Harrold Photography in this flash review of the "Rev Limiter's Hot Shotz." Visit Bryan's website at www.bryanharroldphoto.com
