Photographing high-performance motorsports requires dedication and – often – top of the range kit.
US photographer Jamey Price spends much of his working life shooting race cars at events across the US and beyond. Like the vast majority of working professionals these days, this means using digital gear.
But Price, from Charlotte in North Carolina, has also started using a film camera perfectly suited – at least in the looks department; a Nascar focus-free film camera in the shape of a racing car.
Price has used the camera, essentially a souvenir ‘reusable/disposable” model, at several race meets and posted results on various Reddit channels, including a recent post on r/analog last week.
Price has described it as “just for funsies” but has taken some remarkably powerful shots on the humble little cameras.
Kosmo Foto spoke to him about the challenges of using such a camera in the fast-paced
When did you shoot these pics?
“I’ve been using this camera since January of 2024. I’ve covered all kinds of racing with them. From Formula 1 in Monaco, to the 24hrs of Le Mans and Monterey Car Week.”
What prompted you to shoot something lo-fi?
“I saw an IG reel of a wedding photographer using this camera, and thought it would be a cool funky kind of camera to play with. It’s certainly had a lot of laughs come from it. To be honest, film in racing has kind of made a bit of a comeback. Not at all in terms of delivering for clients, but for social media likes and clicks, film always does well.’
Tell us a little bit about the Nascar camera
‘From what I’ve learned through research, they were made and sold in 1998 or so and available at Nascar races as merchandise. They’re very, very cheap, the film I put in the camera is basically the same equivalent monetary value as the camera is. It is entirely made of plastic, has a plastic lens, and approx 40mm lens or so. The “cool” thing about them is that it has a fairly slow shutter speed. So you can actually pan the race cars as they go past.
“Unfortunately, because of the incredibly poor build quality on these, the break very easily. I have actually purchased as many as I could find on the internet because they break so easily. The film winder is not meant to handle more than two or three rolls of use. So they’re great, until they’re not. I actually have a racing mechanic friend trying to reverse engineer them and fix what can be fixed. But my hopes aren’t high.”
Are you usually shooting this environment for work?
“Yes. I cover motorsport and automotive events for a living. I’ve travelled to more than 25 countries for racing work over my career. My client list includes major manufacturers, teams, drivers, sponsors, racing series, race tracks. Anyone who needs marketing coverage of an event.”
Did you have an active plan of what you were going to shoot or just photographing from the hip?
“Because I’m already out there with my digital cameras for my clients, I just kind of throw the film camera in my belt bag that I carry with me. Its use is very limiting because of the focal length, and shutter speed. You have to be in the right spot for the camera to be of any use. But I’ve found that when the cars are in the paddock area, and on pitlane, and close enough when going around trackside, the camera works fairly well.”
What was the reaction like from other photographers?
‘I think people think it’s funny. It’s definitely turned heads. The Formula 1 driver Daniel Ricciardo was kind enough to let me in the garage for a few minutes, and he thought the camera was hilarious. He’s quite a big Nascar fan, and a photography fan.’
Price plans to publish a book of the images when he’s amassed enough pictures he’s happy with – or the supply of these fragile cameras is finally exhausted.
I'm a New Zealander who has been living in London since the mid-1990s, shooting film seriously since the year 2000. Kosmo Foto was launched in 2012 and has since become a film brand, with the release of my first films Kosmo Foto Mono 35mm (2017) and Kosmo Foto Mono 120 (2019).
I’m doing everything I can to promote film photography in the 21st Century, and help it survive and thrive. If you want to write something for Kosmo Foto, please drop me a line at foto.dowling@gmail.com.
