So, is a picture REALLY worth a thousand words?

As a bloke who makes a living – such as it is, but hey, I’m not complaining – out of coming up with, then arranging, words in a particular order, I would happily forgive you if you thought I would be biased vis-à-vis the worth (relative to my best 1000 words) of a photograph, no matter how ‘good’ it is.

The funny/silly/odd/ thing about my role as a wordsmith it that as a kid I was mad keen on photography and it was really only in my early 20s that I decided if I wanted to make a career in ‘the media’ I’d better concentrate my energies on writing.

Considering the recent wholesale changes in the media landscape (in particular the rise via Instagram, Twitter and YouTube of the selfie-stick-holding ‘Influencer’) some of you, I’m sure, are wondering why I did that. You would be doing so, however, with the benefit of 20/20 hindsight.

These days, for instance, when the odd ‘cub reporter’ role is actually advertised the list of relevant skills the employer expects candidates to bring to their pathetically-paid ‘junior’ position includes everything from an excellent grasp of both written and spoken English and working (basic) knowledge of Te Reo Maori, to the ability to take both still photographs and video, AS WELL AS the ability to talk confidently to camera so that you can ‘cut’ short promo videos to feed back to social media!

Seriously. That is one motherlode of skills to corral let alone manage, and had I mentioned at a job interview ‘back-in-the-day’ that I also ‘liked to take photos’ I would have been told in no uncertain terms that it was the journalist’s job to come up with the ‘story,’ a specialist press photographer’s job to illustrate it, and – if I tried doing both – ‘the union’ would be down on me like the proverbial ‘ton(ne) of bricks.’

So, after only buying my first ‘proper’ camera (a gen-u-ine SLR recommended by none other than an extravagantly moustachioed Euan Cameron when he owned a downtown Christchurch camera shop!) a year or so before, I reluctantly put it down and – for the next 8-10 years focused on coming up with words rather than taking pictures.

Fortunately, the close to collapse (or ‘democratisation’) of the media, and with it the power and influence of the owners and the unions, has meant that these days I am free to ‘get back into photography’ without fear or favour.

The advent of the smart phone has also meant that I (and even some professional photographers of my acquaintance) no longer have to lump around a big old heavy bag of SLR bodies, lens and batteries…. anymore, either.

For the static stuff I shoot anyway. For everything else I continue to rely on a small, dedicated band of professionals who – like me I suppose – love the drama, the action and the excitement of motorsport and who have developed a skill-set which allows them to share that passion with others.

Which interestingly enough – for my simple picture/1000-word premise anyway – is where it all got a bit sketchy, however.

When I initially came up with the idea of a column on the subject, I thought it would be ridiculously easy to simply close my eyes and let my memory conjure up – say – 5 or 6 of my all-time favourite (in this case, motorsport, or at the very least motorsport-related) photographs.

Once I had done that, my idea was then to open the subject up to Talk Motorsport readers who would – no doubt – also have their favourites and – bang! – not only would I have (done my job and) produced another readable, thought-provoking column, boss man Benjamin would have another set of impressive ‘engagement’ stats.

When I did close my two ‘real’ eyes, however, and instructed my ‘mind’s eye’ to come up with a batch of my favourite ever motorsport images – shock, horror – I couldn’t come up with one let alone 5 or 6.

What I was able to do was conjure up times, places and people. But rather than being clear-cut and sharp of line and detail, the images which enabled me to do so were all over the place, and ever-changing, like – if you want a word picture – the tiny shards of colour plastic in a child’s cheap kaleidoscope.

Which, to be perfectly frank, surprised the hell out of me. The odd single shot popped quickly in then just as quickly out of my subconscious, but none were what you would call a ‘typical motorsport’ pic.

One – for instance – is what I still consider the best ‘wheelie’ shot ever taken, a side on study of the late, great Robert Holden literally hanging onto his near vertical Suzuki GS1000E, by Euan Cameron.

Another is also a wheelie shot, this one of my good self in this case taken in Dunedin back in 1981 – I think – by a bloke called Pete Sparrow as I was returning to my Albany St flat from lectures one afternoon.

Don’t get me wrong, I do have other favourites, it’s just that, because motorsport photos are – and really, I’m only guessing here – a currency I deal in on a daily basis my favourite is obviously always going to be ‘the next one!’

Perhaps I shouldn’t be so surprised that I couldn’t come up with a bunch of all-time favourites either. Favourite ‘anythings’ are always ridiculously subjective anyway. You might have a ‘thing’ as I do, for Drifting, wheelies (obviously), or Formula 5000 singles seaters. Which means my favourites are probably going to come from one or more of those areas.

Or not, as the case may be.

When I discussed the subject with Benjamin, he suggested we ask some actual motorsport photographers to nominate – and post – some of their all-time favourites.

Hopefully, they will have a better, more clear-cut idea than I do.

You might to, as well.

Me? As a photographer I’m probably a better journalist. These (exactly) 1000 words are – hopefully – proof!

Note: Main photo is of Paul Butler at Hampton Downs in an ‘exploded’ parts diagram. Photographer Geoff Ridder