Documenting the Golden Era of Motocross

I am so excited to have David Dewhurst back on the show again!

David is one of those legends that I could talk to everyday. His work spans through multiple genres, and has consistently stood the test of time. The first time he was on was for the show on Getting Your Photos Up To Speed. When I learned he was creating a book about his days photographing the golden era of motocross I asked him to come back on the show once it was finished, and here we are.

David has been at photography for most of his life. By the age of 15 he was already a working pro, getting paid by national magazines to shoot what he loved – motorcycles.

While that was a lesson on it’s own, David loved photography so much that he pursued a formal education as well. He attended a three year course on Industrial and Commercial photography at Blackpool College of Technology in Northern England, and that’s where he learned the subtle art of capturing controlled images.

That combination of real world and formal training took David to his first full-time job, as the beat photographer for a regional newspaper. In those days prior to TTL Metering, or TTL flash David learned to be prepared for anything, and in those days we didn’t have autofocus either! Thinking carefully about his exposure, learning how to get the most out of a flash by bouncing it, and taking control of a shoot were just a few of the on-the-job lessons. Always having a plan was another.

David knew what he really wanted to photograph, he wanted to get back to motorcycles, so he convinced the newspaper’s owners to actually start a national weekly newspaper about off-road motorcycling. They did, and he was the technical editor, bike tester, and photographer for five years. That drive would land him at Cycle Guide magazine in California.

Today, David is a sought after pro, with a successful business in LA, shooting what he has always been passionate about – motorcycles and cars. That passion, and understanding of the subject, informs his every shot.

David has had magazine clients that included Car and Driver, Cycle World and Cycle, and his corporate clients included all the major players including Honda, Toyota, Lexus, BMW and Yamaha.

These days, David is back at his passion, and has released his new book “Motocross: The Golden Era”. This is the biggest and most in-depth book ever written about the amazing sport of motocross. Four hundred eighty pages about one of the most demanding sports on the planet. Illustrated with six hundred original images by the author and some of the best photographers in the business, that have been beautifully reproduced on heavy paper stock.

Join legendary motorsports photographer David Dewhurst and me as we talk about his new book “Motocross: The Golden Era”, while discussing the cover image of Roger De Coster, on this episode of Behind the Shot.

David’s Book – Motocross: The Golden Era

Website: motocrossthegoldenera.com
Facebook: @motocrossthegoldenera
Instagram: @motocrossthegoldenera

Connect with David

Portfolio: dewhurstphoto.com
Facebook: @dewhurstphoto
Instagram: @daviddewhurst
Twitter: @dewhurstphoto

David’s Photographer Pick

Fran Kuhn: linkedin.com