NASCAR Drivers - Following Pro Photography

KmH · Aug 7, 2017

The Internet, social media, and online rather than in person selling of photos (Professional or otherwise) makes pro photos a commodity rather than the luxury item professional photographers used to sell.

For somewhat similar reasons (NASCAR's Team Charter system) new NASCAR drivers have to accept contracts that pay 1/5th to 1/10th the base pay previous drivers could negotiate.

Youth is being served in NASCAR -- at a much lower price

In either case, the best candidate for the job will not necessary be the driver put into the seat.

With photography, the business savvy but not all that pro (mediocre) photographer can still make some money while a truly talented photographer that has little business savvy starves.

SCraig · Aug 7, 2017

NASCAR Monster Energy series fields 43 cars at each race, no more and no less. If one doesn't qualify in the top 43 they don't race, period. Despite what anyone writes or says the owners are not going to put people in those seats that can't drive. They aren't going to shop for the cheapest they are going to shop for the best ability they can get within the budget they have allotted. A cheap driver is going to do nothing but tear up cars and finish last, end of story, I've seen it happen.

Local guy was track champion here twice (his name would be immediately recognizable to those who have followed NASCAR for a while). He "Took off for the stars" under the assumption that he was going into the top levels of NASCAR and absolutely kick ass. He got a ride based on his credentials and all he did was tear up cars and finish last for a couple of years. In racing there is a mechanism in place to weed out those who can from those who can't. Those who can, win.

If photography limited the number of "Pro Photographers" to 43 spots NATIONWIDE I strongly suspect the overall quality would increase simply because there would be so much competition for those positions. I also suspect that the 43 who got those spots could command pretty much whatever salary they wanted. But since there are probably more like 43 MILLION so-called "Pro Photographers" the market is far past saturated and anyone can get the job. The cream of the crop are having to settle for what they can get. There is no mechanism in place to weed out those who can't although there should be.

qmr55 · Aug 7, 2017

SCraig said:
NASCAR Monster Energy series fields 43 cars at each race, no more and no less. If one doesn't qualify in the top 43 they don't race, period. Despite what anyone writes or says the owners are not going to put people in those seats that can't drive. They aren't going to shop for the cheapest they are going to shop for the best ability they can get within the budget they have allotted. A cheap driver is going to do nothing but tear up cars and finish last, end of story, I've seen it happen.

Local guy was track champion here twice (his name would be immediately recognizable to those who have followed NASCAR for a while). He "Took off for the stars" under the assumption that he was going into the top levels of NASCAR and absolutely kick ass. He got a ride based on his credentials and all he did was tear up cars and finish last for a couple of years. In racing there is a mechanism in place to weed out those who can from those who can't. Those who can, win.

If photography limited the number of "Pro Photographers" to 43 spots NATIONWIDE I strongly suspect the overall quality would increase simply because there would be so much competition for those positions. I also suspect that the 43 who got those spots could command pretty much whatever salary they wanted. But since there are probably more like 43 MILLION so-called "Pro Photographers" the market is far past saturated and anyone can get the job. The cream of the crop are having to settle for what they can get. There is no mechanism in place to weed out those who can't although there should be.

40 cars....40 cars start a nascar race.