Jack Clayden (21) won the Motorsport UK Young Photographer of the Year category of the competition after impressing the judges with pictures taken at national racing events he attended throughout 2019 and 2020.
As part of his prize, Mr Clayden received £1,000 and a one-year membership to the Guild of Motoring Writers, the world’s largest association of automotive media professionals – something he said was an amazing start to the year following a ‘nightmare’ 2020.
‘I am so shocked I won an award which has previously been claimed by some of the best motorsport photographers in the country,’ he said.
‘Luckily the competition allowed submissions from 2019, as due to the pandemic I was unable to travel to the UK for many of the big national events last year.’
Mr Clayden, whose family has long been passionate about motorsport, said he hoped to pick up clients off the back of his success, adding: ‘Usually a driver or team will pay for me to go over and shoot them on a race weekend. Motorsport is really family orientated and sometimes families will pay for me to go and shoot them on a track weekend.
‘I have had loads of people approach me since winning the award, so hopefully this will help boost my profile so that I can get away as much as possible this year, should Covid allow.’
Mr Clayden has encouraged any other local aspiring photographers to gain exposure by shooting abroad as much as possible.
‘There is plenty of motorsport over here, but nothing compares to shooting at a major event; it really gives you a massive adrenaline rush and you learn so much.
‘I am hoping this award will help boost my career and that I get the chance to shoot the highest level of motorsport events.’
