Coming from a automotive marketing family, it's not a shock that I pursued a career in Motorsport Photography & Design. I can remember vivid images of used-up Corvettes, cresting the top of turn Mosport's turn 2, a local but infamous race track, notorious for eating cars. These beat up, dirty and sad looking vettes were finishing a 24 hour sports car race. I was seven years old, standing there with my father, retired advertising director for General Motors Canada and at the time, I had absolutely no clue what was really going on. All I knew was I was excited to see these cars racing and it's not surprising that a decade later, I began shooting local sports car races, back at Mosport, standing at the same turn 2, using my fathers Minolta. I look back at that crappy camera, which I adored and thought was the be-all, end-all of photography. Am I ever glad the world of digital photography came along.

When I was 18 I found myself working for the track photographer at Mosport. Later going on to shoot local Karting and eventually I found myself on the Superkarts! USA Pro Moto tour. Using karting photography to pay my way through college, I turned down the chance to study photography at the Ontario College of Art & Design and in 2001 I graduated from Durham College, just outside Toronto Canada with a diploma in Advertising design. I was briefly a junior Art Director at MacLaren McCann advertising agency, but In 2002 I could not pass up the opportunity to be the Production Manager and later Art Director for Howden Communications, publisher of ShifterKart Illustrated, FormulaCar & Speedway USA Magazines. This was probably the best job I have ever had. Working with Rob Howden at the center of north american karting media, designing race reports for the mags, traveling to the SCCA runnoffs, Supernats, Daytona Kart week, it was all great!

In January 2005, I left Howden Communications to focus on 'On Track Promotions', my motorsport photography & design agency. At OTP, I began shooting everything karting related, slowly making a name for OTP as the official Photographers for almost every North American Championship karting series. Shooting for KartSport, Go Racing, Racer, Autosport & Vroom magazine.

In 2007 I began a winter career as a Professor for the same college I was once a student. Teaching Digital Imaging and Magazine Production to future journalists and advertising designers. As a teacher, I have a few tips for future photographers: First of all, safety, you see karting photgraphers running around the track, almost carefree of being hit, this couldn't be further from the truth. Far too many times have I seen a kart fly through a barrier, where I was standing 2 seconds prior. Always understand the braking, and driving capabilities of your subject. You cannot ever predict kid karts and NEVER turn your back to the track! When in doubt, buy a bigger lense....it's cheaper than a leg amputation. Secondly, get a firm understanding of your camera, the effects of setting changes (aperture/shutter speed etc.). Lastly, get out there...Shoot!! Film is cheap in a digital camera, fill the memory card, one will turn out, always does for me!

Click image to view photo gallery.
Visit www.otp.ca to see more of Todd's work.

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