1. The Winter Blues

Are you feeling it yet? The emptiness of weekends without the sights and sounds of racing? I know I am, my partner has even suggested I join an addiction therapy group - I think she was joking, or was she serious?!! So Just like that the chequered flag has fallen on the 2023 race season and sunny days at trackside with my camera are over until 2024 *Fact Check* It wasn't always sunny in 2023.

Now it's time to reflect on what has been a great season in so many ways. I am pleased to have launched my website this year - Ridebyshots.com - and I will be trying to keep it up to date through the off season with fresh content and this blog. It's been a pleasure meeting some of my fellow photographers over the summer, Josh from @JGPhotography on the Isle of Man and John from Coppertown Photography on Anglesey - living on a small island greatly improves your skills as a photographer it seems.

On a personal level this year has been a real opportunity to build my portfolio. I've been lucky enough to cover every Wirral 100 Meeting and some rounds of the British Superbike Championship, The Isle of Man TT and No Limits Racing too. I have some stories to tell from meeting and photographing the riders from the various Championships including Arran Hands and his covert belly pan stickers and Danny Lewis trying to sell me a puppy (that was a scam) but these are tales for future blogs.

I'll end this first blog here as I need to contact that addiction therapy group! I'd just like to say a huge thank you for all your support over the course of the season and also thanks for taking the time to read my ramblings. I'm looking forward to catching up with you all soon but for now let's beat these winter blues.

Richard

Ridebyshots.com