LONG-TIME Australian motorsport photographer Dirk Klynsmith has elected to retire from full-time motorsport photography.
The award-winning Queensland-based snapper, who has supplied a wide range of publications and clients with shots from circuits throughout Australia and overseas for the last 30 years, has made the decision to step away from the sport on a full-time basis.
Klynsmith’s work has featured over the years in the pages of Motorsport News, Auto Action and in more recent times online with V8 Sleuth and Speedcafe.
His extensive back catalogue of motorsport photography was acquired by V8 Sleuth’s parent company, AN1 Media, in late 2017, and his work is regularly featured on both this website and in the organisation’s various book publications.
Klynsmith had intended for the last round of 2020 to be his farewell, however the COVID-affected season meant many of his long-time colleagues and friends were not on site at Mount Panorama, so he’ll bid them goodbye with a return to the track for the opening Supercars round in 2021 at Bathurst.
“I have travelled to and fro across this great country of ours and have ventured overseas to pursue my career as a motorsport photographer,” he wrote on social media today.
“I can say with an open heart that I have enjoyed every day of it. I cannot begin to imagine how many laps I have seen and photographed. I have met many people involved in all levels of the sport, drivers, crew members, marshals and of course media personnel and I look forward to the days when we can have a chat.
“I have decided to call a day on my full-time professional motorsport career effective immediately and in doing so close a chapter in what has been a major part of my life.
“I have some great career highlights, being the official photographer for the Adelaide 500 for every year, the main shooter for Motorsport News from issue 1, photographer of the year for both CAMS and Supercars more than once and clients like Speedcafe, GT, TCM, Carrera Cup, Eggleston Motorsport, Kelly Racing, Triple Eight, DJR, Erebus, Audi, Sutton Images, LAT Images, V8 Utes, Brett Peters Motorsport, Holden, NZ Speedsport and many others. Sorry to those who I have not mentioned.
“Thank you to all the drivers, teams, marshals, journalists, Supercars and photographers. It has been a great ride.
“I will be at Bathurst for the first round in 2021 to meet and shake your hands to say goodbye properly but for those who I won’t see, thank you and goodbye.”
The entire V8 Sleuth team wishes Dirk all the very best with his move away from full-time motorsport event photography, though we look forward to finding him some Queensland-based one-off gigs in the future to keep his shutter finger sharp!
