‘Better than any therapy’
MotoGP photographer has big plans to boost diversity in motorsport media
AMotoGP photographer with more than 20 years in the profession, is hoping to bring more people from underrepresented and underprivileged backgrounds into motorsport media.
Graham Holt, 64, from Northwich, established Click Diversity on the eve of the Covid pandemic, before kicking things off properly around 18 months ago.
In that time, he and his team have mentored between 15 and 16 candidates at MotoGP rounds – teaching them everything they need to know about trackside photography, with the aim of getting at least one of their photos published by the end of the event.
“I was at the Formula One in 2019, standing with all the photographers at the end of the straight at Le Castellet (Paul Ricard Circuit) and every single one was a white male and there must’ve been 40 or 50 of them,” Holt explained. “I just thought ‘no wonder people aren’t looking for opportunities’.”
The programme has now been supported by both Canon cameras and Alpinestars, with Dorna providing the extra media passes to allow Graham and his team to deliver the scheme. Candidates are also able to attend press conferences and get pitlane access on the Thursday of race weekends.
Groups catered for include women over 18, ethnic minorities, physically disabled, the LGBTQ community, armed forces veterans, and more. Alongside photography, Graham has now also enlisted the help of mentor journalists to provide experience, too.
“They don’t have to have any equipment because we supply all of that,” the Click Diversity founder continued. “We then do a pre-event training session with them where we cover everything from the codes of conduct, to what they will expect on the weekend, and we gear it around them. If they want particular shots, we’ll show them how to do them. We get them to research it because when it comes to the event, there will be particular stories floating around.”
Candidates this year will be heading to both the MotoGP and World Superbike paddocks. As part of their involvement in WSBK, Click Diversity will be supplying photography to the Sekhmet International Motorcycle Racing Team in the FIM Women’s Motorcycling World Championship.
“The goal is to try and get a picture on the Sunday maybe that’s good enough to be published. It goes out to my contacts - and I deal with several agencies,” Holt added.
“This one guy had massive mental health problems and he came to us, and his comment was ‘it’s better than any therapy I’ve ever had’. That’s one of the most rewarding aspects of it.”
Current prices for the experience start from £1750 and don’t include travel expenses. The flyaway rounds are costed up on an individual basis. The team are also actively encouraging businesses and private sponsors to assist with financial support, so more candidates can be helped. Visit clickdiversity.co.uk to help or get involved.