Since the heat is here and the off-road season needs to cool off, I have the time to throw myself, head first, into my archive to re-work with updated knowledge published, client or never seen photographs creating new collections that, in this case, transforms into a Bryce Menzies essay, an essay that speaks of the avant-garde in off-road...
This photo above is my latest frame, shot at the Baja 500 a month ago, putting a clinic on how-to-handle a 4wd trophy-truck. But my archive goes back all way down to 2012, when I got my first DSLR, a Nikon D5000 with two kit lenses, 18-55 & 18-300 mm...
The first photo was shoot with that 18-55mm, outside a turn, back then when I was young, reckless and could run much faster...
The second photo is one that I consider very special, probably one of the very first frames where I felt funny right after I shot it. By the way, this was one of the last times where the finish line didn't have a 35mi/hr speed limit, good times.
Jump to 2013 above and 2014 below, my first Mint 400 coverage for MadMedia, back then when I still didn't have a clue of wtf I was doing, I was just following my fan-instinct trying to see something cool out there, pushing myself and my luck, with some good results after all...
In 2015 I shot what it is the only time I have seen that #7 fail.
As you can see, I didn't dare to stand in front of him, Bryce was pissed and I don't blame him, he was on a mission prior that...
Then a little bit of my short course era, Bryce always in front.
I also had the opportunity to do special assignments like pre-running thru Baja or slashing dunes in Glamis, somewhere between 2015 & 2018...
2017 with some Best in the Desert (RIP BITD) moments, Vegas to Reno and Mint 400...
And then the Huseman experimentation, lasting only 2 years (2018-2019)
My camera and that truck had a love-hate relationship, black trucks are visually boring, i mean, most of the time they just end up looking like shadows, but then, this truck was unique and the lights on front always on helped me with contrast.
Either way, my opinion is no all-black trucks please unless you're black and silver red bull livery cool... or your nickname is black diamond...
2020 and the arrive of Mason, the 4-wheel drive perfected...
2021-2022 the saga continues, if im honest with you, I don't like how most of the TT field are Mason's now, I see the appeal but I wish at least the body panels changed between teams, I miss the old days, I guess...
Meanwhile this trucks are getting faster...
2023 and present.
Daring to approach the races from a different perspective, in '23 I tried to capture the feeling of finishing a Baja 1000, or in Bryce's case, the feeling of winning it for the first time.
And to wrap up, the current SCORE season, I gotta say that this year livery is really nice, love the textured wrap that looks incredible at fast motion...
Thank you for stopping by.
If you would like to support my work and get a beautiful frame at the same time, let me know if you're interested to get a print of any of my photos, just send me an email or send me a dm on ig.
Cheers,
E. Araiza
E. Araiza
