A story about how and where my passion for photography started . It was these pictures that lit the fire. Read on!
It was around the end of 2002 to the beginning of 2006 when we would hit the sand pits of the good ole country land of Pageland South Carolina. Andrews Motorsports is always closed during the winter months of January and February so it was during these times when a group of 5 guys including myself would load up and head out for a day of fellowship and wide open sand spraying. It was one of those places where you left knowing your ability of riding was tested... but in a good way. It was just a great time. I believe I can honestly say that the weekends we rode the sand were some of the best times I've ever had riding. There was just something about the sand pits that made up a super fun day of riding. In fact, these sand pits are the birth of my passion for photography. I'll never forget telling the guys that someone needs to be taking some pictures since we were having so much fun. I was the only one willing to sacrifice a little bit of riding to get some shots... so I just started sitting out a couple of motos each time we went just to take pictures. After seeing my pictures after my first day of shooting, I was a bit stunned. I had no idea of what a good photo was suppose to look like but all I knew was that I was getting the peek of the moment. Eventually I got hooked and it got harder to commit to a day of riding. All I was wanting to do was take pictures. At the time I was using Shell-Bells point and shoot camera, which I call pocket cameras since they're so small... and the rest is history. I started taking that camera out to the track when it was open and tried getting the best looking photo I could. Year after year I would continue doing the same ole thing until early 2006 if I remember correctly. We arrived at the sand pits for some riding only to find a cable across the entrance. Long story short, I think the issues with the sand pits were something that we all knew were gonna happen yet at the same time, hoped they never would. By now there is no telling what those places are like. Maybe nothing at all has changed but the fact that we can not ride there anymore was a change we all hated to see. Even though our time at the sand pits were shorter than what we wanted, I can always remember holding the throttle wide open... the deep sand ruts and the big sand waves. Here's to those times.
Here are the photos that lit the photography fire that is burning ever so strong.
Bryan (doc) Persinger throws a big sand wave as he goes through one of the many photogenic sand corners.
Right after the big sandy corner was this tricky right hand corner that was filled with ruts. Rich Field demonstrates how to exit.
When we decided to hit a motocross track instead of the sand pits, we usually came here to sand hills motocross track, which is not that far from the pits. Todd Coyler shows off some style while riding this long winding left handed rut.
Mike Andrews on a hill corner at the sand pits. Mike was good at riding in the sand and new how to get around really fast.
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