Rudy, let’s start right away with a direct question: what has your journey as a photographer been like?

I developed a passion for photography in 2008, so I’m a photographer of the digital era. I’ve always been drawn to sports, especially speed, and in 2011, when photography turned from a passion into a life choice, I began working in a photo studio connected to the Mugello Circuit. It was a great starting point and, step by step, I started covering not just the racetrack but also events and all the related activities.

In 2014, I met Callo Albanese, who guided me through a path of professional growth, helping me create increasingly meaningful images. After covering PMI events during the 2015 and 2016 seasons, I had the opportunity to attend several Ferrari single-seater launch events and to follow the Scuderia during the 2018 and 2019 F1 seasons.

All of this ran in parallel with other work I was doing, including documenting numerous stages of the MotoGP. In 2020, I began my collaboration with Getty Images, the agency I still work with today, covering numerous events including the F1 World Championship.

Following an F1 season isn’t easy. Beyond the workload and minimal margin for error, there’s also the time spent away from your family. How do you manage it all?

I’ve learned to take care of my free time. When I’m home and there are no scheduled events, I’m 100% a present father and husband. That helps me relieve stress and focus on what makes me feel good. I spend time with my kids, support my wife, go to the gym, ride my bike… I completely disconnect from work to recharge and make up for the time I inevitably spend away. Even when I’m traveling, I always try to carve out moments for myself and my family.

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That certainly isn’t easy. In fact, people who see an image published in a magazine or on social media often have no idea what goes on behind the scenes. It’s the life of a photographer, filled not only with technical challenges but also environmental ones.

Exactly. The race cars run whether it’s sunny or raining, and photographers move around the circuit on foot. It might sound simple, but it’s anything but. Each day we receive a Photo Brief with all the editorial and client requirements.

I follow the VCARB (Visa Cash App Racing Bulls) team and have several things to cover: VIP clients, garage, track, qualifying sessions, sponsor shoots, and more. I always carry a News Wear belt with a transmitter, ND filter, unmounted lenses, my bib, and a rain jacket. If I’m in the pit lane, I leave it in the back with the 400mm, which I then take with me to the track.

Planning and studying the layout carefully is crucial, because what’s requested isn’t always easy to achieve. Sometimes structures and weather conditions force us to find alternative solutions.

I imagine not all circuits are the same, and that you face physical limitations that aren’t always easy to work around.

That’s right. Besides the track layout, safety barriers can also change the photographic approach. In many situations, we now find new fences where previously there weren’t any. That changes everything: behind a fence, you can only shoot with a telephoto lens. But if that spot was ideal for panning shots because of the light and surroundings, you have to relocate.

Then there are structural differences: in some circuits, the pit lane is backlit; in others, there’s no space for side shots. You always have to study and plan to meet expectations. And each year the conditions change—not always for the better, at least for us photographers.

Studying alternatives is important in every field of photography, but on the track the limitations increase, as do editorial demands. How do you manage it all?

The agency I work for is extremely well organized, and having several colleagues on the track allows us to cover everything without going crazy.

The work splits into two parts: one for the team and one for the editorial agency. Between the pits and the track, there are a lot of activities, plus off-track shoots with the drivers. That’s all part of the Grand Prix package.

Having a team of colleagues is crucial, especially during practice and race sessions. For editorial work, specific framing is needed: side, front, three-quarter, and panning shots.

We spread out along the track, and each photographer takes position at an optimal point to produce images not only for themselves but also for the others. This collaboration allows us to achieve wide coverage without having to run from spot to spot, avoiding wasted time and missed shots. The cars pass by once per lap and not every pass is exciting—being part of a team really makes a difference. The agency handles everything in the best way possible.

Covering every situation mainly means ensuring the editorial side is handled—getting content out to press agencies in near real-time.

Exactly. We shoot in both RAW and JPG for two different needs: we do the selection directly in-camera and send the JPGs to the editors, who process them very quickly. We keep the RAW files for later use and for the client, who has higher quality standards. The transmitter allows us to send a batch of JPGs in just a few seconds, so we can be immediately ready for the next task.

You often use different lenses on track. How do you organize that?

In the pits, I use prime lenses: sometimes a 20mm or 24mm, but mostly 35mm, 50mm, 85mm, and 105mm. Indoor spaces require more attention because pit boxes vary in size and the pit lane isn’t always wide.

So the choice depends on what I need to shoot and the space available. On the track, I prefer the 400mm and the 70-200mm. I use the 24-70mm in parc fermé because it gives me speed and flexibility. It’s a job that requires meticulous planning: once it starts, there’s no time to think. You have to bring the images home no matter the lighting or situation.

And then there’s all the editing work, especially for the images delivered to the teams.

Yes, exactly. We transmit the editorial images almost in real time. For the team, we deliver the developed RAW files by the end of the day to ensure the highest quality.

On average, it’s about 600 final images per weekend, selected from 1000–1500 usable shots. Of course, the total number of photos taken is much higher. Once the editorial and the shoot are done, the main phase begins: delivering the full set of images.

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Last year, we began optimizing your cameras without a full profiling process. This year, you switched to the customized version of TheSpack. What benefits have you seen?

Even though last year’s solution wasn’t optimal, it helped me a lot—I managed to close out the second half of the season with faster turnaround times.

This year, working with the customized TheSpack profiles, the improvement has been significant. What used to take me 25–30 minutes two years ago, I now do in 5 minutes with even higher quality.

It may sound unbelievable, but the color profiles have improved the image straight from the moment the file is opened, allowing me to work quickly and achieve the desired result almost instantly.

Now, the main focus is on neutralizing the white point properly to get clean images—after that, everything becomes simple. Having both standard profiles and Untwisted profiles that preserve hue deviation gives me speed and flexibility in any condition.

At first, I had to adjust, because it’s a completely different workflow from the one I used before. But now, the advantages are undeniable.

The real difference is that before I had to manually optimize every single shot. Now, I just sync the images from the same situation, and they’re ready to go—no color cast, no unwanted shifts with the first ray of sunlight.

It’s not just about time or quality—it’s about the freedom to see in the final image what I actually saw on set. I achieve the result in just a few steps, and that’s crucial. Clients notice it.

So it’s not true that clients don’t understand quality or images?

Absolutely not. We’re talking about very specific requirements dictated by brands that make Color Identity a cornerstone. It’s not about generic visibility—these are high-level investments that directly impact our work.

People often don’t realize it, but the track is full of banners and LED walls. We have to be very careful with the logos we frame—they must not conflict with the client’s sponsors. Otherwise, the images become unusable.

What seems marginal to many is actually central to our clients. Getting accurate colors for liveries and racing suits—consistent with corporate identity—is a non-negotiable requirement.

With TheSpack, I’ve solved that issue: I can shoot in any condition and deliver images that match the brand’s visual guidelines.

This results in outcomes that satisfy both me—in terms of time and quality—and the client, thanks to brand consistency. It eliminates countless problems.

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