Photos Captured by Sean Menezes Photography in Collaboration with The Strength Collective 613 here in Ottawa.

Race photos are often mass-produced, and if you competed like I have, post-race you’re stoked to see the photos, share them with friends, family and social media….but I’ve never truly been impressed or excited with what I saw. What I was always surprised by though was the price.

For a typical large scale race, cameras are set to auto, with hired personnel snapping hundreds or thousands of shots with little thought. These photos usually aren’t edited, just uploaded en masse and sold to make money. While these photos aren’t necessarily bad, they are far from what the athlete deserves. Race day means you’ve put it all on the line for months, if not years to be there and to compete. My media seeks to reflect that, with that same passion behind the camera.

I started out editing my own race photos from events, then those of my friends. After the privilege of shooting events like HYROX, Spartan Races, DEKAS, bodybuilding and powerlifting competitions, I was flooded with kind messages from athletes. For many, it was the first time they’d seen a photo of themselves competing that they actually liked, and those images flooded my instagram.

I put a lot of love and time into every photo from race day because athletes deserve high-quality race photos that don’t suck. Here in Ottawa, I’m working to redefine race photography on a community level by offering the Ottawa and Canadian athletic community truly incredible, cinematic race photos that tell a story of grit and determination, something the mass-produced approach simply can’t accomplish. Behind every athlete is a story, and behind each photo I promise to put the same dedication and passion that drives yours.

If you want race photos that capture your hard work, passion, and the moment you gave it everything, you’re in the right place.