Putting in the extra effort to snap the "money shot" has earned a Tauranga photographer a national sports photography title for the third time.
Stuart Whitaker won Speedway Photographer of the Year at an awards ceremony held in Wellington on Saturday night - having won the same award in 2007 and 2009.
Judges said it was awarded to the photographer who excelled in their camera work in the 2014/15 season.
Once a hobby, photography had now become a weekend profession for the Bay of Plenty Times sports reporter who had also worked as a snapper at Baypark for 10 years.
"The last two or three seasons I've tried to think a lot more about it, trying to get different angles, look for different places to stand," he said.
He submitted a diverse range of images in his portfolio including a couple of "the big crash shots".
"I think with the big crash shots there's a lot of luck involved."