1 Minute with Stefano Mesa

Posted on August 16, 2015

by LaRae

Photographing Men of MotoAmerica 2015

Stefano Mesa, Pro Rider #37 of Turbo Turtle Racing

One of my favorite people to see at the track is pro rider #37, Stefano Mesa.

A couple years back, Jon had been working on a special project for Ducati Seattle and Mesa had come up for the weekend to test out the bike at Portland International Raceway for the Oregon Motorcycle Road Racing Association (OMRRA) Round 5. I drove down to the track from Seattle to relax with the guys and to document a behind the scenes look of a rider’s day in addition to creating one of my signature environmental portraits of Stefano on the track. The series of portrait images were taken at the every end of the day when the sun was setting and they turned out stellar, if I do say so myself. You can check out that series of images HERE.

So ever since then, whenever I see Stefano, he brightens up my day. He’s fun and lighthearted, however, when it comes to racing and competing, he gets serious and down to business. And it was in that moment I chose to photograph him for this MotoAmerica series at Road America in Sheboygan, WI, riding with Turbo Turtle Racing.

He had just come off the track from a race and was gearing up to go back out soon. His focus was piercing and fierce, and that is exactly how I wanted to capture him: the juxtapose to his regular demeanor. Love how they turned out, especially the last image, it’s just so raw.

Thank you, Stefano, for allowing me to photograph you once again.

Stefano Mesa, Pro Rider #37 of Turbo Turtle Racing at MotoAmerica - Road America, Elkhart Lake, WI, May 31, 2015 — Stefano Mesa, Pro Rider #37 of Turbo Turtle Racing at MotoAmerica – Road America, Elkhart Lake, WI.

Thanks to all who have participated in this series to date.
All the posts from the MotoAmerica series can be viewed HERE
If you are interested in your team being a part of this series, please contact me HERE.