Ever wondered why you see us snapping away at some races… but not others? Do we spin a wheel? Draw lots? Follow the weather? 😄
Truth is, we’d love to be at every single race—but sadly, we haven’t quite figured out how to clone ourselves (yet). So here’s a peek behind the scenes at how we decide where to show up.
It Starts with Our People
First—and most importantly—we’re limited by our photographers.
Our team is made up entirely of volunteers (yes, legends, all of them), and they each have full-time jobs, families, and lives outside of running. As much as they’d love to be everywhere, it’s just not possible.
So… we have to pick our races wisely.
Race Priority: Who Makes the Cut?
At the top of our list are competitive races. Think big-name events like 2XU Compression Run; Great Eastern Women Run where runners are chasing PBs and podiums—those are right up our alley.
On the flip side, themed fun runs (you know the ones—costumes, mascots, and lots of selfies) tend to be lower priority… unless one of our photographers happens to be a huge fan. 😉
Somewhere in the middle are charity runs. We do our best to cover these when resources allow, because hey—running for a good cause always deserves some love.
When We (Regretfully) Say No
There are a few situations where we will usually skip a race:
- Official event photographers are already in place
If photos are being sold by appointed photographers, we stay out of the way—unless the organisers invite us in. - Copyright and trademark restrictions
Some large events have strict rules about using their names and logos. We love running, but we love not getting sued even more. - Hard-to-access venues
Events held entirely indoors, in stadiums, or in restricted areas (like vertical marathons or HYROX-style races) can be tricky for us to cover. - Night races
Shooting runners in the dark is… let’s just say, not our superpower. Even with fancy lenses, it’s a challenge.
Early morning races are a bit kinder—we may miss the speed demons, but once the sun’s up, we’re back in business.
Want Us at Your Race? Let’s Talk!
We’re always open to working with event organisers. In fact, when we collaborate, we go all in—mobilising our team to capture as many runners (and smiles) as possible.
So if you’re organising a race… hint hint… drop us a message at [email protected] and let’s make something happen.
Join the Crew
Love running and photography? Why not combine both?
We’re always on the lookout for volunteer photographers to join the Running Shots team. Slide into our DMs or email us at [email protected]—we promise it’s more fun than waking up at 4am alone. 😄
