40,000 racing images digitized!
This is a sight I won’t see in my office any more owing to the fact that all my old motorcycle racing images are finally scanned after eight years of work. (Larry Lawrence photo)
I don’t know whether to laugh or cry. After eight years of constant scanner hum in the background my office tonight falls silent.
I have finally scanned in the last of my approximate 40,000 racing images.
The “Larry Lawrence Collection” is fully digitized and in “The Cloud”, which means that hopefully my images will at least have a chance to provide some sort of legacy well after I leave this earth.
My biggest fear used to be that a tornado, fire or something would come through and wipe out years of work. I can rest easier now that my precious images are now safely tucked away digitally speaking.
I bought my first film scanner somewhere around 2004. I don’t recall the details of that first scanner, but I remember it was slow and cumbersome to use and I quickly got rid of it without doing much scanning. In 2005 I purchased a very nice Nikon Coolscan V and really got to work digitizing my motorcycle racing collection. Later I got a Canon scanner that greatly increased my production.
On and off since 2005 I’ve been chipping away at my closest full of large three-ring binders of negatives and massive boxes of slides dating from about 1982 to 1995.
In the early days of this project, in my mind I had set that I would make all these photos available online to purchase and was going to have a comfy retirement to look forward to. Reality in the value of old motorcycle racing photos hit me hard when in 2008 I spent hundreds of hours editing and posting hundreds of photos I’d scanned on a web-based photo sales site only to sell very few images.
The distinction of the rider on the last image in my collection scanned goes to 1980s AMA Superbike racer Ottis Lance. This is Ottis going through the dogleg at Daytona International Speedway in 1987 on his Kosar Racing Suzuki GSXR750. It was likely shot with a Canon A-1 body with a Soligor 200mm f/2.8 lens. (Larry Lawrence photo)
It was an underwhelming and disappointing response to say the least. I think after a year I’d sold only just enough photos to cover the cost of hosting the images on the site. Instead of retiring to a beach in the Bahamas, it looked like I would spend my golden years dipping my feet in a plastic baby pool on my back porch.
With the sales flop – what to do with my growing cache of digitized images?
That’s when it hit me to feature them on my own blog and Rider Files was born.
While I’m happy to have my scanning done, there will be at least one downside.
If I had one of those days where I didn’t manage to get any writing done, I could always take some solace that the day wasn’t completely wasted because I more than likely at least scanned some photos. I won’t have that crutch to lean on any longer.
My hope is to someday put all of the photos online sorted by year, race and rider number. It’s not that inconceivable now that the scanning is done.
My wife was searching through our family photos this morning and found one last box of Kodachrome slides from Daytona 1987. I scanned them today and that was it. The distinction of the rider on the image of my final scan goes to 1980s AMA Superbike racer Ottis Lance. I scanned a photo of Ottis going through the dogleg at Daytona International Speedway on his Kosar Racing Suzuki GSXR750. It was likely shot with a Canon A-1 body with a Soligor 200mm f/2.8 lens.
So I start a brave new world tomorrow. No photos to scan, no slightly perceivable hum in the background, no easy way to say I at least got something done on a bad day.
I may eventually be pleading to Rider Files readers to send me their images to keep me from being totally discombobulated. – Larry Lawrence
Rider Files 
Hey, I’ll box up all of my negs, prints and slides and send them to you…………. But please don’t take 8 years to get it done. I may not be here that long. 🙂
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Good Job Larry. I’ll buy some, send me a link to see what you’ve got. I ran around with that bunch, and am now showing vintage yamahas, always need old days photos.
Doug
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Larry, speaking for the people I know, we’re all grateful for your efforts. Most of us have moved so far past that point in our lives, that sometimes it seems like it never happened. Seeing an old photo of ourselves has been great, but I think I’ve enjoyed the shots of guys I raced against back then even more. That’s where the memories really lie, as the camraderie of those years left a permanent imprint on my life.
Regarding your last comment about reader submissions, I started to do exactly that. I probably scanned 30 images or so, before I realized that I was leaving fingerprints on the glass of my scanner, which smudged the scan. Perhaps you might have a suggestion on what to use to scan prints (I don’t have the negatives). I’ve seen systems that are basically digital cameras in a light box, but they seem to result in glare off the photo. Any suggestions?
BTW, I would venture to guess that I purchased just about any shot you ever took of me (narcissist? Who me?), but if you have some I don’t, let’s negotiate!
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Congrats Larry on the completion of an enormous project. Thanks for sharing them (pictures) with us on your excellent blog. I’ll continue to retweet your posts on Twitter every chance I get to direct more people to the Rider Files. Cheers !! Scott B.
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Congratulations Larry;I think. A completed project is always a mixed blessing. You have an amazing catalog of images an remembrances, THANK YOU for making them public…
Cheers,Rick
Ex WERA/CCS Racer, Official & forever fan.
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Hey Larry, Sorry your retirement plan didnt pan out but I think the end result has pleased alot of people. Thanks for sharing your work with us. Let us know when you want us to send you more photos!
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Kevin
Any flatbed scanner should work for your prints. Just make sure the glass is clean (I’ve found slighly wet, followed by dry toilet paper works great) then get a cheap bulb blower and blow off any dust before laying the prints face down on the scanner, close the lid andscan away. If they’re 4X6 prints try to scan at 300 dpi or higher. Make sure you’re just putting the raw prints down. Scanning through plastic holders does not work.
LL
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Anyone who has decent race photos (I really like pit shots showing riders, bikes, mechanics, etc.) send them to me and I’ll scan and feature on the site. I can scan prints, negatives or slides.
My address is:
Larry Lawrence
302 Sugar Bush LN S
Brownsburg, IN 46112
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Will you be putting all your pictures online?
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Congratulations!! Your work is really appreciated.
I love diving into your blog to see old pics of races and then also read the comments of those ‘already not so young’ riders. The way they used to suffer at Rockingham or claiming their RZ engine was absolutely stock.
I hope you keep writing about those old days for many years, yet.
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Larry, I for one love your blog and the ability to see images from past glory. As Kevin Fardoux says above, most of us (except Ed Key perhaps lol) have moved on and the old racing days are fading away. When I see your pics, it reminds me of the excitement I felt driving to Grattan on a Friday night with Charly and Karl, then sleeping on the wet grass until dawn to have the chance to go around real fast. As far as retirement goes, we can share a can of dog food while we review your pictures : )
Cheers and Thanks!
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Larry your hard work is so appreciated in a way that allows all of us to relive our days of glory and to bring perspective to our lives.
When I see your great work, my mind comes alive again, and that is why I rountily look forward to your blog.
Continue to do what you enjoy, and hopefully the money will follow. Thank you for doing this great blog/work.
Bill Hougaboom (still 426 in my mind)
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Hey Larry
Time to start another ebook!!! I bought best of Cycle News last month from amazon and would buy more of your ebooks if available. Great Job and Thanks for all the work you put into the site. My week is not complete if i do not stop in at least once a week.
Thanks Again
Brian
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