Callo Albanese

Finding Beauty In The Pieces Of Racetracks And Riders

Photo essay by Italian motorsports photographer Callo Albanese

It’s just the presence or absence of light, texture, and color. And while we’ve all seen thousands of photos of racers and racetracks, the perspective offered by Italian motorsports photographer Callo Albanese takes us closer. Even though Albanese calls himself “un fotografo ad alta velocità” or “a high-speed photographer,” there is something so serene and studied in the work shown here.

Following both Formula 1 car racing and MotoGP, Albanese finds a new angle on the beauty of circuits right down to paint and asphalt texture, though he incorporates technical details of machines, shots of scuffed leathers, and motorcycles in motion to broaden the art and give the viewer a new feeling for the drama of where and what we race.

“Signature on Asphalt,” Le Mans, France. Andrea ­Iannone, scuffed.Callo Albanese
“Color Dots on Curbs,” Italy, where racing is life.Callo Albanese
“Circuit Map from Above,” Circuito de Jerez, Spain. Custom manhole covers are the ultimate racetrack infrastructure improvement.Callo Albanese
“The Right Way,” Australian Grand Prix.Callo Albanese
“Italians Do It Better,” ­Mugello Circuit, Italy. Valentino Rossi, of course, taking pole in 2018.Callo Albanese
“Chessboard,” Hockenheimring, Germany. There is more movement in racing and at least as much strategy.Callo Albanese
“The Famous Casanova Savelli,” Mugello Circuit, Valentino Rossi’s favorite corners at his home track.Callo Albanese
“Simply a Birillo,” Baku Circuit, Azerbaijan. Birillo means “pin,” as in bowling, in Italian, but we’d call this a cone.Callo Albanese
“Parking Lot,” Australian Grand Prix, the many colors of our circus locations.Callo Albanese
“Shadows on the Grid,” as the supporting cast of racing stands by.Callo Albanese
“Human Touch,” Circuit of the Americas, Austin, Texas. Immaculate preparation of the finest racing motorcycles in the world.Callo Albanese