Gulfstream Park track photographer Ryan Thompson up on the tote board for a bird’s eye view.. (Coglianese Photo)
Ryan Thompson likes to challenge himself whether it be picking an angle for a race shoot in Florida or scaling a glacier in Washington State
David Joseph/Gulfstream Park
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla.– Some people spend their time away from work relaxing on the beach. Photographer Ryan Thompson climbs things.
For instance, the 14,410 feet to the top of Mount Rainier.
Or the infield tote board at Gulfstream Park.
Thompson, a native of Chicago who’s been working for Coglianese Photos at Gulfstream for five years, started mountain climbing with his girlfriend Nicole as a way to stay in shape and to “push me forward to be a better person.” A former track photographer at Arlington Park and Hawthorne and graduate of Columbia College Chicago, Thompson has also scaled Colorado’s Mount Elbert Longs Peak, also more than 14,000 feet.
“You realize you have a limited amount of time on this earth, so you need to spend it doing things I enjoy, not take days for granted,” Thompson said. “You never know how long you’re going to be here, so you need to make the most of them. Working [at Gulfstream] has taught me that.”
Editor: What made you want to shoot race horses?
“I was looking for a steady photo job after college and ended up answering a Craigslist ad from the owner of Four Footed Fotos who at the time had the track photo contracts at both AP and Haw. Showing up that first day was my first time at a racetrack,” said Thompson.
“I was doing the same thing in Chicago at Hawthorne and Arlington for several years (before coming to Gulfstream). Landing those jobs was just luck,” he added.
