On the road with Formula E photographer Shiv Gohil

Sitting back in a comfortable chair in his home studio, a smile of satisfaction playing across his lips, lock down has been kind to virtuoso photographer, Shiv Gohil.

Extending to us a warm digital welcome, we’re given a rare glimpse into his electric world as he reflects on a whirlwind of a career that’s taken him from glamorous wedding ballrooms to the gritty Formula E race track.

A family enterprise

Photography has been a part of my family since the 1960s when my grandfather owned a photo studio in Kenya.

Most of the time the most rewarding shots are the most difficult to capture.  As a photographer, you’re always trying to improve & blow the competition away and the most technically difficult images are the ones you want to hang up and show off! 

Sometimes you’re just in the right place at the right time and you capture an accident or a driver portrait in the perfect light.  I just have too many to choose from!

My dad introduced me to motorsport. He watched a lot of Formula 1 while I was growing up.  Over the years I have always admired the iconic images captured by the greatest motorsport photographers around the globe.

I remember skimming through issues of F1 magazines and newspaper articles, finding my favourite shots & putting them up on my wall.

58 races and counting

It feels amazing when you’re living your dream.

Being a part of motorsport has always been my goal and Formula E has made this possible.

I’ve been a part of the sport since it started in 2014, I’ve attended 58 races all around the world & I still have to pinch myself once in a while.

In Formula E it’s always nice when the champion is crowned. In July 2019, Jean Eric Verge became Formula E’s 1st double world champion.

The shots you get during the celebrations on the podium are always special and he’s a great guy to photograph as he loves the camera!

Staying productive during COVID-19

COVID-19 has affected everyone around the world. The sports & events industry will take years to recover.

I had a lot of weddings and sports events to photograph during the summer which have been postponed.

I’ve used the time to build a new brand, website, update all my social media platforms, get on top of existing wedding album editing, book weddings for 2021 and get the admin side of things up to speed, it’s a lot more work than most people realise.

But I can’t wait to get the cameras out and to start shooting again! I’m a people person, I do miss the crowds at weddings and the Formula E paddock.

A unique choice of car

Being a part of Formula E, you would think I would go electric, but unfortunately I’m still a part of the petrol society.

I currently drive a VW Scirocco R. It’s not a very common car which is why I bought it. I see a lot of the same hot hatches out on the roads but the Scirocco is by far the prettiest and the ‘R’ engine is pretty fast.

As for a dream car, I’d say the 1967 Shelby GT500, dubbed Eleanor in the film ‘Gone In 60 Seconds’ or the original Honda NSX as the car was developed by the late Ayrton Senna.

Greatest sports personality of all time?

Michael Schumacher hands down.  I started watching Formula 1 in 1992 and loved the yellow Benetton car Schumacher drove in his 1st season of Formula 1.

I had no idea he would go on to become the most successful driver in F1 history. I followed his entire career and my support for him has not diminished to this day. 

If it wasn’t for him, I would not have any interest in motorsport.

Will Formula E ever be as big as Formula 1?

Formula E is an amazing championship. The racing is closer, the tracks are less forgiving, the sport allows the fans to be closer to the drivers.

Formula 1 has years of history. The cars are faster, more intimidating and sound a whole lot better.

Most people know F1, but there are so many more motorsport categories which have been around for years that the general public don’t know about such as WEC, WRC, BTCC, F2, F3 and Blancpain – I feel Formula E has jumped these championships in 6 years!

Virtual Formula E: Yay or nay?

Yay – but it shouldn’t be taken too seriously!

You can follow Shiv’s pre pro and post pandemic progress on www.shiv.photo/motorsport or on his twitter (@shiv_photo) and instagram (@shiv_photo_) channels.

Meanwhile, here are a few choice snaps from Shiv’s incredible portfolio of pictures galore. A real sight for sore eyes in these desperate times:

We hope to go back on the road with Shiv soon, as the lid on restrictions lifts and the drivers trade their simulators for the race track.