My Story

Hi there! My name is Krista, and photography was a Cinderella story I never knew was possible, until it was! I bought my first camera in 2020 amid the crazy events of the pandemic. I was in school to become an Occupational Therapy Assistant, and waiting to complete my clinical work during the summer. However, when the pandemic was at its peak, hospitals and nursing homes stopped taking on students. So, I essentially was waiting "on call" for when that process would begin again, and having always been an art kid growing up, bought my first DSLR - a Nikon D3500, which I still have today! (I'm a sentimental sucker.) I spent the summer going to hikes, spending time with family, and teaching myself how to shoot. I cannot tell you just how many YouTube videos I watched, but it was a lot. Fast forward to the fall, and I got the call to go back to school. I set the camera down for the winter, finished up my degree, and figured photography would be something fun to do in my spare time.

I got my first healthcare job the following spring, and in the summer of 2021 I was invited by a friend to provide media coverage for Michalek Brothers Racing for Night Under Fire at Summit Motorsports Park in Norwalk, Ohio. Prior to this, I barely knew was drag racing was! I have no family involved in the sport, and I had never stepped foot at a racetrack before. I didn't know where to stand, how the sport operated, and I was still learning how to operate my new camera, a Sony A7III.

Little did I know, that event would change the course of my life. I had so much damn fun capturing Corey & Kyle's team, and I couldn't wait for another opportunity to do so. Corey is not only one of the most skilled drivers, but also owns his own media company - the storytelling giant that is React104. If you aren't familiar, stop reading here and immediately check out his work, and then come back when you're just as enamored as the rest of the industry. He has also become one of my closest friends, and is one of the main reasons my career in motorsports is what it is today. That fall, I was laid off from my healthcare job, shortly after purchasing my first home. With a new mortgage and a whole other host of responsibilities, I was STRESSED. However, I found myself in luck again, as this was about the same time Corey decided to leave his marketing job to pursue his cinematography business full time. By this time, I was completely hooked into drag racing, and I knew I wanted to pursue media in the same capacity. I told Corey that if he'd let me join him, I would learn whatever and go wherever he needed me to. Everything I know about videography came from working as Corey's second shooter, and I'm extremely proud and grateful for that skillset. We work together as often as we can, and whenever he gets the chance to drive his dragster you can find me photographing every run.

Since that year and a half of primarily working for Corey, my photography work started gaining traction. And by traction, I mean it's completely spiraled into a full time gig. I now attend every NHRA event on the schedule, and have a host of clients ranging in a variety of categories across the sport. I've been featured in Drag Illustrated's Women of Power, and have had multiple features of my work throughout their issues - most notably securing the cover of 2023's Photo Annual. (First female photographer with a cover, AND first black and white cover!) While the accolades and achievements are always fun, my love for the sport lies with the people who participate in it. I am asked quite often if I ever get tired - and my answer is always the same. Tired? Yes. But never tired OF it. The travel wears you down over the season, but for me personally - the minute I get to the track I'm exactly where I want to be.

Thank you for reading, and in the words of one of my favorite writers, Kelly Wade, "See you out there". :)

-KZ