Last night I was thumbing thru the Castrol book of the SSDT by Tommy Sandham, and noticed around 1970 Eric Kitchen started taking photos of trials.

I don't know Eric, nodded to him a time or two at a world round or the SSDT but know nothing about him other than he has been taking photos of trials for around thirty five years, many of his old photos will never be seen by most of the young riders and enthusiasts of today, Like the six photos in sequence that show Mart Lampkin fiving a section on Ben Nevis in 79 that cost him the win, and older lads like myself probably have only seen a fraction of his work.

One thing for sure! he has mastered the art of taking pictures of trials.

A book of his work over the last 35 years or a web-site sure would be a great historic window of trials past and present.

That would be good, 30+ years of his best photo's.

I had the pleasure of meeting him in Switzerland, nice bloke and very easy to get on with.

He attended every single round of the World Outdoor Championship in 2004 - not bad going for a 72 year old

Hi,

First "met" Eric when he gave a young trials photographer a hand up a rock. Camera's in both hands and no steady hand it was very kind of him to stop me from dropping the lot down the section.

Since then over the years I've studied Eric's approach to the observers and riders whilst also watching where he positions himself to get the best photos. Along with Mario.C I've learned a lot from them both.

As for the photos's, yup gotta agree Eric's got te art nailed.......and it really would be great to see a book or website with his work down the years.

Ian.

Here Here. What a nice bloke. My wife and I met Eric at the Spanish round of the Outdoor World Championship this year (Puerto Pajares). Didn't realise at the time,,,what a BIGTIME photographer he is. Really nice guy....and doing well for his age if he's really 72

So come on Eric..put a book together of your best shots over the years. Sounds like you've got some buyers for it already...including me!

Eric is the master - he has the ability to be in the right place at the right time - although as you are hanging on at the end of a section and opening the throttle to try to make the ends cards, inevitably Eric is lying in front of you, camera in hand.

He also shows that you dont need spectacular sections to get a good photo - look at this one and think of scotland top photo

A book or a web site with some of the Eric pictures ????

THE BEST IDEA !!!!

100 % true Big John !!! The picture was taken in Ba House, SSDT 2000 and of course for the best trials photographer of the world: ERIC KITCHEN !!!