I am Stephen Picilaidis.

I am a photographer from Toronto, Canada. I started my journey in photography as I have always had a great eye for shots and a skill which I wanted to use. I fell in love with motorsport photography because of my passion and liking towards motorsports over the years.

Having been around cars all my life, I felt it was necessary to combine my passions and make a career of it. It all started one day when using my brother's point-and-shoot camera and watching it tip over on the tripod and seeing it break. That basic camera was used for all of the photo advertising which was used by our dealership which is run by my dad, brother and I. So we went to Henry's to find a solution and I walked out with a Canon Rebel T5i. I was extremely excited. I thought I was a pro within a few minutes, of course. Little did I know, that was the start of something great. From there, I would shoot whatever was around me. I just loved doing it and at the same time I started to teach myself new techniques along with a basic understanding of Adobe Lightroom Classic. After getting the opportunity to shoot at the track for the first time, I was ecstatic - but I knew I needed an upgrade if I wanted to keep up with high-paced motorsport.

Biography

Around November-time 2021, I purchased my current camera, a second-hand Sony A7R iii in combination with a Sigma 35mm f/1.2. Definitely a new experience, coming from an entry level camera and a kit lens. From there, I got a second-hand Sony 55-210mm which got me through a few track days. I was improving rapidly and slowly upgrading my gear along the way. Since then, I have bought a second-hand Sony 70-200mm f/2.8 G-Master and Sigma 100-400 f/5-6.3 DG. I have used this setup for a while due to being on a student budget and it does most of what I need it to do.

Finally, I'm driven, hard working and present my extreme work ethic wherever I go. I love the hustle and staying busy. I love what I do and am always looking to learn and improve.

I am Stephen Picilaidis.