Ross Chastain

Photographer

David Smoak

Category

People Photography - Celebrities

Company

Second Shift Design

Submission Group

Professional

Year

2023

Country / Region:

United States

One of my favorite projects this year was a two-day shoot with NASCAR driver, Ross Chastain (with Kubota Tractor Corporation). But it wasn't your typical racing shoot. Rather, the idea was to highlight Ross' roots. The Chastains are now in their 8th generation of watermelon farming. (Thus, why he smashes watermelons after a victory.) A lot of that operation falls on his brother, Chad, and his father, Ralph. This was one of my favorite photos from the shoot, even if it wasn't part of the farming operation. Ralph and Ross reminisced in front of Ross' first car with a wall of trophies behind them. In this moment, you can tell how much Ralph loves and is proud of his boys.