| In the early days of automotive racing and before | | | | race cars for the Infiniti Indy project. Jesse also |
| television only an artist or photographer could capture | | | | began working in his personal darkroom enlarging his |
| the magic of the automotive racing world for | | | | images for display in galleries. Anderson's photography |
| enthusiasts around the world to experience. One such | | | | is unique in the automotive world in that it goes |
| photographer was Jesse Anderson. Anderson was | | | | beyond documenting cars and reporting races to |
| born in 1929 in Santa Barbara, California. He attended | | | | reflecting the emotions of the people involved and it |
| the University of California at Santa Barbara. In the | | | | is this attribute that gives his work universal appeal. |
| early 50's he became interested in motorsports. He | | | | His images of drivers, mechanics and spectators are |
| first owned an MGTD, and then a Morgan Plus Four | | | | popular with collectors who don't even like motor |
| followed by a Sunbeam Talbot. He started to visit | | | | sports. However, they do appreciate his unique ability |
| local tracks at Pebble Beach and Palm Springs to | | | | to capture the drivers' emotional reactions to their |
| photograph the races. At Palm Springs he witnessed | | | | moment of triumph. |
| Clark Gable driving the lap of honor in his Jaguar | | | | For instance, in 1962, the late Jim Clark drove a circuit |
| XK120. Then he saw Johnny von Neumann behind | | | | he despised. Both his teammate and a close friend |
| the wheel of the first Porsche 356 to be driven in | | | | and been killed on the same track in two different |
| California. These experiences led to his passion for | | | | accidents. Yet Clark won and it was his first Formula |
| motorsports. | | | | One victory. While Anderson's portrait of Clark shows |
| Then in 1953 Anderson went to Mexico to | | | | a certain satisfaction, there is still a touch of sadness |
| photograph the Pan American Road Race. This was | | | | as opposed to elation over a victory. |
| the beginning of a lifelong career documenting | | | | Anderson has several books to his credit including |
| motorsports. A year later he and his family traveled | | | | Forty Years of Motorsport Photography, At Speed, |
| to Europe where Anderson acquired a VW Microbus | | | | Looking Back, Salute to Ferrari, and Driven: The |
| to journey around the continent. He ended up in | | | | Racing Photography of Jesse Alexander 1954-1962. |
| Reims on July 4, 1954 and began photographing the | | | | He has been awarded the prestigious Dean Batchelor |
| French Grand Prix. His shots of Formula One races | | | | Lifetime Achievement Award for excellence in |
| and international championship events have appeared | | | | automotive journalism. His work is on display in |
| in numerous automotive publications such as Car and | | | | galleries around the world and has been appeared in |
| Driver, Road & Track, and Automobile. In 1965 | | | | various exhibitions such as Art and the Automobile in |
| Newsweek assigned him to cover the 24 Hours of | | | | Ogden, Quebec, October 2009. |
| LeMans. Then in 1967 Sports Illustrated published a | | | | Anderson still makes his home in Santa Barbara, |
| spread on motorcycle racing. In 1997, Nissan | | | | California where he continues to create museum |
| commissioned him to shoot the drivers, crew, and | | | | quality fine art prints in his personal darkroom. |