The photography of Bill Petro will be on display at the North American International Motorcycle Supershow at Toronto in January.
Petro has been photographing motorcycles and motorcycle racing since the early 1970s and was a regular contributor to Cycle Canada magazine. He was born and raised in Windsor, Ontario, and began winning photography contests in his teens.
He studied photography at Conestoga College and then moved to Toronto to work as a product photographer. But on the weekends, Petro would show up at motocross tracks to cheer on his brother and sharpen his action-photography abilities.
After developing an interest in road racing, he started showing up at Mosport, and then throughout the ’70s and ’80s he travelled North America to shoot race action.
The black-and-white images on display in the Performance and Racing Hall #4 come from a number of races in the 1970s.
A crossed-up and airborn Jim Pomeroy is seen in the 1972 Canadian 500 cc Motocross GP and an early on-track shot of Mosport road racers was taken while Petro sat on the back of a motorcycle in front of the group.
The North American International Motorcycle SUPERSHOW takes place January 15, 16, 17 at the International Centre, 6900 Airport Road in Mississauga.
And to add to Bondo’s comments on the Mosport shot, I think that was taken by Bill sitting backwards on Lang’s superbike. Just watching him do it was wild !
I really want to see this. I could use some inspiration and his shots are some of the best I’ve seen.
Agreed about Bill’s talents. And he’s a great guy as well.
Trivia time – in the roadracing photo, that’s Malcolm “Mouse” McPherson on #74, Chris Manley on #11, behind Mouse is Brian Henderson and it looks like either Jean Lysight or Len Fitch beside Brian – can’t tell for sure at that resolution. I’ll confirm who it is at the show.
This show is a must-see. Bill’s a GREAT photographer; it was always a delight to work with him when we were both associated with Psycho Canada.