Putting in the extra effort to snap the "money shot" has earned a Tauranga photographer a national sports photography title for the third time.
Stuart Whitaker won Speedway Photographer of the Year at an awards ceremony held in Wellington on Saturday night - having won the same award in 2007 and 2009.
![The winning shot. One of the images that helped Bay of Plenty photographer Stuart Whitaker claim national sports photography title for the third time. Photo/Stuart Whitaker](https://www.nzherald.co.nz/resizer/v2/WUBKUQMRAHPRMVPRKNLV5AL45I.jpg?auth=737f2aa8078b112f8891614f234893c649c6e5710571a0c80bdc73cde8e201a8&width=16&height=9&quality=70&smart=true)
Judges said it was awarded to the photographer who excelled in their camera work in the 2014/15 season.
Once a hobby, photography had now become a weekend profession for the Bay of Plenty Times sports reporter who had also worked as a snapper at Baypark for 10 years.