Conversations with Liz McFarland

Today we’d like to introduce you to Liz McFarland. 

Hi Liz, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
I fell in love with short track racing when I was around 12 or 13 at Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway, and at the time I didn’t really fit in at school, I was grieving the loss of my dad, and was just trying to find some sort of purpose, I think that racing really did save me. Being involved in motorsports has given me the best friends and the best experiences, and I cannot imagine my life without it. 

I got my first camera in 2016, and I guess I just took it to the track one weekend and just never stopped! In 2020, Liz McFarland Photo was officially created, and in 2021 I started doing motorsports photography full time. 

After my freshman year of high school in 2020, I left public school and switched to an online school, which really gave me time to further my career in motorsports photography. I graduated high school in November of 2021, and in January of 2022, I moved to the University of Alabama! 

Towards the end of 2021, I really started traveling more for work which was surreal for me because I was only 16 and getting to travel to all of these cool tracks! LMP has brought me so many cool opportunities and experiences, I am just so blessed to have so many supportive people behind me. The drivers and families that support me at the track every single race weekend are quite literally the only reason that I can do this at all, and I do not know how I got so lucky. 

I would not be anywhere without Jesus Christ. He has had His hand on everything over the past few years of growing my business, and I know that He will continue to lead me where I need to be for the rest of my life. I hope that I reflect the love of Christ in everything I do, especially at the race track. I don’t know what my future looks like, but I know that right now Jesus has made it clear that I belong at the racetrack, and I will continue to do this until if or when I feel led elsewhere. 

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Getting to where I am today has been challenging overall, but I would say that it has been such a fun challenge. Starting any business comes with a lot of hard work. When I started doing this full time, I was 16 years old, and most motorsports photographers are men that had many years on me. So, you can just imagine the struggles that come with that! Gaining respect not just from other photographers, but also from some drivers has been a fun challenge over the past few years!

Just recently, moving to Tuscaloosa, Alabama for school has brought its own set of challenges. I am now a 4-hour drive away from Nashville, but luckily Alabama has plenty of racetracks that are closer to me! Recently I have been to two tracks in Alabama, one in Georgia, and one in Mississippi. It has been so fun getting to work at new tracks now that I have moved away from home. 

Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway is hosting the ARCA Menards Series Music City 200 & North/South Super Late Model Challenge on May 7th! Excited to get back to TN for this big event! If you have never been to a race before, this would be a great first experience!

Not to mention being a full-time college student as well as being at a different track almost every single weekend, it can be a lot to handle! 

I am just so blessed to be where I am today, but I am nowhere near where I want to be! The journey is just now starting, and I cannot wait to see what the next few years hold. 

As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
Right now, as well as photography I do some social media management for racecar drivers and teams! I have always had a passion for digital and social media, so doing this as a job has truly been so much fun. 

One of the most rewarding parts of my job is when one of my drivers ends up in Victory Lane after a race! I love seeing hard work pay off for grassroots racers. I really enjoy forming relationships with drivers and teams at the track and watching drivers, crew chiefs, spotters, etc. move up and onto bigger things! Almost everything about my job is so fun. I am reminded every weekend of how blessed I am. I have worked so hard to be able to do motorsports photography full time, and I am so thankful that I am able to. 

Contact Info:

• Email: [email protected]
• Website: lizmcfarlandphoto.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lizmcfarlandphoto/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lizmcfarlandphoto