Harness: Profile of The Meadows' track photographer Chris Gooden

What kind of car do you drive?

Mitsubishi Outlander Sport.

Favorite dinner meal? Snack?

Anything seafood; pretzels

Outside of The Meadows, what is your favorite track to visit?

Of the ones I’ve been to, The Big M (Meadowlands).

What is your favorite event in racing?

Anything big in Europe. I miss the giant crowds!

How often is racing on your mind?

25/8. HA!

What is your favorite thing to do outside of being a track photographer?

Right now, it is cycling. Getting out on the trail in the middle of nowhere really clears my mind.

What is your favorite sport to watch? Team?

I don’t watch a lot of sports, but I’d have to say MMA. If I need to pick a team, the (Pittsburgh) Penguins.

What is one thing about you most fans/bettors don’t know?

I went to college to be a high school math teacher.

What is one word that describes harness racing for you?

LOVE.

How did you get started in the sport?

My ex-wife was friends with the track photographer here before me. He needed backup and I was just getting into photography, so I took the job. After four years, he retired and I took over in 1998.

Is being the photographer at The Meadows your only job?

I shoot some other things, like portraits. I also dabble in some website work.

Did you ever expect that you would be a track photographer?

LOL, no. I had never even been to a track before my first day on the job.

What have you been doing during the COVID-19 period of inactivity?

Riding my bike and doing my best to eat healthy.

Has the time away from the track been hard for you?

Yes and no. I’ve always been a loner, so being home alone while my wife was still working didn’t bother me much. But, photography is my passion, so not doing that often was hard on me.

You’ve won a number of awards for your work in the sport. What do those mean to you?

It’s funny, I never set out win awards. I never even entered until three years ago when TJ (Burkett) asked to submit my drone shot for the Smallsreed. It was never important to me. I just liked to make art. But, it’s been an amazing ride these past three years.

Whether inside the sport or outside, whose work behind the camera do you admire?

Horse racing-wise, Alex Evers, Barbara Livingston and Lena Emmoth. There are too many to list outside of racing.

What is the best advice you’ve ever gotten about working in harness racing?

Keep doing what you’re doing, because you’re making a difference.

What was your favorite moment in harness racing?

That is a touch call because I’ve been around my fair share. I’m a home track kinda guy, so I would say watching one of my friends win big. So, Dave Palone winning the Adios (1999, Washington VC) would most likely be it for me.

How much of shooting races is skill and how much just pure luck?

You have to have a good knowledge of photography when photographing racing because everything is constantly changing. But the actual shots themselves, pure luck. You just have to put yourself in situations where you will succeed.

You’ve pushed the envelope with your coverage at The Meadows via social media. Why is that important to you?

Social media has become the biggest avenue for me to get my work viewed by thousands of people. To me, that is huge for the sport itself. We need all of the coverage we can get.

You’ve also used drones to shoot racing. Can you see a day when tracks use them more regularly to provide better coverage?

I hope so. It’s a unique view, and I’m all for doing things outside of the box.

Where is the toughest place to shoot a race?

Honestly, I don’t find any place to be particularly tough to shoot at.

How hard is it to make a living as a track photographer?

I’ve been blessed with some amazing clients, so for me it hasn’t been too difficult. They really support me here at The Meadows.

If you had the power to change one thing in the sport, what would it be?

I wish the sport would adapt better with the times. Sometimes I feel as though we are still stuck in the past too much.

How do you view the future of harness racing?

Tough call. I feel as though all of the necessary tools are at our disposal to make harness racing strong. It’s the point of whether or not we use them.

If you had one wish in life, what would you wish for?

Well, the way things are right now, peace.

Time for the stretch drive.

Favorite photographer ever: Yervant Zanzanian, Australian wedding photographer. I learned SO much from this man over the years.

Best race you ever saw?: I’d have to say the jug when Wiggle It Jiggleit won

Favorite spot to shoot a race?: The infield at the finish. I like being closer to the horses.

Favorite TV Show?: Chicago PD