SHOOTER: TOM BING

Name: Tom Bing
Age: 21
Location: Leeds 6, England

HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN SHOOTING?
I’ve been shooting and developing my own pictures since I was 16. BMX wise, on and off since then, but only really a few months more seriously.

FILM OR DIGITAL?
Mainly digital now, although I have always shot film until a few months ago. Digital is cheaper, after the initial cost, and doesn’t use gelatin, which is a bonus! I’m glad I learned with film though. Digital has changed photography a lot. Any geek can make a photo look amazing if they know Photoshop well enough. All I know is how to do the things I understand from the darkroom really!

BEST THING YOU’VE EVER SHOT?
A bird with a .22 air rifle by accident once when I was about twelve.

FAVE RIDER TO SHOOT WITH?
Any of the Leeds riders.

DREAM RIDER TO SHOOT WITH?
Blimey, I dunno, I think It would probably be Jason Levy!

WHAT DO YOU TELL SECURITY WHEN THE TRY TO THROW YOU OUT OF SPOTS FOR TAKING PICS?
Usually that manners go a long way. There are too many security guards who take their job too seriously and talk down to you like you’re just a kid, and that really gets on my nerves! But before you know it, it normally gets to the point that the police are about to be called cause all the riders here are gobby idiots!

FAVE BMX PHOTOGRAPHER?
There are a lot of awesome BMX photographers. Nathan Beddows and George Marshall are real good friends of mine and I really like their work. Ricky Adam shoots so much good stuff too, other than just BMX. I especially like his documentary on LS6 where I live. It’s mint. Basically the ones I know are my favorite because I can relate to what they have been doing a bit more than someone on the other side of the world.

WHAT DO YOU WANT TO BE WHEN YOU GROW UP?
I wanna do something that helps people, or informs people of some of the fu*ked up things going on in the world. I want to have seen some stuff, been some places, have some stories to tell and be happy!

WHERE CAN WE SEE MORE OF YOUR WORK?
www.tombing.co.uk.
www.ls6bmx.co.uk.