En-ERGY in Motion (™) Suzy Rowland chats to Esme Buxton, Founder The Paddock Journal

Esme Buxton is a narrative-driven luxury photographer helping brands deliver memorable campaigns that drive both artistic excellence and measurable results. She is also a Formula 1 fan and founded the Paddock Journal in response to a gap in the market to explore the fashion and brand values of Formula One. 

I was following the Paddock Journal online and loved the aesthetic and how cleverly Esme has blended the two worlds and clearly her two passions. 

Launching a magazine is a huge achievement and I wanted to find out more about this clear-sighted woman fulfilling her dreams to create something fresh for Formula One fans, especially female F1 followers. 

Esme says of the publication: "Our  values have always and will always be about inclusion, representation, authenticity and community. 🫶🏻 Setting up the magazine was mega hard work, but I'm so glad I went for it!"

Instagram @thepaddockjournal

@esmebuxtonphotography

Transcript

From Landscape to Fashion: Esme's Journey in Photography

Suzy 0:01

Welcome to the Energy in Motion Podcast, exploring what makes us move, what makes us thrive, what makes us happy, what keeps us alive. I'm Susie Roland, a mother, writer, poet, and founder of the Happy in School Project. As humans, we are emotional beings. Literally, energy in motion, which each of us expressed uniquely. Our energies influence everything in our lives. Join me in conversation with an eclectic range of guests, using their energies to powerful effect. Tune in for the first series of Energy in Motion Podcast. You'll find the Energy in Motion podcast on your favourite digital download channel. I can't wait for you to tune in and relax and enjoy the sound of Energy in Foot. Welcome, Esme Buxton to the Energy in Motion Podcast. And this podcast is designed to really explore how we as human beings use our emotions in our careers and in our daily lives, particularly creatively, and particularly positive emotions. But you know, we discuss all things. And so, Esmi, you are a photographer, a fashion photographer, and also the founder of the Paddock Journal, which is um has F1 at its core, but has a fair amount of fashion angled to it, I may say. Welcome to the Energy Emotion Podcast.

Esme 1:38

Oh, thank you for having me. This is so nice.

Suzy 1:41

So, in terms of um, you know, what you do, I I see you put all of your emotion into a lot of expression around um how things look and how things make you feel in your fashion photography. And I was very, very interested in the the kind of work you've done and also leading into you know the the paddock journal in a little while, looking at how um photography may have segued into the creation of a journal for you, sort of merging two passion projects. But um, in terms of your photography, is is fashion still your first love? Or so you have other sorts of photography on your website?

Esme 2:24

Yeah, that's a great question. Um, I'd say at the core of everything, like the photography, the paddock journal, you know, everything that I do, it's the it's people, it's always been people. So as much as I, you know, I'm very interested in fashion, it's more about um those who that the people that are wearing the clothes that I find really fascinating. Um, and that's sort of how I was led into the paddock journal anyway. You know, kind of I suppose from a young age I've always found people really interesting and really fascinating. And I guess you know, when you're younger, that can get you into some sticky situations. Um tell me more. Well, you know, just being very curious. I think I've always been really curious about others and about people's stories. Um, I mean, I'll never forget, like uh I I would, you know, I've always been a big traveller. I'm a Sagittarius, so I love exploring. Um, yeah. Um so you know, and I'd sit on planes and just chat with whoever I was sat next to and you know, um meet some really fascinating people. Um, so that's kind of always been at the core of what I do. So getting into photography, to be honest with you, when I first got into photography, it was with landscape photography. I sort of I started when I was about 13 um because my dad is uh is a cameraman and a and a photographer, so I've kind of you know learned from him, and then his dad was also into photography. So I guess there's kind of a you know DNA bit there, yeah, but it's in the DNA a bit, yeah, which is really nice. Um, but you know, I always sort of started with landscapes, and I would always call myself a landscape photographer, thinking it's because oh, that's where my passion is, but really it was a bit of a you know, a bit of a mask, a bit of an armour to say. Yeah, yeah. I wasn't brave enough yet to to work with people. Yes, um, you know, and it wasn't until my twenties, early twenties, that I was I thought, you know what, I want to give this a go and see if I can, you know, work with people as well. And it was fantastic. I loved it, I loved every every moment of it. And I I suppose, you know, uh when you work in photography and you're interested in people, the natural progression is to get into portraiture and fashion, you know, um, and like everything in this world, if you want to make money, you kind of figure out, you know where the money is.

Suzy 4:52

Where the money is, yeah.

Esme 4:54

Um and that was yeah, that was in kind of in in brand photography and fashion and that kind of thing.

Suzy 5:00

Yes.

Esme 5:01

Um so yeah, so so my first love is people, I think, you know, in all of this. Um

Mastering Composition and Infusing Meaning into Photography

Esme 5:10

and then, you know, not to get onto the paddock journal too early, but when I started that, again, it was the people in motorsport that fascinated me, you know, rather than the technical data-driven side.

Suzy 5:23

Yes, absolutely. And there's pretty cars.

Esme 5:27

Yeah.

Suzy 5:28

Cars are quite nice looking as well.

Esme 5:30

They are very nice, yeah.

Suzy 5:32

So what kinds of um you know, the work you do, uh you you have a lot of um high-end fashion photography. I love the the work with the um day in Paris and also the the landscape bits, you know, from the travel that you've done in California and Iceland is just breathtaking. Yeah, amazing. Yeah, and my husband just came back from California and those photographs of the Golden Gate Bridge. Oh yeah. But I I'm amazed at how you your photographs seem to be very uncluttered. I can't I can't describe it more than that. It's just it just hits you right between the eyes. And there's I kind of know what you you where your eye is, and it's it's amazing. So, I mean, my question there is really how did you find your voice? Because you know, when the iPhones came out, and there's always like, oh well, photography will be dead, and we've we're all photographers now. And to a point that's true, but when I look at uh your work as a professional, I go, Oh okay, okay. That's very nice of you to say iPhone bin. How do you find your voice? How do you how do you put stuff in there and that is you and and has your seal on it?

Esme 6:55

Yeah, I mean that's that's sort of the million dollar question, isn't it? I think that's kind of in whatever industry you're in, that's what you're always trying to achieve, isn't it? Your your vision and your stamp on things. Um, and it's definitely a process. I don't know if um I would say that I'm even like at the finish line. Maybe you can never be at the finish line with with you know that kind of thing, because you're always you know evolving. Um but this I guess there's a kind of a like a different ways of approaching uh your own vision, you know, or your own sort of creative stamp on a project. Um and I guess to begin with, it's very much about understanding the rules of photography, like you know, the rules of thirds, right? You know, things like that. Um explain that for people that don't know what that is. Okay, yes, of course. So the rule of thirds is when you're when you're looking through the viewfinder, um the the composition is in is in three sections. Yes. Either or a face. Yeah, yeah. So for so if you're shooting a person, um, a portrait, you would be thinking about uh maybe the the top third, the middle third, and the bottom third, and you want that to be balanced in some way. Or you know, you can also do the thirds uh vertically as well, horizontally. Um so it's a thing, it's thinking about balance. And when a photo looks bad, it's usually because it's not balanced right. You know, either the top of the head's missing, or there's too much body, or there's too much space above their head, you know, and then that can kind of uh it just doesn't it doesn't look pleasing to the eye. Yes. But then as soon as you understand those sorts of rules, you then can go and kind of play with them and kind of go, oh well, what if I totally changed that and totally you know went against those rules and um maybe I did put loads of space above their head. Um and and I think so. I went to film school and I learned about film film production um and I worked in in cinema for a while, um, which was a lot of fun. But sort of learning about moving image, you learn about the story of you know, vision uh yeah, the story of of visual, the visual medium, I guess. Um so you learn how everything has meaning or good art has meaning. Yes, you know, and that meaning could literally be but you're translating it, aren't you?

Suzy 9:25

You're trying to somehow you see it to can you see what I can see.

Esme 9:30

Yes, yeah, exactly. Yeah, you're one you're trying to bring across something that you feel, something that you see, you know, and and trying to help other people um visualize in the same way. And I think I mean this what I'm saying could could be so different to someone else, but for me, art that I resonate with is art that has substance and has meaning behind it. Yeah. Um and so that's kind of what I try and put into my work is some kind of substance and some kind of um you know overarching story or or

The Power of Narrative Photography and the AI Art Debate

Esme 10:05

theme. Yes, yes.

Suzy 10:06

Um you're described as a narrative photographer, so yeah, you are able to tell the story in a picture. You know, a picture is a thousand words, but if you strip the story away, you I I believe you're still left with a lovely picture. Or not you've got the message. If you've got the message, that's that's a bonus. Yeah, yeah, exactly. Um but even just from the aesthetic point of view, and I I particularly like um the photograph you did for Queen and Country, you know, where you've got the girl um female model looking sort of nose to nose with a horse. And the horse is a sort of cream-coloured horse, and she's got dark hair. And it's really weird. I looked at it once and I can still remember it.

Esme 10:51

Wow, it's the compliment.

Suzy 10:53

Yeah, and and I I remember looking, because I I am quite a detailed person, it's it's it's part of my neurodivergence. I look at things really, really closely, right? Even realizing I'm doing it. Um, but I just saw the blonde eyelashes of the horse and then her dark eyelashes, and the kind of that there was that sort of um connection between the the horse and the the lady, the whether or not they knew each other or that was her horse, I don't know, but I certainly saw in that picture the connection. But I also was quite intrigued by gosh, what is all eyelash? It's just such a pretty picture, and just this this communing between you know person and animal, because I I'm a dog lover, I'm an animal lover. I mean I I can't I can't stretch to a horse. Dog. I really understand that you know the that desire to be close to an animal. And you know, that that picture is just fantastic. So do you prefer portraiture or do you like more dynamic shots in fashion?

Esme 12:00

Yeah, yeah. That's yeah, I think think you're right. I think it is this the storytelling and it's the the dynamism that I I'm really drawn to. I'm really drawn to sort of um to uh different textures, like you know, working with I I love a bit of like velvet, you know, and kind of warm textures. Um and I also love kind of contrasting textures, so like um, you know, stone and velvet or you know, um wool and and and metal or something, that kind of like contrasting look. Um, you know, I I think I've always been sort of sort of drawn to like the more luxurious side of life um in in terms of visually anyway, you know. Um I think that's it's fascinating.

Suzy 12:45

Yes, I went we all went through a phase where we had photographs, well I did, um, in a really lovely outfit with a nice bag and then a brick wall behind you. Do you remember you remember that phase? Yeah, yeah, yeah. I don't know where it came from, but I look back a sort of three or four years, and there's loads of photographs of me and on a Sunday going out somewhere for lunch, and I'm I'm in my I'm in my clobber, and I say to a friend or my husband, take a picture of me against this brick wall. Maybe it was a texture thing, maybe I thought it's but there were lots of it. It was like a thing at a time, wasn't it? Having that sort of maybe it's the the contrast between bright colours and a brick wall, or you know, being very well dressed, um your nice finery, and then you've got a brick wall that someone could have pee the peed against. You know, something very, very sort of ordinary and and accessible about a brick wall.

Esme 13:39

Yeah, yeah, no, yeah, it's an interesting, interesting take for sure. I think I just feel like for me, whatever you create, if you can explain your reasoning for creating it, then um I'm immediately drawn into it more. I just I love story, I love, you know, if so, for example, you and the brick wall, if if you're like, you know, I'm doing a uh, you know, a a a take on sort of urbanism and you know the contrast between between that, then I'm like, oh okay, that's really interesting. You know, and that's that's I think for me what art in general is about, you know, is um story behind it as well. Yeah, which is not to get into it, but which is why I'm like I hate AI and AI art, you know.

Suzy 14:26

Yeah, I mean too too long a subject for us to go into today, but it it is something that but I think that's interesting about it is it has a place because it for me it is so obviously AI.

Esme 14:41

Yeah.

Suzy 14:42

Everyone is saying, oh well, very soon you won't be able to tell. But I think I think we can always because there's always something about it, yeah. Because we are human and we we do we've been human for longer than we've been machine. Yeah. So we should be able to discern the difference, and loads of people saying, you know, well, that you know, that all of these artists will be out of work. Um and I I see some artists using AI within their work, which I think is quite an interesting way to grab the beast by the throat and not let it kill you, you know, you kind of aiming it if you like. Um, but I'm I'm really interested in in that thing for artists and how that works. Um,

How Frustration Led to A High-End F1 Publication

Suzy 15:31

but that's for another day.

Esme 15:34

That's a whole different podcast. That's a whole different podcast, yeah.

Suzy 15:37

But talk to me, um, as a photographer and your love of people, how you came to you know happen upon the idea and the the story behind the development of the paddock journal, which is yeah, for all intents and purposes, uh a very high-end looking produced um digital publication around F1. Yeah. Healthy dollop of fashion in it.

Esme 16:05

Yeah.

Suzy 16:06

Talk me through that process and how it's going.

Esme 16:09

Yeah, oh my gosh, yeah. So I started the palette journal back in March 2025. So on at the time of recording, I've been doing it for eight months. So the kind of the trajectory I've been on has been really mind-blowing, and I kind of can't really get my head around it, to be honest with you. But um, I it really kind of came out of frustration. Like I'm I built the platform out of frustration because I uh I live in the same town as an F1 TV presenter called Laura Winter, and we have mutual friends. So being a photographer and being I I I'm always I'm quite a tenacious person. Um, I always say I've got quite a lot of audacity. Like if I want to work with someone or I want to, you know, have an have an experience or have an opportunity, I always go for it because you make it happen. Yeah. Yeah, you've got to make it happen. And what's the worst that could happen? Um, and it's you know led me to some absolutely um unbelievable experiences. One of them being when I started to get into Formula One and learning about the people, you know, in the paddock and and around the sport. Yes. Uh realizing that Laura Winter lived in my hometown, I thought, well, you know, I I've got to connect with her. What are the chances? Yes. Yeah, that's it. Um, so uh you kind of quickly realized that we actually had mutual friends and we kind of run into similar circles, which was you know, like kind of kismet, I suppose. So um I got put in touch with her and she needed some more headshots, so I thought, well, that's perfect, you know. I'd love to love to work with you and get those headshots done. And um, and we, you know, we got on really well. We have very similar kind of personalities and similar interests, and um, she's a really big on um championing women in motorsport, but just in general. Um, you know, and that that's just an amazing thing about her. Um, so we did this headshots with her, and I thought, you know what, she's got such an interesting story, I would love to do a proper editorial shoot with her and you know, um pitch it to magazines and try and get you know her story you know more widely known. Yes. Um so I was working with a journalist to do that, and we would honestly we were just struggling for to find publications that were interested in it.

Suzy 18:22

Why why is that? What was it about the story that was not biteable? I mean, it it seems to me that I would, as an editor, I would think, well, that's interesting. I know who she is, and she's you know, she's made a very good career in a quite a male-dominated area. Any any broadcasting around sport tends to be male-dominated anyway. So first of all, first tick actually achieving it. So, what was the issue there?

Esme 18:48

I think the issue with mainstream media is that if you enjoy Formula One, then it's your world and you can't imagine no one like you know, if you enjoy Formula One, it's your world and you can't imagine that no one else understands. Yes, you know, everyone watches F1, you know, clearly. Um but if you're not in the sport and also F1 TV, we don't really have it in the UK the same way as America. You know, we have the you can still get subscription, but it's just sort of the highlights and the you know, the extra stuff, but um, because we've obviously got Sky. But in America, F1 TV broadcasts all the races, it's much, much bigger. Um on bestial television. I think it's it's still an app, you still have to sort of subscribe to it. But yeah but if you're an F1 fan in America, I think quite a lot of them you you know watch F1 TV. Um so she's a much bigger name out in America. Um whereas in the UK not so much. Yes.

Suzy 19:52

Yeah, it's funny though we we realise that we are quite a small country.

Esme 19:56

Yeah.

Suzy 19:56

And we do have quite sort of um Little pet little pet peeve. You know when the presenters say, and kickoff is at five o'clock. It's not a football match. Yeah. Yeah. No, don't bring football and managers into it. Yeah. I had to get that off my chest.

Esme 20:14

I know football is as our national sport, basically.

Suzy 20:18

If she wasn't a football presenter, I think you may have had a much easier time.

Esme 20:23

Yeah, yes, exactly. So it it just yeah, it was just a bit of an uphill battle trying to trying to get anyone to to publish these photos. Um, and I was just thinking, you know, what we really need is a uh editorial publication that is based around motorsport. Yeah. Um and I was trying to look up, you know, places that I think you know would would be work would work for it. And I just couldn't find anything that suited me, you know. I know I'm not saying there aren't any, there is plenty of stuff out there.

Suzy 20:54

Yeah, but none of them having looked at them for years and years, um, because F1 is one of my son's passions, they're not you see now I would read the palette journal, but I probably wouldn't read the other things that he reads.

Esme 21:07

Yeah, right, yeah, yeah, yeah.

Suzy 21:08

Self tells me, and I'm a big F1 fan.

Esme 21:11

Yeah.

Suzy 21:12

But uh the I think I think the the type the style and tone that you've achieved is basically it's more editorial than some of the F1 magazines that are out there.

Esme 21:24

Yeah, yeah, and that's what I wanted to achieve because with my background in photography and in film production, and you know, I used to work in marketing as well, so I have a really good understanding of how uh publication works, you know, and how to sort of bring a more editorial approach to you know to motorsport. Um so with that background and that frustration, I thought, well, you know what, if if there's nothing out there, maybe I should just make it. The bloody things myself. I'll just see, I'll just have a give a get give it a go, you know, and it'll just be a bit of fun and I'll see, you know, what happens with it. Um and I didn't tell Laura that I was making it. I wanted to make sure that you know it was worth telling her about before I, you know, told her anything. But she found it on her own, she found it on Instagram and um shared it to her stories, and um, which is very, very kind of her. I never asked her to do that. And that obviously brought a bit of an audience over, which was which was great. Fantastic. So so yeah, I do owe Laura Winter quite a lot.

Suzy 22:28

Yeah, but I mean, you know, I I think a lot of these things are win-win.

Esme 22:31

Yeah, exactly. Yeah, yeah. You know, she she she she's the kind of person that would only do something if she genuinely believed in it, you know. So, um, so yeah, I am very, very grateful

F1 Academy, More Than Equal, and the Female Voice

Esme 22:43

for that. Um, but it's yeah, I I think I've always sort of said that the Paddock Journal is vogue for motorsport. That's the angle I want to go for. And although like it's not strictly a women's magazine or a women's publication, you know, it is female-led. I do have a small team now, and we're all women, um, and a lot of women like what we're doing, you know, and I think having that um that more feminine voice in such a male-dominated you know arena, uh it's it's needed, clearly needed, you know.

Suzy 23:19

Yeah, it absolutely is. It absolutely is. I was watching the programme about the um the uh women's formula, the one that um Toto Susie Wolf.

Esme 23:27

Oh F1 Academy. Yeah.

Suzy 23:28

F1 Academy, absolutely brilliant. And that just shows the you know, the the passion and the skill and the tenacity of some of the young girls coming through. And don't all make it, but you know, I just think you know, huge respect to her for that project and get it, you know, it was just activating television. And I think, you know, whether you're male or female, if you like motorsport, you should really like a program like that. And I think, in a way, I think it's one of those things that we kind of need to think beyond gender.

Esme 24:03

Yes, yeah.

Suzy 24:04

But but I think that that's probably for the next generation. I mean, I I know some kids from the generation um that are in their twenties and teens, they have a very different outlook on most things to people who are in their sort of 30s, 40s and have been round the block and you know had to struggle for equal rights at work and all that stuff. I think that the the ones coming up have a very different outlook. And I think um all of the things that you've mentioned and the difficulties getting things covered, and you know, most sport women in sport period and women presenters and editors, I think it will soon become something that we don't need to worry about so much. And that that might be a very long shot in me saying that.

Esme 24:52

And but I don't know, I don't think I think you're right. I think you know, this summer has been the summer of of women's sport, you know, the the women's you know, rugby and women's football in the UK has absolutely gone gone nuts, hasn't it? And which is wonderful. So it's it's really a matter of time before it does in F1, you know, and and what F1 Academy does is really remarkable, like because it's not just about the racing, whereas obviously that is a huge part of it, but it's also about um showing brands that investing in women's sports is worth their while. Um because for for for motorsport racing, that is kind of the crux of of how it works, it's such an expensive sport. Um you know, and then there's there's the charity More Than Equal as well. I don't know if you've heard of them. I'll come across that. So it's a charity co-founded by David Coulthard and his business partners. Um, and it's off the back of the fact that his his late sister was a racing driver, and if she'd have had grown up um to to compete, then uh she would have been a better racer than him, him, he says, you know. Um so he's trying to pave the way for women. He he thinks that not him, his his charity, uh thinks that they are able to um engineer the first uh F1, female F1 champion. Um because they're saying it's not based on gender, it's not based on strength, it's just you know it's it's skill.

Suzy 26:20

It's skill and you know, all of those um abilities, you know, quick thinking and um being able to scan, you know, all of the the the mental, I think the mental part of racing is massive, you know.

Esme 26:35

It is it's a big mental sport, absolutely.

Suzy 26:37

Yeah, yeah, memorisation and you know and speed of um responses, all of those things to do, as you say, with brute force skill, yeah in the same way that that those things matter in rugby and and football and other contact sports. But yeah, exactly. I will look at them all than equal,

Senna, Halo and the Future of F1 Governance

Suzy 26:57

I'll find out more about that.

Esme 26:58

Um yeah, they're really fascinating.

Suzy 27:00

Yeah, so I think I've got a couple of um F1 questions for you. Okay. Um my answer my F1 son fan who had um very kindly drafted them for me. So, what would you say is the biggest what if in Formula One history? The what if that would have changed the trajectory of Formula One if it had taken place?

Esme 27:27

Wow, I mean, such a huge question, isn't it? Especially throughout history. Yeah, you can thank Jake for that. Thanks, Jake. Um, I mean, there's so many. I think there's there's there's maybe two that really stick to my mind. I mean, what if Ayrton Senna didn't pass when he did? You know, what what a talent um gone too soon. And then um my gosh, I'm not I'm not gonna forget his name. Do you edit this?

Suzy 27:54

Um it can be edited, yeah. I was making sure that my washing machine finished before just in case I would I I will make some edits because I was thinking the washing machine ends well. We're still recording, I will need to edit. Okay, because I need to just find the surname of this person. Um, it's funny you mentioned Senna because I was thinking, how would I answer the question that I've just asked you? And I was thinking, not wishing to preempt you if this is what you were thinking of, but what if the halo had come in earlier? Yes, five five years earlier, for example. And I know we were all like, oh, it's really ugly and blah blah blah. But I think everyone now is very, very happy with it and very happy with the fact it's been a life-saving piece of kit. I can't believe people ever agreed with it. I know, yeah. Oh my gosh, how how are they driving without any kind of yeah.

Esme 28:48

Yeah, yeah. No, that's a great what if. Yeah, what if we d we use the Halo much sooner or had similar technology sooner, you know? I also think another big what if is if um, you know, what if with Anton Hubert, if he didn't pass away. So he was a is the Formula Two driver, I think. Um and he was was uh he who rose up the ranks with like Charles Leclerc and you know that a lot, and he passed away um during a race uh a few years ago now, you know, and he was a he was a huge talent, you know. There's um so yeah, so I suppose if if safety was taken maybe not more seriously, because I think safety was taken seriously, but potentially there was more of a of a thought on um on aesthetics. Maybe aesthetics took uh slightly more prevalence than safety back in the day.

Suzy 29:42

I I think um I think my what if, which is very controversial, would be something like what if we mandated having former racing drivers um having a bigger stake in the decisions that the FIA make.

Esme 30:00

Oh yeah, yeah.

Suzy 30:02

I don't know how many of them, but they don't seem to have that racing insight from from my perspective.

Esme 30:10

Yes, I mean the yeah, the FIA, I think I think what some people forget is that the FIA doesn't just cover Formula One, it covers all motorsport, you know, it covers bikes and you know, cars and all different if different leagues. So there are definitely you know that it it covers such a huge broad spectrum that there's gonna be cracks, you know. And I think actually something that is really exciting is the um F1 drivers sort of union that is being being made that George Russell's kind of the head of, isn't he, at the minute?

Suzy 30:44

Um that's a gorgeous thing to do, isn't it? Yeah, it is. I'm gonna be I I've got this great idea, but I want to be in charge. We love we love George, we love George a lot.

Anticipating New Regulations and Favourite Grand Prix Circuits

Esme 30:55

Yeah, he's fantastic. Yeah, and and um yeah, I could see you up there, Susie. Sat next to him. Oh, oh yeah.

Suzy 31:02

George, we have a good old conversation. We have a good old conversation. Um so the second question, courtesy of Jake, is what are your expectations for the new regulations? Do you believe they will make the positive changes everyone expects, or do you expect one team to nail the regs and the other others will have to catch up?

Esme 31:25

Yeah, I think the regulations for 2020. I haven't said that very often yet.

Suzy 31:32

I know, it sounds weird, isn't it? Yeah, let me see if that works. Oh.

Esme 31:38

Oh, that's nice.

Suzy 31:40

You've done the whole thing with a greasy. It's fine. I'm not vain, it's fine. I was thinking I really must do it, but I didn't want to spoil the um the flow of the conversation. Oh no. Fine. That's all good.

Esme 31:56

I'm so professional.

Suzy 32:00

Um sorry, shall I go back to the to the regulations? Um where were we now? Um, yes, that's a great idea. So shall I read the question again? So we might be able to just splice back. I don't edit the way I have someone that does it, but yeah, so cozy question of Jake. What are your expectations for the new regulations? Do you believe they will make the positive changes that everyone expects, or do you think that one team will nail the regulations and the others will have to catch up?

Esme 32:39

Yeah, I think there's a lot of expectation on the 2026 regulations. You know, there's a lot of new technology being brought in. Um, you know, obviously we're getting rid of DRS, and I think it's the MOM system that's gonna be replacing it. Yeah, um and I think there's there's a lot of uncertainty, and which is exciting um and could, like you say, could lead to um a lot of innovation uh and some really, really exciting racing. Um but equally, and maybe this is kind of pessimistic of me, but I think it's gonna take a little while for everything to sort of click into place, you know. Um, from what I'm learning about F1 over the years, it's it's a huge beast and it's like trying to move a cruise ship, right? You know, it's gonna take a while.

Suzy 33:27

Any stakeholders wanting different things, yeah. And the diamonds are only like a small group of stakeholders in in some ways, they're not the biggest stakeholder. No, not at all. No, isn't it? Yes.

Esme 33:39

Yeah, it is, yeah. Uh so to you know, to sort of answer Jake's question, God, it could go so many different ways, couldn't it? I think there is potentially some teams who may nail it quicker. You know, I'm thinking of Cadillac, for example, they are coming in with the 2026 regulations at the absolute forefront. Um, you know, so they might kind of jump on it a bit quicker. Um same with Audi, the new Audi team. Yes. Um, but but maybe not. We'll never know. We won't know. We'll have to just see. I am hoping that it does make Monaco slightly more interesting because the car will be a few inches smaller, so there might be more overtaking, but we'll see. Exactly.

Suzy 34:25

Yes. And Azerbaijan potentially, because that tends to be not great at um overtaking. It's just just out of interest while we're on the the sport and getting into the nuts and bolts. Do you what's your favourite track?

Esme 34:37

Oh, my favourite track. Um, I mean, Silverstone's fab. I love Silverston being, you know, being a British you know in my home race. Yeah, yeah, it is a great track. But I also really like Austin. I think the Circuit of the Americas track is so wide. It is, you know, it makes for such incredible racing.

Suzy 35:00

It does, it does. And I think you mean you could even get like four abreast maybe once the smaller cars are in play.

Esme 35:07

Yeah.

Suzy 35:08

Interesting. I do love Monza, have been to Monza. Yeah, have you been to Monza? Wow. Yeah, yeah, and uh and also um Silverstone, and I'd like to go to um uh the Belgian circuit. I can't remember the name.

Esme 35:23

Oh yes, yeah, Spa.

Suzy 35:25

Spa, yeah.

Esme 35:27

One yeah, yeah, no, and I think you know, this yeah, secondary. I also love Brazil, like the the weather's always so unpredictable.

Suzy 35:35

And the fans are like so hyped, yeah, have all those day of the dead um masks and everything, and they're very excitable. And isn't isn't um Lewis like an honorary Brazilian?

Esme 35:46

He is, yeah, yeah. He does. Obviously. I know. Yeah, it's

Personalities, Pressure and the Gladiatorial Spirit of Racing.

Esme 35:51

amazing.

Suzy 35:52

So um a couple of quick fire questions before we finish for the day. Um a long-term relationship or love at first sight. This could be anything at all, anything. It could be how you approach um friendships or your business or you know, something new. Which one?

Esme 36:10

I think if you asked me that uh 10 years ago, I would have said love at first sight, but now with age and wisdom, and I would now say yes, um, long-term relationship. But slow burn in all aspects of life.

Suzy 36:24

Now, again, this could be photography or it could be lip gloss, whatever, it could be um car finishes, anything, gloss or matte.

Esme 36:31

Oh gosh, matte, definitely matte. Yeah, I love I love a bit of matte. I think it's very stylish.

Suzy 36:37

Okay, yeah, yeah. It is, it does seem to be getting more and more um traction, as it were. Piastri or Norris? Oh gosh, that's so horrible.

Esme 36:48

Um, I do have a soft spot for Piastri. I do like his quite dry sort of sense of humour and his, you know, he he he's just here to race, and I do quite like that. But Lando's style's amazing, and he's a wonderful, seems like a wonderful person, so yeah.

Suzy 37:04

I know isn't it? We always have to go, you say this is my first, but and then I'll just tell you all the reasons why. Yeah, I know.

Esme 37:12

But I think that's the thing with especially with with F1 drivers, I I genuinely don't have a favourite, you know. It's this the sport is what I love, and I don't I want to see them all do well.

Suzy 37:21

But it's the people, it's it's the drivers that make the sport though. It is the personalities, you know. For for me, um, if I didn't know anything about the drivers, which I didn't when I first started watching, because no one does, yeah. Over the years, um, I've been watching, I've grown to learn more about the personalities and what's happening in the you know, outside of the sport, what they do, um, who they hang out with, and also how they respond to pressure, how they respond to losing and winning. And for me, it's it's the people watching element. The race is the icing on the cake with all of these excitement, but the people watching is absolutely phenomenal. And like the characteristics of people who you know are undertaking potentially life-threatening sport, yeah. It's kind of it it's kind of there's something very insanely um you know compelling about that.

Esme 38:22

Yes, absolutely.

Suzy 38:24

It's like in the old days when people would watch um bare knuckle wrestlers and you know they'd get or they'd put they'd be in a cage with a bear or something like that.

Esme 38:32

Yeah. Well, someone actually did say to me recently that they think F1 is the last gladiatorial sport. And I said, yeah.

Suzy 38:39

It's a good way, it's a next way to describe it. Yeah, and um who are you drive for if you're offered a seat tomorrow?

Esme 38:49

My heart says Ferrari, but my logical brain says probably McLaren, because I love Ferrari with all my heart, but McLaren's gonna win.

Suzy 39:03

Yeah, they're winning right now.

Esme 39:05

They're winning right now, so yeah.

Suzy 39:07

That makes sense, that makes

Physical Magazine Launch and Lewis Hamilton Dream photoshoot

Suzy 39:09

sense. So I've really, really enjoyed this little chat with you.

Esme 39:14

Oh, it's been lovely.

Suzy 39:15

Chat again, because it's I feel we could talk so about so many different things. In terms of your career, what's next for you?

Esme 39:22

So the Patadonal's growing, which is wonderful. I've got a small team um working with me now. It's not just me, which takes a lot of pressure off. Um, but also we're producing a physical magazine um that's gonna be available in December. Um, and we've just shot our cover star, um, which is really exciting.

Suzy 39:41

When does this come out? Um this will be coming out, this is in series two, so it'll be coming out probably in December.

Esme 39:49

Okay, fine. Yeah, that's perfect then. Yeah. Um so the cover star is Cassidy Taurus, who is the one of the co-CEOs of Cadillac F1 team. Um, and she's absolutely fantastic. She's Uh gets sort of misrepresented as her husband's wife. Um, and she's actually got uh an amazing head on her shoulders, really intelligent, you know, worked a lot uh in the sport and in motorsport, she's been around it for years, and it's was such a pleasure getting to talk to her. So yeah, hope you guys are gonna like her story.

Suzy 40:19

Very exciting. Absolutely, absolutely. And who have you have you not shot yet, um, photographically that you'd like to in F1?

Esme 40:29

Oh my gosh. Well, I haven't had any opportunity to photograph any drivers yet, so I would take any of them, but I think my sort of Roman Empire is Lewis Hamilton. He has to be, you know, he's just so iconic. And me and my friends always say, yeah, and he's got the fashion, the fashion side of him. Um, you know, I I've met not braggy, but I've met a lot of celebrities in my life, and they're all pretty normal people, and I have very I don't think I've ever been starstruck. Um, but I think Lewis Hamilton, I would be a bit starstruck.

Suzy 41:02

I just think he just seems to be such a humble person, yeah, in spite of all his ridiculous multi-talents.

Esme 41:10

Yeah.

Suzy 41:10

And I'd I'd have like a whole page of questions just on the different things that he does. I know. Yeah, get to F1, you know. He plays a piano, he does bling, you know, it's just like he's an ambassador, he's got mission 44. Yeah. Like, whoa.

Esme 41:28

How does he have the time? You know, I don't know if you've ever heard the uh the phrase you have the same amount of hours in the day as Beyoncé. I think we need to say that for Lewis Hamilton. Yes.

Suzy 41:38

Yes, however, he's also ADHD, and from my experience, ADHD is if you want to do something, you'll just do it. Yeah, time, what time? Just do it.

Esme 41:50

Yeah. And if you've got someone else cleaning your house for you and cooking for you, it does make it a bit easier.

Suzy 41:56

Yeah, there is that. But I do think there is, I think some people are gifted with ideas and talent and but can't kind of put it all together. Other people have the ideas and the talent and actually can execute the stuff. Yes. I think and I think that's nothing to do with having the help. I think it's internal. Absolutely, yeah, absolutely. I think those people are, as you said, very few and far between.

Esme 42:24

Yeah, no, he's a he's an absolute icon.

Suzy 42:27

So when you when you photograph him, do get in touch. Well, I know I know a young man who would literally bite your arm off and room with you.

Esme 42:40

A lot of people would, wouldn't they?

Suzy 42:42

Good luck with that, and it's amazing to have you on Energy in Motion Podcast. Thank you.

Esme 42:48

Oh, it's been such a pleasure. Thank you, Susie. Take care. Thank you. Bye.