Photographer Allan de la Plante

Over the past few years, I’ve followed a path of highlighting automotive motor sports history through my art. And all along the way, I’ve been blessed with meeting wonderful people … Nicolas and Dirk in Belgium, Jennifer and Stephen in USA, Lyndsay and Ralph in the UK, John in Scotland, Peter and Rob in Canada …
Allan (left) talking to his friend Bobby Rahal 
Photo courtesy and © John R. Walker 2012

There are many many more, all of whom I can call my friends. Another one of those special people is sports and motor sports photographer Allan de la Plante from British Columbia, Canada.
"Four into Four" © Allan de la Plante 1976

We connected a few years back, through a friend of a Facebook friend, and through his FB albums I became aware of his fabulous photography, and in particular, the wonderful photos of his dear friend Gilles Villeneuve.

On Monday evening, Allan was at the Halifax airport, a stop-over on his way to Newfoundland. He notified me of this, so my friend Alan Coles and I scooted out to meet him.

I have to say that it was to have Allan there in person … what a heck of a guy! It was like meeting an old friend for the first time!

We had all but 10 minutes to chat, but Allan graciously signed my Villeneuve book and my Canada Post Villeneuve stamps, talked with pride about his old son’s forays into motor sports photography and golfing, and then told us 3 quick motor sports stories, none of which I can publish!

Now, I have a goal of meeting up with Allan again, and spending more time listening to one a greats of motor sports photography. Merci, Allan!