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Big Duff with Ed Fratoni from the Moto X Station
 
 
 
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Ed Fratoni #1

MM.com:  I’ve heard a lot about your photo-taking talents.  I’m here with Ed Fratoni.  Fratoni right?

Ed Fratoni:  Fra-toni. 

MM.com:  FRA-TONI.  That’s Italian right?

EF: Yeah.  Italian-American.  F-R-A-T-O-N-I. 

MM.com:  Got any ties to the mob?

EF:  (Laughing) Naw. 

MM.com:  In case you were wondering this IS off the record (Turns on wire strapped to chest)

EF:  (Laughing harder) No, but we did have relatives in South Philadelphia and it was odd that when there were shortages of sugar back in the 70s, we could get some. 

MM.com:  (Laughing Nervously) Hmm.  Don’t worry I’ll Foget Abouuuut It…   So how long have you been doing this?

EF:  I’ve been doing photography for a little while; I’ve always been interested in motocross.  As a little kid I started riding at 9 years old, I just wanted to find a way to stay in and around the sport and help promote the young amateurs that are up-and-coming because most of the publications that were around when I started taking photos, were focused primarily on the professional level, and really the majority of riders are amateurs.  They’re the buyers of products and sponsors of the Nationals that fill Bud’s Creek and the rest of the venues with well over ten thousand people, and I thought it was an opportunity to give them their dues as well as try to hone my craft. 

MM.com:  I see.  So, you also have a site, correct?

EF:  Yeah.  MotoXstaion.com.  I’ve been doing that since January 2001.  I’ve been maintaining it constantly.  I update the news page, try to put links on the site that benefit our riders and just provide some information and outlets, um, there’s a message board and I encourage everybody to use it. 

MM.com:  So, what would you say is the toughest challenge about running the Mob? Err… I mean your job?

EF:  (Laughing) Well.  The hard part for me is a lot of times I stay out from the very beginning of the first moto, all the way through to the end so, instead of selecting and picking a couple motos, a lot of times, something happens during a race, and I’d like to get a hold of that rider and find out what happened and just get a little bit of follow-up, but, as you know, many of the promoters drop the card, before the final lap is up, and I’m under fire, so that’s another hard part. 

MM.com:  Anyone in your family race?

EF:  No, just me.  I’ve rode since I was a kid.  I haven’t been out in a while, but if I do, it’s in the senior class. 

MM.com:  So, what about this Captain M. guy, you got any photos of him?

EF:  No.  (Thoughtful)  No… I don’t. 

MM.com:  You Don’t?  So this guy is like the Loch Ness Monster as far as you’re concerned?

EF:  He must be, but uh, if he’s in the area (smile) I’ll get him. 

MM.com:  We’ll see.  So what magazines do you take pictures for?

EF:  My latest adventure has been with a publication called MotoEast that Jason Fordney has put together.  He’s allowed me to give him some advice and critique, he’s even allowed me to get the cover shot of Gregg Duffy down at Bud’s Creek for the second issue, which is much improved, and will be providing me some space to do my own reports.  It is a great opportunity for me.  I’ve done plenty of pictures for him, I’ve done some stuff for MotoPlayground, there’s some pictures in there of Phil Nicoletti in the last issue, and in the upcoming 6th issue I have a Spy Optics ad featuring Jason Lawrence, and again I’m trying to get some of the East Coast guys a little bit more publicity, including Todd Wilcom as their global amateur Spy sponsor.  I’ve done work in cover shots.  I’m currently doing work for Motorcycle Race Action; also I’ve provided information for Amateur MX magazine, pretty much the amateur scene. 

MM.com:  Any advice for photographers out there?

EF:  Pretty much, just, uh, continue doing it if you love it, if you’re having fun at it, there are a lot of people doing it, take your time, try to hone your craft, and people start to notice, with my work as well.

(Kevin Duffy hiding behind pickup scribbling on notepad entitled “Photography advice”) 

MM.com:  Can I quote you on that?

EF:  Absolutely. 

MM.com:  Can I quote you on  your mob ties?

EF:  What???  (Confused) Err…I…Uh…Ahh… I don’t have any.  (Two big Italian bodyguards emerge from nearby Cadillac)

MM.com:  Whatever you say… Godfather.  (Bows)

EF:  (Laughing) 

MM.com:  It was nice meeting you and keep amazing us with those photos please.

EF:  Thank you very much.  Nice meeting you too, keep up the good work. 

MM.com: (Running away from Italian bodyguards and pulling open shirt and  screaming into wire):  Pull me out.  Pull me out!

 

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