Viral Hooks
Trending short videosYoung F1 photographer's success story
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@essesmag

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@essesmag Just two years ago, @levij_erb picked up a camera for the first time. A year ago, he won Photographer of the Year for Motorsport Australia. Now, he’s taking over the paddock. Levi Erb is a 21-year-old Australian photographer who traded his day job to chase race cars worldwide. Ahead of the 2025 Australian Grand Prix, he received a random Instagram DM asking him to cover the event, and the rest is now history.  “One day I will be one of the best photographers in Formula One ... but I doubt myself all the time. It’s still a constant doubt, but the reassurance from people who you know are really incredible photographers and cemented in f1, it definitely feels great.” His rapid ascent into the paddock stems from a deeply ingrained, unexplainable passion for the sport, which draws him to the track. “I’ve always struggled to put a reason behind the drive [for photography] or why I do it, but I don’t know. I just always do. Nothing stops me. I have this random drive that I can’t explain that continues to push me to keep doing this ” Which other F1 creators should be on our radar? Drop them below! 👇

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Outlier
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Video #45148 · Carousel

Young F1 photographer's success storyfrom @essesmag

[01]

Overview

This carousel post is an 'Artist Spotlight' on 21-year-old motorsport photographer Levi Erb. It tells his origin story, from getting his start via an Instagram DM to shooting alongside veterans in the F1 paddock. The post combines stunning examples of his photography with text slides featuring his quotes about passion, drive, and self-doubt, creating a compelling profile of a rising star in the creative field.

[02]

Simple outline

  1. 1Hook with an aspirational identity
  2. 2Establish the origin story
  3. 3Alternate insight quotes with visual proof
  4. 4End with a final visual showcase

[03]

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[04]

Classification

Format
Carousel
Concepts
Origin Story CarouselShowcase Carousel
Elements
Text OverlayMood LightingLong Exposure PhotographySilhouette Reveal
Account
BrandCurator
Topics
PhotographyMotorsportCreatorPersonal Brand

[05]

Hook analysis

What stops the scroll in the first 3 seconds

Title hook · 45%

The 21-Year-Old Photographer Taking Over the Paddock

Verbal hook · 45%

Just two years ago, @levij_erb picked up a camera for the first time. A year ago, he won Photographer of the Year for Motorsport Australia. Now, he’s taking over the paddock.

Visual hook · 10%

An intense, emotional close-up of a race car driver with water droplets on his face, captured in a moment of celebration or exertion. The shallow depth of field and dynamic expression immediately grab attention and convey the high-stakes atmosphere of motorsport.

[06]

Hook template

Steal this for your own video

The [age]-Year-Old [job title] Taking Over [arena they're dominating]

  • — The 19-Year-Old Baker Taking Over Paris Pastry
  • — The 24-Year-Old Trader Taking Over Wall Street
  • — The 17-Year-Old Skateboarder Taking Over the Olympic Park

[07]

Hook and payoff

The promise the opener makes, and how the video pays it back

Hook

A high-impact title slide (Slide 1) that makes a bold, intriguing claim about the subject, combining a specific detail (e.g., '21-Year-Old') with a high-stakes achievement (e.g., 'Taking Over the Paddock') to generate immediate curiosity.

Payoff

The carousel intentionally ends on a sequence of powerful, visual-only 'Proof' slides (Slides 15-16) rather than a text slide. This serves as a final, definitive demonstration of the subject's talent, fulfilling the promise of the hook and leaving a lasting impression. The call-to-action is strategically placed in the caption to avoid diluting the visual finale.

[08]

Narrative framework

The structural pattern this video runs on

Framework

The Rhythmic Proof Framework

This framework builds a compelling profile by alternating between narrative text slides that reveal a subject's story (origin, vulnerability, motivation) and multi-slide visual galleries that serve as immediate 'proof' of their talent. This 'tell, then show' rhythm builds credibility and maintains engagement through a repeating, satisfying loop.

  1. 1

    The Origin Story

    A single text slide (Slide 2) that provides the essential backstory. It establishes the protagonist, the context of their journey, and the stakes, giving the audience a reason to invest in the story.

  2. 2

    The Proof Loop

    A repeating cycle of a single 'Insight' slide followed by a multi-slide 'Proof' gallery. This structure is the core engine of the carousel. In this example, it repeats three times: - **Insight 1 (Vulnerability):** Slide 6 reveals a personal struggle or doubt via a direct quote, humanizing the subject. - **Proof 1:** Slides 3-5 and 7-9 provide visual evidence of their skill. - **Insight 2 (Motivation):** Slide 10 reveals the subject's inner drive or unexplainable passion. - **Proof 2:** Slides 11-13 continue to showcase their work. - **Insight 3 (Philosophy):** Slide 14 explains the 'why' behind their craft, establishing them as a thoughtful expert.

Themes

  • Passion
  • Creative Journey
  • Rapid Success
  • Self-Doubt
  • Artistry in Sports

Techniques

  • High-contrast lighting
  • Silhouette photography
  • Motion blur
  • Shallow depth of field
  • Color grading

Trends

  • Creator Spotlight
  • Behind-the-Scenes Access

Post caption

Just two years ago, @levij_erb picked up a camera for the first time. A year ago, he won Photographer of the Year for Motorsport Australia. Now, he’s taking over the paddock. Levi Erb is a 21-year-old Australian photographer who traded his day job to chase race cars worldwide. Ahead of the 2025 Australian Grand Prix, he received a random Instagram DM asking him to cover the event, and the rest is now history.  “One day I will be one of the best photographers in Formula One ... but I doubt myself all the time. It’s still a constant doubt, but the reassurance from people who you know are really incredible photographers and cemented in f1, it definitely feels great.” His rapid ascent into the paddock stems from a deeply ingrained, unexplainable passion for the sport, which draws him to the track. “I’ve always struggled to put a reason behind the drive [for photography] or why I do it, but I don’t know. I just always do. Nothing stops me. I have this random drive that I can’t explain that continues to push me to keep doing this ” Which other F1 creators should be on our radar? Drop them below! 👇

Text overlays

  • title · photo_0

    ESSES ARTIST SPOTLIGHT The 21-Year-Old Photographer Taking Over the Paddock

  • informational · photo_1

    ESSES Levi Erb @LEVIJ_ERB In 2025, 21-year-old Levi Erb got a random Instagram DM asking him to cover the Australian Grand Prix. At the time, the Aussie had been taking photos for barely a year, and now he is shooting in the paddock next to 30-year veterans, F1 drivers, and the sport’s top creatives. He hasn’t looked back since.

  • informational · photo_5

    ESSES “One day I will be one of the best photographers in Formula One … but I doubt myself all the time. It’s still a constant doubt, but the reassurance from people who you know are really incredible photographers and cemented in f1, it definitely feels great.” LEVI ERB ARTIST SPOTLIGHT

  • informational · photo_9

    ESSES “I’ve always struggled to put a reason behind the drive [for photography] or why I do it, but I don’t know. I just always do. Nothing stops me. I have this random drive that I can’t explain that continues to push me to keep doing this, and sacrifice, and try and make it happen, and I actually cannot tell you what it is. I haven’t figured it out yet.” LEVI ERB ARTIST SPOTLIGHT

  • informational · photo_13

    ESSES “As far as I am concerned personally, it has the best ingredients in anything you can do for photography. Just the atmosphere, the constantly changing tracks, conditions, light … as an art form, there’s no better place or atmosphere to be in when you’re creating photos.” LEVI ERB ARTIST SPOTLIGHT

Young F1 photographer's success story | Viral Hooks