Recent Automotive Articles

An Incredible Automotive Shoot That Did Not Go As Planned

As photographers starting out, we quickly learn that shoots do not always go as planned. This fact seems to remain the constant even as we proceed through our careers, but we know we have to make the most out of what we are given or we risk not getting the job done! One such example happened to veteran car photographer William Stern when he was hired to shoot a new Corvette, but his strobes were dead on arrival. Learn how he overcame the obstacles and created some pretty sexy car shots.

Yes, 'Fast and Furious 7' Actually Dropped Cars out of a C-130

Remember watching the trailer for "Fast and Furious 7" and chuckling to yourself about how unrealistic, improbable, and over-the-top it was to be air-dropping sports cars from a cargo aircraft thousands of feet above the ground? Me too. Just 24 hours after the release of the trailer, the filmmakers put out this featurette to prove us wrong.

Short Film About An Incredible Still Life Series You Have To See

Even if you're new to this site, I'm pretty confident you've seen some sort of article about this unique photo series in which Michael Paul Smith builds intricate models and photographs them to recreate scenes from his imaginary childhood. Even I marveled at the fact that these were photographs of 1/24 scale models and not real scenes from history. Soon, Smith will be releasing a book called "Elgin Park" in which he explains his creative process and his life. If it is anything like the video above I will absolutely read it.

Do Not Have A Chase Car Or Automotive Rig? Use Rollerblades

First of all, if you watched the lead video above, you have learned that Matthew Jones is possibly a crazy person. Car photography is absolutely a challenge, but rollerblading down the road at full speed to capture driving action is just bonkers. When I heard Matthew talk about doing this and when I saw the high quality of his images, I knew I had to feature him on Fstoppers. Obviously this technique is not for everyone, but Matthew has absolutely captured my attention with his story. Read below to read why he has chosen to do this and see samples of his great photography,

"Inspired Light" Combines Light Painting And Automotive Photography

Patrick Rochon is a world-reknowned light painting photographer who recently produced a project with Infiniti, where he used their cars as paintbrushes themselves, in a manner of speaking. This video shows off what is possible when a skilled artist is given the reigns to create compelling images of vehicles, and has the support of a technical and creative team. And to top it all off, the really cool part is that everything was done in camera– there was nothing digitally added.

Just Do It - How and Why I Shot the Best Photo of My Career

For years I found myself making excuses as to why I wasn't creating the type of images that I so desperately wanted to make. I didn't have the gear, I didn't have a model, I didn't have access to a studio. At the end of the day, it came down to one simple thing, I never tried.

Tyler Shields Blows Up His Rolls Royce Silver Shadow... For Art

Photographer Tyler Shields is known to be one of the craziest photographers in the world. Just few months ago we posted about how he fed a $100k purse to an alligator, all in the name of art. That seemed to be a bold move that can take years to recover from (financially). This week Tyler proved once again that money doesn't mean much to him and that he'll do anything for art, even if that means blowing up his own Rolls Royce Silver Shadow car he got just few months earlier. Check out the BTS video explaining the idea behind it, and of course the final slow-mo video.

The Making Of The Amazing New Gus Van Sant BMW i8 TV Commercials

If you have not heard of BMW's nimble new i8 hybrid supercar, you should look it up now. Even if you aren't into cars, you do have to take a moment to marvel at not only its beautifully-futurisitc aesthetics, but it's equally as impressive performance technology. BMW hired director Gus Van Sant to create a trio of gorgeous ads to help introduce the car to the world. Watch the behind the scenes video above and see the final three videos below.

Ultimate Tutorial on How to Photograph a Car with the Westcott Ice Light

My friend and RIDES Magazine's head photographer Andrew Link is no stranger to Fstoppers. He also happens to be one of the kings of shooting cars with the Westcott Ice Light, which is essentially a handheld LED rod (looks like a flourescent tube) used as a constant daylight temperature light source. After about 6 months of me begging Andrew for him to make one, he has finally created a fantastic and to-the-point tutorial on how to create an epic car portrait with nothing but a camera, tripod, and the Ice Light.

"The Greatest Car Film Event" Announced and You Can Get Involved!

Our friends at the automotive website Jalopnik have announced their second transportation-focused film festival, and it is great news for car lovers and creatives alike for a few reasons. First, you can attend an awesome film festival in New York City later this year and watch great car movie shorts. Second, you can submit your work and possibly win awards just as you would in any festival. Third, if you don't have a movie but always wanted to make one, you can possibly win the chance to have it made for you. Finally, you can help me create the ultimate car movie poster!

How To Make a Parked Priceless Vintage Porsche Look Like It's Racing

I'm always amazed at how my car photographer friends can make a car that is parked at an event looks like it is racing at high speed with proper application of post-produciton and back plates. To think that this image by Jordan Donnelly started with a photo of a rare automobile at an event with no lighting or special equipment is incredible. Read about his process below and feel free to ask him questions in the comments section to learn more.
Mercedes-Benz USA Wins on Instagram (Again) with #GLAPacked Campaign

Last year Mercedes-Benz USA (@MBUSA) ran a very successful social media campaign using Instagram and some of its top influencers to spread the word about the new CLA which you can read about here. Now, they are at it again with a new approach on the much anticipated Mercedes GLA. What better way to advertise than to hit social media with some absolutely stunning adventure photos?

How a $3.6 Million Supercar was Photographed in Under an Hour

Some great photographers are lucky enough to have a rare opportunity to photograph ultra-rare and exclusive cars, but usually you have to work under tight restrictions or are often thrown an obstacle or two. Car photographer Pepper Yandell's recent photo shoot with a rare super car worth nearly $4 million was no exception. See how he shot incredible images in less than an hour and learn from the helpful tips he shares.

Bentley's New Ad Is Shot with the iPhone 5s - Seriously!

Intelligent Details is the new ad / documentary that Bentley Motors commissioned. It was filmed throughout New York and highlights what inspires Luc Donckerwolke, Bentley's Director of Design, and SangYup Lee, Head of Exterior Design. At around the 3:16 mark, you'll be treated to a behind-the-scenes look at how the film was created. Their YouTube channel explains, "Intelligent Details was filmed, assembled and edited using the in-car connectivity and entertainment platform."

How to Maintain Perfect Lighting for a Moving Vehicle Set

One of the hardest parts of filming on moving sets such as moving cars or trains is to maintain perfect lighting in a way that makes sense to the viewer. There are many obstacles the filmmakers have to deal with when shooting on a moving set, like how to move the lights while keeping it on the same angle while the vehicle is moving and how to keep the camera shot steady and focused on the subject. Check out this great BTS video showing how filmmakers in China solved these problems.

Not All Heroes Wear Capes: A Series Worth Viewing

Brandon Cawood, from Dalton GA, has taken appreciating first responders to the next level. What began as a personal project to photograph local EMS personnel, soon blew up and went viral. Cawood captures priceless moments in the daily lives of firefighters, police and other public safety personnel. He has a movie poster style and pulls it off in a flawless manner.

Pepper Yandell Shows Us How To Photograph Jets, Supercars, And Models

Pepper Yandell is a talented young photographer out of Texas who shoots some of the coolest cars in the world. He recently was given an awesome opportunity to photograph a couple of supercars in a hanger with really expensive jets - the kind of shoot car photographers dream about. Pepper was nice enough to share with me about how he put this shoot together.

The Robocop Photoshoot By Douglas Sonders

The concept of doing a Robocop photoshoot has always been on my wish list, but have not been able to find someone with the proper original costume... until now. You see, my friends and I have always obsessed over the original Robocop film since it first came out (don't mention the sequels). I am just thankful that my photography career has allowed me to recreate the daydreams I had as a kid. Read below about how I put this ultimate personal shoot together and see the final results.

Dale Earnhardt Jr Nascar Photoshoot by Douglas Sonders

About 9 years ago, I was a tour photographer for the rock band 3 Doors Down and I had the chance to attend my first Nascar race (from the infield no less!) As a car guy, it was a great chance to watch all of the action from the front row. Never did I imagine in my wildest dreams that I would be getting a call from the National Guard nearly 10 years later to do the official 2014 photoshoot of one of my favorite drivers and his new car, Dale Earnhardt Jr.

Photographer Surprises Father With Dream Car For Christmas

This year for Christmas I wanted to surprise my father with his dream car, an original Chevrolet Camaro convertible in hugger orange with white rally stripes. Being that I'm a photographer I decided to photograph the car and give my father a framed print of the car before I revealed that I am actually giving him the car.

Filmmaker Creates Awesome Car Commercial For His Used '96 Nissan Maxima

Orlando-based Filmmaker Luke Aker recently decided to sell his old and (very) used 1996 Nissan Maxima. He knew it won't be easy to find a buyer for the car, so he used his talent and skills and created a video commercial for it. To be honest? It's way better than most car commercials on TV. "Luxury Defined".

The Classic "Bullitt" Chase Sequence - Then And Now

Given access to a time machine, where and when would you choose to go? For some reason, I always seem to think about 1960s San Francisco, and I don’t think it’s (just) for the sex, drugs and rock and roll. I think it’s because I saw the classic Steve McQueen movie "Bullitt" at such a young age that it left an indelible mark. If you’ve ever wondered what Bullitt (and specifically, the amazing car chase sequence) would look like if it were filmed today, you need to check this video out.

Falken Motorsports Porsche Photoshoot - No Rig No Problem

So you have a priceless Porsche race car to photograph for an ad campaign and you have to make it look like it's driving really fast, but space is tight and you left your stunt driver at home. So how do you get the shot of this car driving fast while parked? This is exactly the challenge car photographer Frederic Schlosser faced for this project. Watch the video and read below to learn how he executed this shoot perfectly.

Creating An Amazing Motorsports Advertising Photoshoot In Beautiful Landscapes

This shoot combines two things that I really love as a photographer: motorsports and incredible shoot locations. This comprehensive behind the scenes video captured by Ron Risman really gives you a great idea of how photographer Gregor Halenda put the campaign together. The resulting images were crisp and clean, showing off the bikes and locale.

An Interview With Motorsports Photographer Jamey Price

Photography is filled with niche markets that require a specialized skill set from the photographer. What kind of skills does it take to capture a vehicle (that is worth more than all the houses on your street combined) moving at over 200mph? I sat down with Jamey Price to find out more about the world of motorsport photography.

A Commercial for a Car Commercial: The CLA Project Update

A few weeks ago we featured an interesting project by Casey Neistat: The CLA Project. Casey was hired by Mercedes Benz to create a new, fresh and creative approach to the typical stock car commercials that you've seen on television for the past twenty years. The final commercial for the new Mercedes Benz CLA has finally been released. I have to say it is definitely creative and unlike any car commercial I've seen before. I love the patriotism and the fun, light-hearted vibe in the commercial.

Flying Cars: Creating A 58 Foot Composite Print For BMW

Sean Madden, creative director from the ad agency Brains On Fire, reached out to me earlier this year and asked if given an arsenal of stunt drivers, the newest high performance BMW's, and a closed race course, could I create a 58 foot long composite print for BMW. My answer? "When can I start?" Watch the video and read the post below to learn how the shoot came together.

The Best Piece of Gear You'll Ever Have... and it Won't Fit in Your Bag.

We've all had that moment. You're out shooting on location, the shots are looking great, the weather's perfect, and then CRASH... a rogue gust of wind tears through your set and blows over your light stand. Bummer, but there's one piece of gear you can take on a shoot to prevent this kind of catastrophe, and it's not a sandbag.

Studio Lighting for Cars

A few weeks ago, I flew to Los Angeles to shoot a commercial project for Mitsubishi. They had a custom Outlander built by RIDES Magazine and were in need of press shots. Studio shooting can be among the most challenging of all types of photography, but with a little patience and some care, its really not that difficult. Here's how we did it.

Developing A Light Kit For Any Situation

7 years of shooting Automotive Editorial Photography has taught me to streamline as much as possible. One area I've simplified to fit my needs is my lighting kit. I used to rent gear wherever I could, but after you use your own gear long enough you almost develop a relationship with it and now I definitely prefer to use my own lights.