Car Photography is work. Taking a simple photograph of your car is much more difficult than you think, and getting the perfect shot seems to be as much about chance as it is skill. I recently proved that a good photo of your car translates to viewers, when I listed my Jaguar XJS on eBay. I got over 1,000 views compared to the usual 10-20.
In my search for the perfect car photograph, I have started to find professional photographers, and learn how they capture some of the best images on the web. I have seen a ton of work, but for me, only one stands out above the crowd. His photographs are some of the best I have ever seen on the web, and his reputation for capturing the perfect picture is excellent.
His name is Tim Wallace, and he is an automobile photographer in the UK. He runs a company called Ambient Life, which does photography work for some of the biggest auto manufacturers, including Aston Martin, Mercedes, Jaguar and Morgan, as well as a slew of non-automotive companies. He has won awards for his work, including International Advertising Photographer of the Year for 2010, and UK Motor Industry Photographer of the Year 2010, and has been featured in prominent magazines and publications throughout the world.
His work is stunning, and unlike anything else you will see. One look at his Aston Martin photos show that his subject is as much the sky and light, as it is the car. In a magazine interview, Wallace explained “I know a few locations that are favorites but I’m always on the lookout for locations. Once I got diverted off the road I was on and found the most amazing canopy of trees. When things like this happen I find my Satnav to be a useful tool as I can add them as locations and it means I know longer need lots of scraps of paper! If you find a gem like this keep it to yourself because when other photographers start to go there it will be ruined.” He can sometime spent months in preparation for a single shoot, and has an exc eptional understanding of lighting and angles.
His website, Ambient Life is a gallery of some of his best work, and worth a visit. I have highlighted some of the best car photos here today. Believe me when I tell you, his portfolio is amazing, and I highly recommend a cruise though the site. Even if you are not a photographer, you will see some of the best images of cars on the web.
Photos courtesy of Tim Wallace, Ambient Life.
Article courtesy of Chris Raymond