The Ratty Alfa: Chris' Driven GTV

Chris’ ‘71 Alfa is a car that is difficult to ignore, whether you like it or not. I had wanted to get some camera time with it for a while, so we met up in the little town of Woodside for a photo session.

There are a lot of conversation points within this car, but if you talk to Chris, one thing becomes evident more than anything else: he drives the shit out of this thing. From road rallies to for-fun trips and everything in between, this car sees more pavement than your average. He’s humble about it, too. He’s not here to win awards or park his car behind a plaque. He simply wants to drive and have fun.

I recommend you follow him on Instagram to see what he gets up to. Find him at: @71gtv

In the meantime, I hope you enjoy these photos from our shoot!

Legends of the Autobahn 2018 - 35mm

This summer, I ran into a problem that I’ve never had before: I shot so much in just three months that I actually forgot about some of the photos. At one point, I sent off 12 rolls of film to be developed and scanned, and it turns out that a few of them have just been sitting on my hard drives.

A couple of those rolls host images that I made at this year’s Legends of the Autobahn show during Monterey Car Week. This is an event that we’ve attended for the last few years, and this year we got to bring our own car for the first time. It’s amazing to see the community that exists around classic BMWs, and we are so proud to be a part of it. Hanging out with cool cars and amazing friends - what more do you need?

All that said, please enjoy this gallery of 35mm shots from the show. I kept it simple and shot with my Nikon FM2 on Portra 400 (clearly a combination I’m obsessed with if you track my work).

Thanks for looking!

JDM Legends Shop Visit - 35mm

While I was in Utah last month, we paid a visit to the JDM Legends shop. It was a totally unplanned treat, courtesy of our friend Mike at Shift Pattern.

Eric was very welcoming and was kind enough to put down what he was working on to talk to us and show us around. The space is small, and it’s very reminiscent of auto shops in Japan. It has a great atmosphere and it’s clear that this shop is deeply passionate about their craft. I don’t need to explain a whole lot, considering you’ve probably watched their show. That said, here’s a small gallery of photos I shot as we hung out and talked shop.

Snapshots of Summer 2018 - 35mm

This summer was jam packed with long days and nights, exciting trips, new friends, and memories that I’ll hold onto for a long time to come. If there’s anything I’ve realized more than ever, it’s that time is passing so much faster than I expected it would.

The first year of our marriage flew by us. Every weekend was accounted for. We had to (and continue to have to) plan in advance for any slow time, even if it just means sleeping in on a Sunday. We’re so fortunate to have the busy schedule we have, and it’s teaching me that I can easily forget to really take in the moment as it’s happening.

I have a constant well of inspiration and drive to create, yet it sometimes feels restrained. I think one of the most fulfilling ways to ease that feeling of creative anxiety is to document the in between minutes and days; creating photos that aren’t even necessarily “good” by whatever standard, but that are meaningful to me. I think that’s what film achieves for me. Digital has become my “moneymaker” and sometimes feels a little lacking even when I’m making something personal. 35mm in particular is reminding me that the imperfections, missed focuses, and corrupted frames are all part of the process that I so fondly and eagerly learned by in the beginning. I tend to want to control a lot of things about my photos, and it’s healthy to be able to let that go sometimes.

All that said, here are some snapshots of my summer 2018, from a bag of random film rolls I’d accumulated. I hope you came out of it with memories you’ll enjoy for years, just the way that I did.

These are all shot with my carry-around Nikon FM2 mostly on Portra 400.

Driving While Awesome Cars & Coffee - 35mm

The blogging (sporadically) continues! This week, I got back a healthy handful of film rolls from the lab, but I had very hazy memory of what was even on them. I pulled from a bag of unmarked rolls that I’ve accumulated over the last several months. I do this with casual rolls that I’ve shot so that I can have a pleasant surprise every now and then when I decide to develop them.

This time, the surprise was an early morning of shooting at a Driving While Awesome Cars & Coffee. I believe this was last month. I drove out to that meet in my 240z with Glenn in his Nismo R32 GT-R, and Lloyd in his 240z.

There’s nothing terribly fancy here, but there also was no shortage of incredible vehicles at the gathering. I forced myself to keep it casual by just bringing one camera with me, and not focusing too much on turning the hangout into work.

These were all shot on my Nikon FM2 with Portra 400. Enjoy!

Our One Year Marriage Anniversary

Here I am, in September, posting about our one year anniversary trip that we took back in July. Better late than never, right?

For those of you who know (or don't know), my husband and I have been together for more than seven years now. We've been married since July 15, 2017, and to be honest, it started to feel like marriage somewhere around the four year mark. That's a good thing, because nothing has changed and we have only grown more as a couple, a team, as individuals, and as partners in life.

For our first wedding anniversary, we really wanted to get away from the Bay Area and relax. We're really into the idea of road tripping and exploring the landscape. Dustin was the one who suggested Mendocino and its beautiful abundance of B&Bs. So, we packed our bags, loaded up the Touring, and took a long weekend to celebrate.

I brought along my regular shooter D750, as well as a newly acquired Nikon FM2. In my commitment to shoot more film, I brought along a couple of rolls of Portra 400 and promised myself that I'd shoot all of it. Not every frame made the cut for this blog, but below are some of my favorites.

There's an honest, subtle brilliance about film that just can't be replaced by digital. I'm really a casual film shooter these days, but am thinking of getting more into it the more I shoot with it. I learned to shoot with a Minolta X-700 with loads of Ilford stock, and I attribute much of my style and process with digital to what I learned with film.

Anyway, that's another story for another time! Here are some of my favorite 35mm shots from the trip! This is more of a personal blog, so you won't find anything wildly exciting. Just a collection of photos that mean a lot to me. And Dustin: you are the reason for everything good in my life. Thank you for being the most patient, encouraging, loving, (did I mention patient?) husband a girl could ask for. I love you and I can't wait to see what else our future holds. (Probably lots of other cars and bikes, but let's try to keep some mystery.)

#MiataSummer with Mazda USA and the 2019 MX-5

The beginning of August brought along a wonderful opportunity to work with Mazda USA on a project which they called the #MiataSummer road trip campaign. Several pairs of influencers, photographers, travelers, and more set off on a two day road trip up the Northern California coast, from San Francisco to Mendocino, then down to Healdsburg.

While I generally have a focus on classic cars, the Mazda Miata is a car that is special to me for a few reasons. My husband's NB Miata was the first car that I conducted an "official" photoshoot with, and it helped to spark my love of automotive photography all those years ago. That car has been gone for several years now, but when Mazda proposed a road trip in the NB's most modern descendant, there was no way I could say no.

It's thrilling to see that Mazda has carried on the spirit and the true core of what the Miata is - a light, balanced, no frills roadster. Even the 2019 MX-5 has the same analog feel that its predecessors had, which is difficult to achieve in an era of complex electronics and computers on wheels.

I could go on for quite some time about how much I adore this car, but I'll let the photos from our trip do the talking instead. Below you'll find images that I shot over the two day trip, featuring both cars that we had access to: a soft top MX-5 and an RF, loaded with Recaro seats, BBS wheels, and Brembo brakes. Needless to say, there was no shortage of driving fun!

I have been given compensation for this post by Mazda North America Operations. However, all thoughts and opinions expressed are my own. #sponsored #MiataSummer #FeelAlive #MX5

If you'd like to see a larger gallery of my coverage from the trip, check out my "Work" section!

Briefly: Dustin's "New" BMW R75/7

While Dustin has been riding bikes his whole life, this year has certainly been the year of the motorcycle for him. It's fun to watch as he really dives back into the world of bikes, while still maintaining his love of cars. As I type this, he's already purchased a new Triumph since I shot these photos of his then-new BMW. No complaints here though, because it's just more for me to photograph and for him to put up with. (He married a photographer, don't feel bad for him.)

On this evening, I hopped on back of the R75/7, ONA backpack stocked, and we went on a short ride up Highway 17. It was one of those summer nights where at 7PM, it was still a stuffy 80 degrees outside. One of the best feelings is when that open air on a bike doesn't bite, but rather soothes.

There was really no point in shooting these photos other than to simply have fun and document the new bike. It's a sort of tradition that I have to photograph any new vehicles we get before anything about them changes. I like to be able to look back and see how a car or bike has evolved over the course of ownership. This bike was purchased from the original owner, who showed no shortage of TLC over the years. With less than 50,000 original miles, this BMW has a whole lot of life left to live. I'm sure this bike will remain mostly stock, as it's a real gem. Besides, there are three other bikes at home that are waiting for attention.

A side note: I bought new Thorogood boots for Dustin as an anniversary gift, so he busted them out and they became a little spotlight piece in the photos. So, not sponsored. We're just in love with nice leather goods.

On the Way to 500k: Austin's BMW M5 for Turtle Wax

The Caccavo family takes their cars seriously. It's rare to find a family in which every member is unquestioningly dedicated to the automotive lifestyle, but here we are. Austin and his family may have only recently moved to Northern California, but they have wasted no time immersing themselves into the car culture here. Austin in particular spends much of his time working on his vehicles, and finding new roads to explore.

On this day, my husband and I went out to explore the mountainous range of El Dorado and the surrounding region with Austin in his E28 M5. This car has been in his family since 2004, and it has lived a life that many would call unusual for an M5. Think: 100k miles on the clock when purchased by the Caccavos, daily driven, given a fully rebuilt 3.6L transplant at 293k miles, and still driven today. In 2017, Austin's father decided he no longer wanted the car, but instead of shipping it away, offered it to his son to purchase. It was an easy choice for Austin.

Not many M5s have the privilege to see this amount of road time, as most people try to follow a "low mileage, high value" mantra. Austin however has run over 14,000 miles on the car in the last eight months of ownership, so I don't need to tell you that he drives it. A lot. We spent most of this day driving up winding, vast mountain roads, cruising the freeways in between, and stopping at a couple of Austin's favorite spots.

Once we reached a high point on the mountain, Austin took a quick stop to clean up the bug casualties on the front of the car. Austin uses Turtle Wax ICE Spray Detailer for on-the-go spot cleanings.

Our next stop was at the base of the mountain, where we took some time to photograph Austin doing what he loves most: driving. Most of us aren't fortunate enough to hear an S38 at wide open throttle every weekend, so I have to say that there may be a tint of jealousy somewhere behind these photos...

Our next stop was another region a short drive away. This space fell victim to a wild fire some years ago, and it's rather eerie to see the resulting landscape even after years of healing.

In addition to the ICE products that Austin carries with him, he also has the Turtle Wax Express Shine Carnauba Spray Wax for deeper cleaning after washes.

We wrapped up our day of driving at a nearby historical bridge (scantily built yet surprisingly sturdy, might I add). Beneath the bridge were incredible river rock formations, crafted by the water over decades of time.

This is a sponsored post. I am a Turtle Wax Shine Squad Influencer, although all opinions expressed are my own.

The Paddocks: The 2018 Spring Classic With Turtle Wax

The overwhelming smell of race gas. Technicians tinkering with last minute adjustments before heading out on the track. Hot rubber, exhaust pipes kicking up dust, and thunderous engine notes reverberating within your ribcage. These are just a few of my favorite things about shooting in the paddocks on race day. If you've followed my work over the last couple of years, you've likely seen that I frequent Laguna Seca Raceway for a handful of vintage racing events each year.

For this photo essay, I teamed up with Turtle Wax for a social media takeover to share what Saturday looked like during this year's Spring Classic Showcasing Nitro Revival. The social media aspect of this project was fun (check out my post on Turtle Wax's IG channel here), and below, you'll find a large gallery featuring the day through my lens. Paddock life during race weekend is exciting in the way of being able to watch human-machine interaction on a very personal level. I do my best to document drivers, technicians, and everyone in between, because they are the ones who make it possible for us to enjoy these amazing cars. This year's race was a bit different than usual, as there was a huge hot rod presence, as well as a variety of nitro fueled dragsters. I hope you enjoy this essay. Did you attend the race this year? If so, did you have a favorite car (or two)? Leave me a comment or send me a message with your thoughts!

35mm Scans: Test Rolls

After shooting digital for many years, yet simultaneously collecting 35mm cameras in that time, I finally gave in to the itch to shoot film again. I used to shoot and develop all of my black and white 35mm work, but have since lost the time and access to a good dark room to do so.

There's something particularly rewarding about shooting film. It's on trend now, of course, but in the early days of our parents and grandparents shooting, it was all they had. It's a skill no doubt, and an art that I think is slowly coming back with more demand.

When people ask me if I have advice on how to be a "better photographer," or if I can give them any tips, I usually recommend learning to shoot analog first. Digital is easy, to a degree. It is forgiving, you have endless frames (or at least as much room as your memory cards will hold), and there's almost a sense of mindfulness that gets lost when you get so used to shooting digital.

I've missed the patience and the focus that film requires. With my analogs, I have to stop and think just a bit longer than I would with my DSLRs. I need to really make sure I've got the composition that I want. I hold extra still to make sure the manual focus stays in its place. It's all a beautiful process that I really do enjoy.

That said, I ran a few test rolls through two of my Canon AE-1s over the last few months (AE-1 and AE-1 Program) and recently got some scans back. They're not terribly creative or interesting since I wasn't sure of the condition of each camera, so I didn't want to exert too much effort only to be devastated if they had any defects that would prevent my film from turning out. I only ever pulled out the camera if I had a spare second around the house or on a shoot or drive. Take a few shots here and there, and move on. The AE-1 Program seems to have a pretty moderate light leak, which has its pros and cons. Regardless, here is what I shot here and there from the start of the year until recently. These are unedited scans, a combination of Fuji Superia X-TRA 400, Fuji PRO 400H, and some Ektar 400. So far, I don't think I'm quite the biggest fan of Ektar, but we'll see with more shoot time. Hopefully I'll have more serious film work done soon!

An Afternoon Drive

I have been trying to make it a point to drive without an exact reason. I'm always running around and going to this place or that place, all with purpose and things to do. Sometimes though, I think it's necessary to just get out there without having a destination. It's stress relieving, fun, and good for your mind.

That said, I met up with one of my dear friends Bengt and his E9 to go for an afternoon cruise. It was tons of fun and it felt almost strange to just be out there in the mountains without a real plan. It was nice to have a casual day of hanging out and just enjoying photographing our cars along the way. Bengt is an avid photography enthusiast and is constantly driving around the Bay Area, collecting places to revisit and take photos at during his next drive.

I decided to give the Touring a good wash and wax before I headed out for the day. I later ended up miscalculating the depth of a mud patch off the side of the road, and my washing efforts ended up being slightly wasted. But admittedly, it was pretty fun.

Below is a collection of photos from our day out - I hope you can imagine how the sun and wind felt.

First, we came together at Alice's Restaurant. We stopped a ways down the winding road to take a few quick snaps of the cars on a turn out.

CourtneyCutchen_BMW_ExpressShineCarnaubaSprayWax_April2018_1-1.jpg

Anyone who's driven out to the coast past Alice's knows this big barn. I love this picturesque scene - it's like something out of a storybook. The two cars looked pretty small comparatively.

CourtneyCutchen_BMW_ExpressShineCarnaubaSprayWax_April2018_1-2.jpg

This Express Shine Carnauba Spray Wax from Turtle Wax is the wax that I used after washing the Touring before our drive. I not only love the smell of it, but it leaves behind a clean and residue-free feel, which is a big plus in my book.

CourtneyCutchen_BMW_ExpressShineCarnaubaSprayWax_April2018_1-4.jpg

This is a spot that I love to stop off at whenever I'm in the area. It's gorgeous no matter what time of the day it is, and it's relatively safe compared to the other busier stretches of the mountain roads. It's peaceful and quiet here, with only the occasional car rolling by.

CourtneyCutchen_BMW_ExpressShineCarnaubaSprayWax_April2018_1-5.jpg

CourtneyCutchen_BMW_ExpressShineCarnaubaSprayWax_April2018_1-6.jpg

California is pretty damn cool, right? Our next stop was along Highway 1 at this surreal lookout point along the coast. The beach has always been a place that resonates with me. It's my happy place, if you will. Our point of view lent us an expansive view, making the couple of people below us seem almost nonexistent.

CourtneyCutchen_BMW_ExpressShineCarnaubaSprayWax_April2018_1-9.jpg

CourtneyCutchen_BMW_ExpressShineCarnaubaSprayWax_April2018_1-10.jpg

CourtneyCutchen_BMW_ExpressShineCarnaubaSprayWax_April2018_1-8.jpg

CourtneyCutchen_BMW_ExpressShineCarnaubaSprayWax_April2018_1-7.jpg

On the way back inland, this was our final stop. A cute conglomerate of little shops create this old fashioned, green storefront along the side of the road. It's charming and also a well known stop for regular drivers out here. There's a deli right off to the side, a fire station, a post office, and a handful of other small businesses.

It was getting closer to the evening by this point, so we decided to call it a day and went our own ways. The really wonderful thing about cruising around with Bengt and his E9 is that he's genuinely there for the drive. He likes to take in the sights and make frequent stops to poke around the environment, just to see if he can find something new. This is definitely my driving style - take your time, explore, and don't be afraid to really experience your car. We run enough of a race in our daily lives, so my relaxing cruises need to be anything but fast.

When I got home, I busted out the soap and water again and washed down those mud cakes that had accumulated at the rear of the car. Drive, clean, maintain, repeat.

This is a sponsored post. I am a Turtle Wax Shine Squad Influencer, although all opinions expressed are my own. Since I was on my own this day, I didn't have the time available to photograph my entire process of washing and waxing before my drive. I hope to bring more material like that to light in the future - but what I really wanted to focus on in this blog is the real experience of driving and enjoying your car. Thanks for reading and I hope you're able to enjoy days like this one.

Photography Q&A

Hey reader! As promised, I've put together a Q&A blog to follow up with the Instagram Live Q&A session I did last month. This is a compilation of the questions I received via DM, email, and in the Live session. I condensed a lot of these questions because there were so many to begin with, so if you don't see your exact question here, it may still be answered below. If it's not, leave a comment or message me!

Before we get into it, I want you to know that everything I talk about here is just how I do things. Shooting is my full time job. This is a business that I've worked extremely hard to build through years of work (and I'm still working on it). I take this very seriously, which is why I'm offering advice that I think is useful. Every artist is different, so you may not find anything here helpful, or you may find it all helpful. I am so incredibly humbled and constantly ecstatic that I get to do what I love as a career, so I feel compelled to give back to the community in the form of what I've learned over the years. I hope you can take away at least a couple of points from this blog.

I've started with the simpler questions, and progressively work toward the nitty gritty stuff.

Let's begin!

What gear do you use, specifically what lenses?

Nikon D750 DSLR (qty 2)

Canon AE-1

Polaroid OneStep2

Nikon 85mm 1.4

Sigma 35mm 1.4

Sigma 24 mm 1.4

(Soon adding a Nikon 70-200mm 2.8)

Osiris&Co Wrist Strap Systems

Pelican 1510 Series Case

ONA Union Street Messenger Bag

ONA Bowery Bag

ONA Bolton Street Backpack

Manfrotto 190XPROB

What are your editing tools and process?

I process images using Photo Mechanic, Lightroom, and Photoshop. First, I cull images using Photo Mechanic. Then, I pull everything I’ve culled into Lightroom and do my editing there. If there’s any large object/spot removal or composite imaging that needs to be done, then that work happens in Photoshop.

Do you use a tripod?

Very rarely. I don’t carry my Manfrotto with me every day but if I’m shooting at night / long exposure I will use it.

What’s the best way to export photos and what dimensions are typically best?

This really depends on what you’re exporting and where it’s going. For me, I shoot a lot of stories for web publishing / social media, so I tend to export from Lightroom around 1920px or 3000px at the longest edge at 300dpi. These are also the dimensions that I use for the images I share on Instagram. I've never had issues with IG destroying the quality of my photos, so it works for me.

Do you aim for a specific aperture or does it just depend? How much do you shoot in manual mode versus A/S/P?

I generally shoot between f / 1.4 - 2.0. I only shoot in manual mode, but every now and then I'll pop into shutter priority mode if I’m doing rolling shots and I need to make things quicker. That's the only time I ever shoot out of M.

What is the best bang for your buck Polaroid?

Easily the OneStep2 (in my opinion)! It’s affordable at $100 and very easy to use, even if you’ve never used an instant camera before.

What is your favorite app for editing iPhone photos on mobile?

I use VSCO to edit all of my iPhone photos and sometimes will run the edited shots through an app called Mextures for texture.

What are your everyday necessities?

I use just about all of my gear every day (except for backup camera). I don’t have a huge bulk of gear so it’s pretty easy to utilize everything I have. I try not to be too equipment heavy because a) I'm not a big person who can carry a ton, and b) too much equipment just complicates my job. Most often, I can shoot an entire session just with my 85mm because I love the lens so much. I carry my backup Nikon D750 just in case something happens to my main shooter. Also, a case full of SD cards. Never short yourself on storage.

Did you study photography in school?

I took a few basic photography classes when I first started college, but it was never anything advanced. I took the short series of Digital Photography courses they offered and an Artificial Lighting course. To be honest, I wanted to major in Photography, but I found that the classroom environment really was not for me. I would much rather be in the field and experience things for myself, learning as I go. By the time I took any photo courses in college, I already had a full understanding of the rules of photo and how my camera worked. I never majored in Photo because I ultimately chose not to continue with school. Rather, I focused on building my business and I haven’t stopped since.

This is not to say that photography courses are bad! If you learn better in a classroom, by all means, enroll in your class of choice and run with it. Everyone learns differently.

How did you start shooting cars?

I started shooting cars purely as a hobby. I met my husband in high school auto shop class, and at the time, he had old Ford trucks that I really liked - I learned to drive a manual in his old F-250 that was impossible to stall. I always liked cars but knew nothing about them until this point. His trucks got me more interested, but I really got into shooting cars when he got an NB Miata that I absolutely loved. I just kept shooting the Miata and then started shooting friends’ cars. It then progressed from there once I started going to car shows!

What was your first photography job and how did you get it?

I wish I had an answer for this. As embarrassing as it is, I don’t exactly remember what my first paid job was. I’m willing to bet that it was a random gig that paid next to nothing. I do know however, that it was not automotive related.

What are some tips for portrait editing?

Don’t over edit! Keep things simple when you’re editing portraits of people, because it’s easy to go crazy with it. Pay attention to how skin texture and tone change if you’re using presets that you didn’t make (or even if you did make them). If it's a car you're editing, try not to go too crazy on the HDR effects...

What editing tools do you use and are they free or cost monthly?

I have an Adobe Creative Cloud subscription, which is where I use Lightroom and Photoshop. There are different levels of CC subscriptions which can be found here: https://www.adobe.com/creativecloud.html

How much review / editing is done during a shoot versus in post?

I try to do as much review work as possible while I’m shooting. You can’t fix poor composition or angle in post process. If there’s something that I can do to avoid spending a lot of time in post, I’ll do it—i.e. moving a few steps to the right or left to eliminate a background distraction, etc. If you ever think, "Oh, I'll just edit that out later," give yourself a hard pinch because you'll eventually regret that mindset.

Do you location scout? If so, what is your process?

Yes, I do! Because I work in the Bay Area and have lived here my whole life, I know it pretty well. Over the years, I’ve compiled a list of locations that I can utilize fairly regularly without overusing. However, I’m always shooting at new spots because I like to keep things fresh. One of the jobs a freelance photographer has is to physically get out there and find locations to use later. Take half a day every now and then to explore and make notes of good places to shoot at in the future. I use Google Maps' satellite view pretty often to scout online when I’m unable to go drive somewhere. However, don’t just rely on Google because when you’re shooting cars, the footing is critical. You won’t want to bring lowered car across a mine field of bumps and potholes that may not be obvious on a screen.

How did you first get started in freelance automotive photography?

I had been shooting as a hobby for a couple of years before I officially decided to pursue a freelance career. It wasn’t really a pivotal moment or an overnight occurrence, but more of a slow transition into being a professional. I got to that point and continued to grow simply by shooting consistently, forcing myself to think creatively, and never letting myself be comfortable with where I was. I always strived to learn more and I still do now, because there is always more to learn. I expand on this question more in answers below, too.

At what point in your time photographing cars did you go from enthusiast to professional? What would be your number one tip to push the boundary from doing shoots for friends to making money doing what you love?

I moved into the professional realm after I had practiced and shot for a couple of years, unpaid and all on my own time while I went to school/worked. Eventually I found myself jobless when I quit working retail, so I had to make a decision. I didn’t charge until I was confident enough to do so, which is a timeline that’s different for every photographer.

It can be hard to move past just shooting with friends, and actually making money with clients. I shoot with my friends all the time for personal projects + just for fun. You can use these opportunities to build a portfolio and shoot in a more relaxed, unstressed environment. Your friends win because they get photos, and you win because you can experiment with ideas and create work that you can show to potential clients. The biggest thing to do is to just keep shooting, and don’t limit yourself. Build a collective of work and use it to reach out to people.

A disclaimer here: If you don’t immediately start getting hired, don’t be discouraged. The unfortunate truth is that sometimes, you may need to practice a bit more and gain more experience in order to start charging clients. No one just dives in and books $10k jobs. If no one is hiring you, examine your work and ask yourself why. Look at who is getting hired and observe how it is that they do business. You might be at chapter 3 while they're at chapter 10. You are also always allowed to email other photographers with honest questions. Don’t just shoot a two liner email with “Hi what do you charge and how much do you make in a year?” because that’s clearly not professional or acceptable. But if you come from a genuine place of wanting to learn, most people will help you to whatever extent they are comfortable. Don’t expect every piece of info to be handed to you, but also don’t be afraid to ask questions. Photography is based on community and we are all here to support each other. Those who aren’t, well, that’s their unfortunate choice.

With technology becoming so cheap and accessible, everyone seems to be an “expert” in our industry. How do you ensure that you get the freelance gig over someone else who isn’t professional, charging lower prices than you?

To be honest, I don’t do a lot of aggressive marketing, nor do I find myself at fierce competition with other photographers. I believe there’s enough work to go around for everyone. There are enough resources for everyone to grow and pursue their career in photography. There will always be beginners and non-professionals who shoot for free or for “exposure.” And yes, it is very annoying when those individuals try to take work from professionals who pay their bills with that money. At the end of the day, however, clients will hire the photographer whose work they enjoy and connect with most. I've received email replies from potential clients who say things like, "Well, this other photographer said they would charge me $350, can you match that?" My thought on this is simply, I am not that "other photographer" and I politely suggest that if they prefer that photographer's work, they should certainly hire them. Nine times out of ten, the client moves forward and hires me anyway. Be confident in yourself and don't undervalue your talent.

It gets to a point where the right clients will find you and they won’t have an issue with paying you what you’re worth because it’s exactly that: they know you’re worth it. At that point, other photogs who charge less / don’t charge at all aren’t a problem.

I’m at the point in my career where I’m able to let jobs go if it means that I’ll be underselling myself. I don’t believe in undercutting my pricing just so that I get a job over another photographer, because that has happened to me in the past by other photographers, and boy does it suck. DO NOT take work from hardworking professionals. I’ve seen some pretty shitty behavior from some photographers and it never leads to anything good. I know what my work is worth so I hold firm to it, regardless of whether or not another photographer is discounting their services. This doesn’t mean I don’t offer deals and packages, it just means that I don’t lower my price unreasonably just for the sake of booking the job.

Additional tip: Lately I’ve been more aware of smaller jobs that don’t pay as well and take up a lot of time. These are generally jobs that I can afford to let go because I’d rather book bigger jobs that have a better profit margin. It's not all about money, but be reasonable and figure out what you have time for and what makes the most sense.

What automotive photographers inspire you?

I’m inspired by more than just automotive photographers, so here’s a list of some of my current and longtime favorite photographers + creators:

Corey Davis: http://coreydavis.photography/

Instagram: @lghthntr

* Corey is actually the first automotive photographer I found back when I started shooting cars. I absolutely fell in love with his work and I did my first photo class report on him and his career! He answered my emails and all of my questions and was a huge inspiration to me with how open and friendly he was. He’s a stellar guy so go follow him.

Sean Klingelhoefer: http://seanklingelhoefer.com/

Jenavieve Belair: http://www.jenavievebelair.com/

Instagram: @jenavieve

Christian Watson (1924us): https://www.1924.us/

Instagram: @1924house

Elle-May Leckenby: https://www.elle-may.com/

Instagram: @ellemayleckenby

Larry Chen: http://www.larrychenphoto.com/

Instagram: @larry_chen_foto

Dylan Gordon: https://www.dylangordon.com/

Instagram: @dylangordon

Platon: http://platonphoto.com/

Instagram: @platon

Michael James Buchanan: http://www.michaeljamesphotostudio.com/

Instagram: @michaeljamesphotographer

Alan Monteagudo: https://www.monteagudostudio.com/

Instagram: @alangoesnuts

Amy Shore: https://amyshorephotography.com/

Instagram: @amyshorephotography

The Toms: http://thetoms.film/

Instagram: @tomeditorial

I am absolutely forgetting a whole bunch of artists on this list but I’ll just keep listing them if I don’t stop now! So many talented people.

Your album of the Rolex Reunion 2016 is jaw dropping. Can you share some stories on how you got access to that event and what your favorite cars were?

http://www.courtneycutchenphotography.com/rolex-reunion-2016/

The Rolex Reunion is one of my favorite events every year. In 2016, I attended the event with Performance Technic to cover the event for their blog and to document marketing efforts. That’s how I personally accessed the event, but you can also submit for a press pass through the Laguna Seca website. 2016 was BMW’s turn to be the featured Marque, as well as their 100 Year celebration, so it was a big deal.

My favorite cars from that event hands down were the classic BMWs (duh) - CSLs, M1 Procars, Cory’s E21, etc. BMW also had a 100 Year display with a selection of Art Cars, a 2002 Turbo, and more. Laguna Seca is my favorite track to shoot at in general because of the killer access you can get to the paddocks. I travel light when I shoot here because I’m constantly moving through the paddock stalls and making sure I stay out of the crews’ paths. I absolutely love how up close and personal you can get here. Kneeling down to the side as a roaring, crackling race car prowls past your ears is viscerally thrilling.

How did you establish all of your current connections?

Years and years of shooting and networking. (Note: networking is not simply handing out a business card and moving on to the next. You need to put in time.) What a lot of people don’t understand is that a career as a freelance photographer is not something that’s made overnight, within a few months, or even within a few years. Sometimes it takes five, eight, ten or more years to build yourself into a network of clients and resources. I’ve been shooting since 2011 and I didn’t charge for my work or have real clients for more than two years.

That means that all of the work I did in that time was for free, trade, or just personal projects to get my work out there. This work however is not work that was poached from the pros - small time projects for friends and people I knew made up the bulk of it. I focused on building an online presence and networking with other photographers, not just trying to get clients. Connecting with your fellow artists is more valuable than aiming nonstop at getting clients. Ideally, they are the ones who both teach and support you.

Ultimately, you just need to talk to people. Talk to photographers, car owners, car builders, artists in general, salespeople, marketers, etc. Brand yourself and hand out business cards. Build relationships. Be a genuine person who has an authentic voice, and don’t just do this for money. If it’s about money, you aren’t really an artist. Email companies with your portfolio, email clients and follow up. Offer to partner on projects. In the age of social media, it’s easier than ever for companies to see your work and for you to contact them. (Don’t mistake this advice as “spam all of your favorite companies with work proposals” - I mean that you should be interacting with people and brands on a real, honest level.)

Any tips on how to develop a style that’s all your own?

My best advice would be to simply get out and shoot. Practice in all different kinds of light settings and locations. Experiment with subject matter. Draw inspiration from photographers who inspire you, and observe the way they shoot. For example: angles, lighting, tones, composition, etc. Most importantly though, do not directly rip off of anyone’s style. Imitation is not the sincerest form of flattery in this field. It’s okay to be inspired by other photographers, but when you directly copy everything they do, you lose the opportunity to develop your own style. It also just makes you look unoriginal. You'll also really annoy the photographer whose style you're ripping, and that's not fun.

Additionally, it’s important to draw inspiration from other areas of your life. Do you like architecture? Are you into fashion? Maybe you have an interest in street photography. Cars are not all there is to life and you can find more inspiration from various subjects than you’d think. You just have to look for it in your other interests.

What tips would you recommend to someone who is still trying to break into the automotive world? Especially on the commercial side? Do you have any advice on engaging with larger automotive companies for work?

I may not be the best person to answer this question, because I don’t often work on the commercial side. However, I have found that utilizing social media is the best way to connect with large companies. It’s so easy now for your work to be seen by so many eyes, so take advantage of the luxury that social media gives us. Here are some tips that I think make sense:

DO NOT spam companies by tagging them in every single photo you post. There are too many people who do this already and chances are, your work will be overlooked.

Treat your designated social media channels as professional outlets, almost as if it’s a “living” portfolio that you’re constantly adding to.

Be mature and respectful both in person and online. Company eyes see a lot more than you think, and if you’re leaving rude comments / arguing with people on your Instagram, my bet is that no one will want to hire you simply from a behavioral standpoint.

If you have a project idea that you want to work on with a company of your choice, try sending them a clear, concise DM or an email if you have the right contact. The worst they can say is no.

How are you getting clients? I’d love to shoot for a manufacturer but I’m not sure I’m good enough. Also just getting private clients is difficult. Any tips?

At this time in my career, my clients mostly come to me. I get a lot of referrals from various companies that I work with: Hagerty, Bring a Trailer, Petrolicious, DriveTribe, Fuel Curve, etc. Clients also find me through social media (mostly Instagram) and they email me from there. I also tend to meet more potential clients through existing clients—i.e. if I am hired to shoot an historic race car, it’s possible to work with the network surrounding that car.

I struggle to find a way to be passionate about shooting at meets. From contacting someone about shooting their car to finding someone who is willing to shoot, how do you get your foot in the door?

I understand this all too well, because I get bored of most meets pretty quickly. There’s not a ton of room for creativity because everyone is in one place and the vehicles are static where they’re parked.

However, meets are where I got started. Going to a show or a meet is one of the best ways to connect with owners of the cars you like and want to shoot. Make sure you have a business card, even if you don’t have a fancy website or a custom business email address. You have to start somewhere. Make an impression and be genuine about wanting to get to know the owners, and don’t make them feel like you’re only interested in the car. In this field, you end up being friends with a lot of the people you shoot for. It’s pretty easy to find people who are willing to shoot because everyone wants photos of their car. A big tip here is to also approach people who have unique vehicles, and maybe aren’t internet celebrities. There’s a lot of saturation in the automotive photo world, and the big builds of the moment tend to flood social media. I personally get tired of seeing the same internet famous cars, so try to seek out cars that have more of a personal story / aren’t as well known. That’s also how you find some of the nicest people.

How do you come to a fair working rate, when it’s usually much easier to undervalue/undercharge for your work?

Pricing is a whole world in itself. Unfortunately, it can also be pretty trial and error based. As a freelancer, you have the awesome freedom of setting your own pricing. However, you also need to consider the market in your area, the economy, what other photographers are charging for the same work, the cost of your equipment, etc. You shouldn’t structure your pricing solely based on other photographers, but chances are if you’re astronomically more expensive than the general population, you may not book as much bread and butter work as you’d like. Especially if you're just starting out.

If you’re unsure of how to start, I’d recommend the classic example of:

Time + equipment + overhead = total cost

_________________________________________

Total cost + profit = final price

I know this can seem intimidating if you haven’t charged before or are unsure of where to start, but you can use this template to help get a realistic idea. You’ll need to determine what your time is worth, what it costs to use your equipment to complete the service, what overhead you’re carrying, and how much profit you want to make. This all comes with time and of course changes with how much experience you build, so be patient when structuring your pricing.

Note: This is just how I determine things for my own business. I'm not going to explain step by step, every detail of my processes, but this is the general idea of it. Don't use this structure if it doesn't work for you.

What do these starting photos look like and what software do you edit with? What lens did you use for the man on the bike and what are the settings? What is your editing process like?

This question is referring to some of my Festival of Speed images from last year. Below I’ve included some before and after examples. Below each pair, I’ve listed the settings of each image. I edit all of my images in Lightroom, and I shot all of these examples with my Nikon 85mm 1.4 lens. I love the fixed 85mm focal length because it allows me to be far enough away but also just close enough that I can move myself physically, not worrying about zooming in or out. It may not make sense for everyone, but in my mind, I see the image I want to take and I feel that the 85mm allows me to create that image in the most efficient way.

Settings: ISO 100 + 85mm + f / 2.0 + 1/400

Settings: ISO 100 + 85mm + f / 2.0 + 1/1250

This image straight off of camera is just a bit underexposed, but it worked well for black and white. I brought up the exposure and enhanced the highlights.

Settings: ISO 100 + 85mm + f / 2.0 + 1/2500

Settings: ISO 100 + 85mm + f / 2.0 + 1/4000

As you can see, the original image was accidentally shot on the underexposed side. Fortunately, I'm able to pull that exposure back up and take detail from the shadows that were once too dark. I would much rather shoot underexposed than overexposed because sometimes your whites can be so blown out that they're basically unworkable.

Settings: ISO 100 + 85mm + f / 2.0 + 1/320

My editing process isn't very complicated. As you can see from the photos above, I don't edit too crazily. My tones and shadow/highlight tints tend to vary from shoot to shoot, depending on the mood of the atmosphere in the image. These are obviously on the colder side, utilizing green and blue tones more than anything else.

What is the best all around lens with good sharpness? Also, what editing techniques do you use to get that “punchy” look?

Lens choice is all really personal preference. However, when it comes to sharpness and quality, I think that prime (fixed focal length) lenses are the best. They have an advantage over zoom lenses in that they can shoot as wide as f / 1.2 (most zooms max out at f / 2.8). This allows me to capture the bokeh that a lot of photographers are after, and allows better separation between the subject and its background. All that said, you can pick up a great quality 50mm 1.4 or 35mm 1.4 lens for a reasonable price. That’s probably my best recommendation for someone who is on a budget but wants to experiment with a versatile prime lens.

As for the “punchy” look I get from my photos, it’s a balancing act of contrast, clarity, and shadows, among other things. I also utilize the local adjustment brushes in Lightroom to layer different effects on an image.

What is your workflow like, from shooting to delivery?

First I schedule the vehicle and block out that time slot on my calendar. I’ll work with the client to choose a time and location that works for both of us.
I then follow up with the client shortly before the shoot to make sure plans have not changed. Some photographers charge a deposit up front to hold the date, but as an automotive photojournalist, I’ve found this isn’t really a realistic thing to do with clients in my field. If it's a bigger job booked with a company or larger entity however, I charge a 50% nonrefundable deposit up front.
I arrive early to my shoot location (typically half an hour or more) to inspect the location, and give myself time to use my backup location just in case conditions have changed.
I take my time while shooting once the client arrives. I don’t rush because that’s when you forget simple things. I also take the time to chat with the client as well, even if it’s just briefly throughout the shoot. (Tip: bring a friend or partner who can talk to the client during the shoot so that the client doesn’t feel awkward while just standing around while you shoot.)
Then I transfer and back up my shoot as soon as I can once the shoot is done. There’s nothing worse than accidentally formatting or losing a card that had a whole shoot on it—trust me on this one, I speak from experience. Back up your shoot in at least two locations (cloud storage, external hard drive, etc).
A lot of what I do is shoot and write stories. I’ll typically spend 2 - 6 hours processing a shoot, and that timeline is highly dependent on the car I shoot and how many images the job requires. My auction / sale shoots are generally shot in an hour and a half to two hours, and then processed within four hours. If I shoot a larger project, like a branding campaign, processing times start around 6 hours and can go up from there. I also try to finish shoots in a timely manner so that work doesn’t pile up too much.
Once I’m done processing a shoot, I export the files and rename them. Renaming files can help with organization for the client.
Then I upload the final images to Dropbox in their own folder. I’ll send that link to the client so they can download the images from it. Some clients prefer WeTransfer or other forms of delivery, so just confirm with your client what the ideal method of delivery is for them.

How do you handle lighting if you shoot outside of a studio?

I carefully plan out what time of the day I’ll be shooting. Ideal light for most photographers is golden hour (the time right before and during sunset) or at sunrise. However, I’ve been pressing myself more to not be limited to those time slots, so I also try to shoot in broad daylight as well. Plan according to the weather as well, because an overcast day can provide hours and hours of shooting under consistent, natural lighting conditions.

While we can try to plan for everything, nothing is guaranteed when it comes to shooting events. For example, the Goodwood photos above - I had no idea what the weather would be like in the weeks before the job. You just have to ultimately familiarize yourself with shooting in any realistic situation that can be thrown at you. I can't show up to an event I've been hired to shoot and say, "Well, the light isn't great today so I can't shoot for you guys. Sorry." I have to be ready and be able to adapt.

I struggle with low light / spotty overcast conditions. Do you have tips for shooting low light? What about fast pan settings and settings to achieve targeted motion blur?

Low light shooting can be difficult if your gear isn’t capable of doing it very well. You can always try pushing your ISO higher, but I try to avoid shooting too high up due to noise interruption. It also depends on your lens and how much light it can manage. Try shooting with a lens that can open to f / 1.4 or f / 1.2 - that way more light gets let in and you aren’t relying solely on high ISO.

As for panning, this is really a trial and error + experience combination. The general rule of thumb that I’ve always heard is to start out at around 1/20 or 1/30 for shutter speed and work up or down from there. This can be used for anything generally in motion. If you’re shooting a moving vehicle (i.e. rollers), I usually try to shoot at the slowest possible shutter speed that I can manage, while still getting sharpness in my subject. However, another good tip to keep in mind is to try to match your shutter speed with the speed of the vehicle you’re shooting. If I’m shooting a car driving next to my camera car, and that car is rolling at ~ 40MPH, I’ll shoot at 1/40 and use that as a baseline to determine if I’m capturing enough motion.

How do you handle marketing and how much of your work is referral versus marketing versus serendipity?

Because I’m a freelance photojournalist, I get a portion of my work through media companies that buy the stories from me. This means that they either send me stories that they want shot, or I can scout stories and offer them to various companies. I also have an increasing number of private clients who find me via social media and/or my website. It stems from all of the time I’ve spent building a portfolio and online presence - these things eventually pay off!

As for marketing, I use Instagram as my marketing channel. I don’t send emails to a client list because I feel like that kind of marketing is better suited for portrait/wedding photography based on the client type.

Again, I hope some of this information will help you to better understand what steps you want to take to grow your business or even simply get better with shooting. If your question wasn't answered here, feel free to comment below or message/email me! I may do more Instagram Live Q&As if there's enough to discuss, and I'm currently planning a few series of "how-to"s for various aspects of shooting cars.

Thank you for supporting my work and for allowing me to do what I genuinely love for a living. I've said it many times but I will always feel deeply grateful for every opportunity I've had. See you around and happy shooting!

- Courtney

Aesthetic + Mechanical Maintenance with Turtle Wax

The weather is cooling down and the hot afternoons of summer are becoming increasingly fleeting. This has always been my favorite transition of the year, as it's perfect for driving and simply hanging around outdoors. It's comfortable to be outside shooting photos, working on your car, or attending get togethers with friends. The rainy season hasn't set in yet and the chill of Autumn is rolling in.

Dustin has been slowly working on tackling maintenance on his CB750 cafe project. The bike is coming together piece by piece as he addresses issues left behind by the previous owner. Chasing and rerouting wiring, replacing the regulator, installing new trumpets + filters, the list goes on. As he tinkers with the bike, he makes sure to keep things clean. He chose Turtle Wax's Quick & Easy Inside & Out Protectant to wipe down painted parts and areas where dirt had layered over time and taking the bike apart.

I'm looking forward to diving deeper into motorcycles as I learn to ride, and as Dustin gets his hands into more bike building. We love our cars, and bikes are just one more thing to add to the fun.

CourtneyCutchen_CB750_InsideOutProtectant_Oct2017_1.jpg

Dustin's Honda CB750 Cafe Project

Autumn is my absolute favorite season for many reasons. The weather cools, the landscape yellows and browns, and leaves cover the ground. Horror movies, pumpkin patches, the holidays - there's many things that make this time of the year so fun.

To celebrate the start of the season, here's a small gallery of my husband's CB750 that I shot last weekend.

Behind the Lens: My Journey With BMW Group Classic

If you follow along with my social media, you probably recall me posting about my trip to Germany during the summer. I set out on this wildly beautiful adventure with BMW Group Classic, and our mission was to create the first of what they have called the "Behind the Lens" series of YouTube short films.

The basis of this film was to document my art, my perspective on the automotive photography field, and of course, my BMW story. It was my job to talk about what I do and why I do it, and to deliver a message that I felt would represent myself in the most genuine light. To do this, BMW Group Classic utilized the talents of several amazing individuals, from the producer to the videographers. As a team, we embarked on what I can confidently say has been the highlight of my career thus far: a road trip in a 1973 BMW 3.0CSi from Munich to the Goodwood Festival of Speed.

This blog is meant to give you an inside look at our cross countries adventure, from the beginning in Munich at The Vault, all the way to the Festival of Speed. I am still immensely humbled by this experience, and the memories we created while on the trip are ones that I will cherish for the rest of my life. I'd like to extend yet another huge thank you to BMW Group Classic, as well as our team - Hondo, Philip, Benjamin, Julian, Patrick, Ares, Felix, and everyone else who was involved at any point. I am so fortunate to have met these wonderful people, and to be able to share so many passions with them.

Because there are so many images to share, I've separated them into three galleries in the links below (also found on my homepage).

Chapter I: The Vault

Chapter II: The Road Trip

Chapter III: Goodwood Festival of Speed 2017

Finally, here is the full Behind the Lens feature! I hope you guys enjoy the photos and the video - if you have feedback, questions, or comments, feel free to contact me!

This movie shows the personal story of an extraordinary woman, working in a men's world. In June 2017 we met an outstanding automotive photographer: Courtney Cutchen Together with her we started our roadtrip to one of the biggest automotive events: Goodwood Festival of Speed.

BMW Wishes the Golden Gate Bridge a Happy Birthday

If you're a photographer here in the Bay Area, chances are that you've probably shot around or at the Golden Gate Bridge. It's one of those staple backdrops that, as locals, I think we tend to take for granted. I've been working in that area quite often recently, so I was thrilled when BMW contacted me to help celebrate the bridge's 80th anniversary.

My task: go enjoy the sights of the bridge with a couple of BMWs. I created a small series of Instagram Stories for BMW, which you will find on their Instagram channel over the next 24 hours. After that, the Stories are gone, so be sure not to miss out! In case you do miss some of the action, I've put together a small series of photos that I took while creating the Instagram content. My subjects were Performance Technic's shop M2, and my friend Bengt's incredible E9. Each vehicle was shot over the course of two days: the M2 at midday on a sunny Friday, and the E9 on an overcast, Monday afternoon.

The purpose of this project was to commemorate the beauty of the bridge, and to take a moment to appreciate the west coast icon that it is. People travel to San Francisco from all over the globe to see this structure, and I'm fortunate enough to have it right here in my backyard. This project has definitely revamped my appreciation of the area. I hope you enjoy the photos below, and I'd like to thank BMW for allowing me to show their audience the bridge through my eyes.

Performance Technic's M2

Bengt's E9

To follow more of these two vehicles, you can find the M2 on Instagram at @performancetechnic, and Bengt's E9 at @bengt.kolnes. Thanks for visiting!

From LA to the Bay: Johnny's New R32 GTR

New beginnings sometimes come to us in the most unexpected ways.

First, a quick rewind: I met Johnny because of Z cars. We found each other on Instagram, and I fell in love with his SR powered 240z. Over a few DMs, my boyfriend and I planned to meet up with him at a local In-n-Out, as one does these days. We immediately hit it off! It was so exciting to listen to him talk about his long history with the Z, the various setups, motors that he blew through, and chasing times at the track. The first time we met in person, he took me for a ride in the Z, and it's something I will never forget. It was so inspiring to me, and he was (and still is) one of the biggest sources of help and advice for my Z car needs. He even helped me search for my own Z for months until I found "the one." Over the course of the last couple of years, we've become close friends, and we often meet up to grab tea, hang out, and talk cars!

Unfortunately, his S30 had a run in with some large debris on the freeway several months ago. Because damage to the car was so substantial, Johnny struggled with his options. Buy back the totaled car and rebuild it, or start somewhere entirely new? He ultimately decided to part out the car. (I'm actually purchasing some parts from him, so pieces of his Z will live on in mine!)

With this obstacle in the road, Johnny slightly retracted himself from social car events. It was pretty sad to see him move on from the Z, but I know that one day he'll probably own another. In the meantime, he was also preparing for his wedding in May. With so much planning and life changes going on, it was stressful. Then, one day he messaged us with an idea: he wanted to either buy a new Lexus to daily drive, or go big and shell out to import an R32.

As you can see, he made the right choice...

Johnny made this purchase and imported the car through International Vehicle Importers, who was amazingly helpful during the entire process. They're true professionals who definitely know their stuff. To make things legitimate, Johnny went ahead and spent the extra cash to make the GTR entirely California legal. Yes, CARB compliant, State of California approved, 100% legal. It's as if the car has been here its whole life. This is actually pretty rare, as many people don't want to spend the money or take the time to make their import California legal. The whole process happened within a matter of months. The time to successfully import and legalize a vehicle can vary, but Johnny was pleasantly surprised when it took less than the expected six months.

We originally thought that the car would be ready to come home some time this summer. However, while we were at Bimmerfest during the last week of May, Johnny messaged us: "What are you guys doing this Sunday?"

The car was ready for pickup in SoCal! Without hesitation, Dustin and I made sure that we could be there for the pickup. Johnny and a few of his friends hauled down i5 early that Sunday morning, and we eventually met up in LA.

This R32, they told Johnny, was the first one to drive off of their lot. If a car isn't state legal, they don't allow you to drive it away. A trailer is required.

Johnny's GTR is an amazing, glorious machine. I'd never ridden in an R32 until the day we brought it home, but it's pretty close to what I thought it would be. The car is so smooth, and feels extremely solid. One particularly special part about this Skyline is that it's a TH1--which makes up around only 4% of R32 Skylines.

The technology of the R32 is actually really rad. It's a crazy balance of everything you need or want, and nothing you don't!

I have to say, riding across California in an R32 was pretty fun. It's not something I thought I'd ever do, so it's a memory I'll cherish for a long time (even if the speed sensor was pinging the whole way home!). We're so happy for Johnny and his newest addition to the automotive family. It's great to see him back in a car that he truly enjoys. Be sure to follow him on Instagram @TH1GTR to keep up with the build progress and other updates!

535 Reasons: Eric’s 1982 911SC

The first time I saw Eric’s bright red 911, it was sitting under a car cover in the back of his garage. The circumstances under which we met were rather funny—through a mutual friend who basically set me up to buy Eric’s E38, which wasn’t even for sale at the time. (My car can be seen in the background of a few of the following photos!)

I remember asking to see the car, and he took me back and uncovered it. It was by no means ready to drive. At the time, he was progressing on the build and still had a few items to figure out. He told me that he had built the car with his father, and the longer he spoke about it, the more I wanted to know. In 2004, he and his dad bought the car essentially as a clean slate. Intended to be driven on the track from the start, the P-Car was enjoyed with its 3.0 foundation up until 2009. Then, it was swapped out for a built 3.6L. Additional changes were made aesthetically with 930 front fenders and RSR rears. I made sure to request that he tell me when the car was back up and running, because unquestionably, I wanted to see it again.

Last week, he did just that. I received a text letting me know that the Porsche was photo ready. I was anxious to see the car again, as it was so buttoned up compared to the last time I saw it. I made my way to Eric’s house in the same BMW that I bought from him. There, in the garage, was the vibrant red of the 911, right where my seven series was parked before I purchased it.

The car had just been outfitted with new CCWs, a stout 9.5” in front and 12.5” in the rear. He explained that he was waiting on some adjustments from CCW, as the fitment (mostly in the rear) was insanely aggressive, and not all that track appropriate. On the flip side, it made for fantastic photos!

The 535 doesn’t just look good in pictures, though. Eric says that he’s at the track every chance he gets. “Any time NASA or TMR hosts an event,” he said, “I’m likely there.”

Luckily over the course of the build’s timeline, there haven’t been many issues. This has permitted Eric with the opportunities he hoped for to accumulate more seat time. He described an incident where they lost fourth gear at a Thunder Hill, but that’s really been most of the trouble outside of waiting during downtime.

The rear bay holds a treat for anyone who enjoys pure, vintage oriented details. Armed with PMO carbs, RSR cams, and a whole bunch of other goodies varied between RSR / 964RS varieties, I can imagine that the car not only sounds great at the track, but holds its own as well. It weighs in at about 2,380 pounds and sends around 325 HP down to the ground.

One of the most noticeable parts of the car’s exterior for me is the number 535, which is seen repeatedly in multiple areas. Since I couldn’t make a distinct connection to where the number would come from, I asked Eric. He told me that in 2010, his father passed, and that’s when he assumed full ownership of the Porsche. “The number 535 originated from my dad racing his 1959 356 in the 70s,” he explained. “I wanted to pay homage to that, and therefore, 535 has been ‘our’ race number.” This was very touching to me. I know I’m emotional, but to carry on a build in memory of a loved one with whom you started it struck me on a deeper level. To me, it is a demonstration of dedication and passion.

When all is said and done, I think that this is a great build, and I hope that I’ll be able to see it in action some time this summer! If you’re in the Bay Area and you attend any track events, make sure you keep an eye out for this car. Eric is a truly genuine and passionate person, so to talk to him about his craft is nothing short of exciting!

Be sure to follow him on his Instagram (@eeesondeliqus) to see future updates and photos of this rad build!

Office of the Day: Porsche Cup Practice at Laguna Seca

A couple of weeks ago, I headed down south to Laguna Seca Raceway to photograph some of the Porsche Cup practice that was happening that Friday. Part of my Motorsport team from Performance Technic was at the track for the whole weekend with a Spec E46, so I wasn't without company.

I didn't go to Laguna with any sort of goal in my mind; it was more of a "for fun" trip. Sometimes I forget that not everything has to be monumentally important to be worthy of photographing. I'm so used to having a checklist of things to get done in an hour's worth of shooting. Things are usually a bit faster paced. There's a kind of relaxation that I get when I take my time and shoot without an agenda. I always find myself fascinated with the buzz of the paddocks, and it's exciting in general to see all of the teams interacting with each other and with their cars.

The paddocks weren't the busiest since it was early on practice day, but there was plenty to look at. It was around 10:30AM, and many of the cars were already on track by the time I arrived. The majority of the cars in the paddocks were for SP911. New cars are great, but old cars are better. The solo Porsche under the canopy shown above was at rest with no one in sight, so I just took some photos in passing. As I walked farther down the aisle, however...

This whole pack of P-Cars was sitting between a couple of trailers. The blue RSR on Forgelines was probably my favorite one there, but I also can't help but love the off white + green stripe livery of #29. A few more details of the RSR...

I continued my walk as cars started exiting the track and rolling in for their in-between check ups. There was a handful of racers coming in for fuel, while everyone else headed back to their paddock stalls. I couldn't help but take a few too many photos of the Clubsports that were running around.

From here on, I've just added photos of the variety of cars I saw while walking around. The Spec Miata and Spec E30 classes were practicing that day as well, but I figured I would keep this blog mostly Porsche related.

There was no shortage of Porsche goodness that day. I tend to gravitate toward the vintage cars, as I mentioned earlier, so I was happy to see so many of them out there. Unfortunately, it's hard to get a word in with anyone actually working on a team since the schedule is so busy. Regardless, it's fun to watch and just take photos.