Concept Car Photography

Have you ever wondered why your dad never lets you drive his DeLorean DMC-12, Lancia Delta Integrale, Ford RS 200, BMW E30 M3, or Porsche 959? Do you ever wonder why your best friend is reluctant to give you his Mini Cooper, Nissan 350Z2, Hummer H3T, Holden Coupe 60, or Isuzu D MAX? Nothing is as close to a man’s heart as cool cars and supercars. Men love cars and supercars. The great cars mentioned above, and much more, are products of concepts borrowed from the concept cars.

Concept Cars

Concept cars are made to show new styling or technology that an organization intends to apply to produce new car models. These cars help car manufacturing companies determine customers’ responses to new technologies or styles that may be used to develop new cars. Concept cars are typically displayed at motor shows that customers generally attend. There, customers observe the cars and give their opinions on the new technologies and styles presented by the concept cars. The first concept car, Buick Y-Job, was developed by Harley Earl, a car designer for General Motors, in 1938. 

Since then, several concept cars have been developed by car manufacturers to guide the development of their different models of cars for mass production. Other examples of concept cars are the Cadillac Cyclone, BMW GINA, Aston Martin Atom, Chevrolet Corvette Marko Shark, Ferrari Modulo, and the Ford Nucleon. 

Toyota FT-1

A modern example of a concept car is the Toyota FT-1, which is expected to influence the production of future Toyota cars. The Toyota FT-1 was unveiled at the North American International Auto Show in January 2014. The development of this concept car was inspired by past Toyota sports and concept cars, such as the MR-2, Supra, 2000GT, and FT-HS. There was little information about the car. Only information about the layout of the rear wheel and the front engine was available. The car is estimated to cost $60,000 if its production is approved. 

 From a business perspective, the design of the Toyota FT-1 was motivated by the need for Toyota to compete with Lexus’ LFA and Scion’s FR-S. At that time, Toyota was the only brand in the market that had not produced a concept car. Therefore, Toyota awarded Calty Design Research the contract to help them design and develop the concept car. The estimated cost of developing is concept car is $1 million. Currently, Toyota FT-1 is still in the concept stage. In August 2014, its gray replica was displayed at the Monterey Jet Center in Monterey, California. 

Concept Car Photography

Concept cars not only contribute to the development of new models of cars, but they have also created several new jobs and industries, such as concept car photography. Today, several concept car photographers, such as the renowned Tim Wallace, have worked with many car manufacturers and brands, such as Aston Martin, Lamborghini, Ferrari, Dodge, Chevrolet, and Peugeot. 

 The need to reach many customers motivated the development of concept car photography. This is because many customers across the globe are unable to attend the motor shows where concept cars are usually displayed. Therefore, good, quality pictures of concept cars need to be taken for publishing in newspapers, magazines, and websites where customers can easily access them. The more customers a car manufacturer can reach, the better idea it can get about customers’ perception of the concept car. Most photographs of concept cars are typically displayed on their manufacturers’ websites or websites owned by car photographers, such as Tim Wallace.

 Concept cars are iconic. The main aim of concept car photography is to bring out this feature in the photos of concept cars. Concept car photography requires photographers who are creative and open to new ideas. 

Factors to Consider in Concept Car Photography

Prospective concept car photographers should consider the following factors to make sure that their works are of quality, which will help them attract many customers (car manufacturers):

Identify a concept car. 

This is because concept car photography is all about concept cars. Many “cool” cars are out there, but most are not concept cars. Concept cars are usually scarce. Most of them are destroyed by automakers sometime later, after their production. The few existing concept cars are found in the stores of car manufacturers. One should visit a car manufacturer and ask for permission to get access to and take photographs of their concept cars. Alternatively, one can attend motor shows where concept cars are displayed. There, you will find an easy opportunity to take photos of concept cars.

Identify the location of your photography session.

Photos of concept cars can be taken in different settings depending on the type of car. Some concept cars are good in natural settings, while others are good in unnatural settings. Roads, car parks, and driveways are good examples of natural settings. Exterior photos of concept sports cars are better displayed on open country roads than anywhere else. One can add the feel in this setting (country roads) by capturing the concept sports car in motion. However, since most concept cars are usually less mobile than regular cars, unnatural settings are preferred to natural settings for photo sessions. A large warehouse of a car manufacturer is a perfect example of an unnatural setting. One can convert it into a large studio and photograph a concept car. However, one should try to be adventurous to avoid clichéd shots. Regardless of your setting, the tone of your shots should complement the car’s color.

Consider the amount of light present in your environment. 

Natural light is the best source of lighting for photography. It is essential to time one’s shots during the twilight hours of the day. During these times, the sun reflects warmly on the concept car without creating the problem of harsh brightness. 

Apart from these, one should ensure one gets the right angles for taking photos. One should also capture every exterior and interior detail of the car. 

Remember, Concept cars are icons. Concept car photography should help maintain this status. The factors discussed above give direction on what one needs to do to maintain the high standards of concept car photography.