Here’s a crazy flashback to one of the first cars I had ever shot. This was in 2009 and when I started getting into shooting and getting to know people with cars. This is a funny photoshoot to me because this is actually JC’s dad’s car (that he still owns today) and at the time of the shoot, I didn’t talk to JC nor did I ever talk to him. Fast forward to today and JC is one of my groomsmen in our wedding! Small world!

Anyways – Romel’s car is in extremely immaculate condition – most of everything has been replaced and kept original. The door seals were replaced with brand new ones and the doors pretty much sounded better when they closed than my 2006 Civic. Actually, immaculate is not even the right word to describe it. The AE86 is barely driven and most of it’s life (that I’ve known it for) has been spent in the garage. I personally don’t know how one can let a great car sit there without being driven everyday because it would drive me nuts. I can barely get through a winter without driving my car… I’m not sure how I’d be if it was parked in the summer too…

So there’s not many pictures… I was noob at the time, so excuse the lack of everything a good picture should have. I still feel like I have lots to learn in the game of photography… Lots of things to learn and every time I shoot, I learn something small to carry forward next time. I lol at those people that purchase a dSLR, a few lenses, a flash and all of the sudden they’re offering to do paid photoshoots a few months later. Sorry junior – you have a nice camera, but that’s about it. Even today, I feel uncomfortable asking for some type of monetary compensation for shooting cars only because I think I need to produce amazing amazing work to be able to even bring up money. I shoot because I love to do it – I don’t do this to make a living and I don’t need extra pocket change. The gratification for me comes from coming home and dumping the pictures onto the computer and having a great collection of shots of great cars.

Anyways – maybe I’ll get to do a better photoshoot this summer of it again. Hopefully I get more under my belt this year.