This weeks Classic Car Photography Shoot Including Light Painting

Nov 8, 2024 | Automotive Photography, Light Painting

A vintage racing car with a green body, red wheels, and leather straps is elegantly showcased in an automotive gallery. Dim lighting enhances its allure while colorful red, blue, and white light streaks create a dynamic backdrop.
A vintage blue race car with the license plate "GEG 532" is parked in front of a black corrugated wall. The car features a central grille and prominent headlights.

Photographing Three Classic Cars in a Day for Tom Hardman: A Look at the 1934 Lagonda Rapier, RGS Atalanta, and Frazer Nash Boulogne

This week, I had the pleasure of returning to Tom Hardman’s impressive classic car garage in Clitheroe for a day photographing some remarkable vintage vehicles. Among the highlights for me was the 1934 Lagonda Rapier.  This car is an iconic model with a clear track purpose .

The 1934 Lagonda Rapier: A Classic Track-Ready Machine

The 1934 Lagonda Rapier is an exceptional car. It’s not just beautifully designed but was built with high performance in mind. These days, we see cars pushing 300+ horsepower from small engines, but that wasn’t as simple back in the day. In the early ’90s, when I was building and tuning Minis 100bhp per litre was no easy feat. So, imagine my surprise when I learned that this 1087cc Lagonda pumps out 180bhp! This lightweight aluminum-bodied car is seriously fast, even by today’s standards. For those interested in owning a piece of automotive history, you can learn more about this incredible vehicle here.

Exploring the 1957 RGS Atalanta and 1927 Frazer Nash Boulogne: A Journey Through Automotive History

Seeing these cars side by side reveals the incredible advances in automotive design over 30 years. The 1927 Frazer Nash Boulogne is distinct with its chain drive system. This is a feature seen on several pre-war Frazer Nash models I’ve had the pleasure to photograph. In contrast, the 1957 RGS Atalanta showcases modern performance with its lightweight GRP (fiberglass) body, giving it an athletic feel and a focused, high-performance build. It’s definitely my kind of car—dynamic with beautiful lines.

All these cars are for sale , for more information check out the links.

Mastering the Art of Car Light Painting

Automotive Photography and Light Painting are a perfect match, and I specialise in combining the two to bring out the essence of these classic cars. Light painting is a technique that has a rich history, dating back to the iconic Picasso, who used this method to create light trails on photographic film. My approach focuses on using light to accentuate the lines and curves of each car, resulting in a dramatic, visually arresting image that emphasizes the vehicle’s unique design.

What Is Light Painting?

In Light Painting Photography, a handheld light source, like a flash/ flashlight or LED wand, is used to “paint” light over a subject in a dark setting. Instead of traditional lighting setups, light painting requires moving the light source strategically around the subject while the camera’s shutter remains open, capturing unique trails or emphasizing details in ways standard lighting can’t achieve.

Bringing Light Painting Workshops to the UK

As far as I know, I’m the only photographer in the UK offering Light Painting and Light Graffiti tuition and workshops at festivals. You can catch me at Oldham Art Gallery, Leigh Light Night, Rotherham Light Festival, and Oldham Illuminate Light Festival soon! These workshops are all about exploring creative ways to work with light, and they’re a fantastic experience for both beginners and seasoned photographers.

For those looking to create their own light art, check out this video I produced for the Oldham Illuminate Festival. And don’t forget to view my Light Painting gallery for more examples of this unique style.

Close-up of a vintage Lagonda car grille, featuring a chrome finish and a winged bronze emblem with the brand name prominently displayed. The background is dimly lit.
Side view of a vintage blue and white race car with the number 14 on the door, parked indoors against a dark wall. The smooth reflective floor enhances the car's silhouette.
Close-up of a vintage car dashboard with brass and metal details. Features include an ammeter gauge in the center, surrounded by various switches and small brass plaques. The setting is well-lit, highlighting the retro design elements.
A vintage blue car with a black grille and round headlights is parked indoors. It has a metal registration plate displaying "PH 3682" and black spoked wheels. The background features vertical, dark corrugated panels.
Front view of a vintage race car with large exposed tires, a vintage grille, and visible suspension. The car body is dark with a classic racing style, showcased against a dark, vertical-striped background.
A low-angle view of a vintage racing car, focusing on the rear end. The car is dark green with large, textured tires, exposed mechanical components, and is positioned in a dimly lit room with vertical lines on the walls.
Close-up of a vintage car dashboard with brass plaques and instruments. The largest plaque reads "Frazer Nash Raid to the IBS 2000." The dashboard features classic dials, switches, and an old logo, all with a well-worn, antique appearance.
Close-up view of a vintage car interior featuring a leather seat with vertical stitching. The seat is surrounded by dark green car body, with part of the wooden steering wheel and side mirror visible against a ribbed panel background.
Close-up of a vintage car radiator with a decorative metal emblem that reads "Napier Register." The emblem features a winged logo and is mounted on green-painted metal. The foreground shows parallel lines of the radiator's metal coils.
A vintage green race car with red wire-spoked wheels and leather seats is parked indoors. The car features a classic design, a single windshield, and is accented with racing decals, including one reading "Lusso Raptor Special.
A vintage blue and white race car with the number 14 on its side sits under studio lighting, with two light stands positioned on each side against a dark background.
Close-up of a light blue vintage car with various rally stickers on the side. The main sticker shows details of a historic rally event dated October 2016, with checkpoints marked. Additional circular badges are visible near it.
Close-up of a vintage blue race car's dashboard, featuring a round side mirror, numbered race sticker "133", and fire extinguisher toggle. The car has a curved windshield and black background.
A vintage race car with red wheels is displayed under vibrant, multicolored light streaks on a dark background, creating an artistic and dynamic scene.

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