Capturing the Soul of Six Classic Cars Through Hero Shots, Car-to-Car Motion and a multi composite technique.
As a specialist in classic car photography, I recently had the pleasure of shooting another stunning selection of vehicles for Tom Hardman Ltd — a respected name in high-end historic and collector cars. Tom always goes beyond the basics when it comes to showcasing his cars. There are always the ‘stock’ shots, top show the car off exactly as they are. Then there’s the more ‘Hero’ type images too, these cars are art so lets why not show them off as that. Tom and Helen give me the creative freedom to explore each car’s personality, they also have their own ideas too — from dramatic hero shots to dynamic car-to-car rolling photography.
With the Singer ](number 7 on the side) I did a composition shot, with this technique you light each individual part of the car with a studio flash and then compile all of the images together. It’s also called painting with light. Not top be confused with ‘light painting‘ which you will also see here.
Each of these incredible cars is currently available for sale at Tom Hardman Ltd, and it was a pleasure to capture their individual beauty and heritage. There are lots more to come too, I’ll be shooting more stock soon including a 1 of 2 Aston Martin shooting brake.
🚗 1961 Lotus Elite Type 14
A revolutionary design from Colin Chapman, the Lotus Elite is a lightweight fiberglass-bodied coupe with motorsport pedigree. Its elegant profile and sculpted lines were a dream to photograph. The Colin Chapman ‘add lightness’ ethos really shows through. I shot the Ferrari 308 after this Lotus and it took me twice as long as there was nothing on this car that isn’t needed. It really is a beautiful thing.
🚗 1932 Alvis Speed 20SA Vanden Plas Tourer
This Vanden Plas-bodied Alvis is all about pre-war British grandeur. Capturing the details of its craftsmanship and road presence was incredibly rewarding — a car full of history and stature.
🚗 Ferrari 308 GTBi (Carburettor Conversion)
An icon of Italian design and performance, this 308 GTBi has been thoughtfully converted to carburettors for a more visceral driving experience and it’s sounds pretty special. From every angle, this car oozes character, it’s areal piece of art, even the switchgear is gorgeous.
🚗 1972 Datsun 240Z – Ex-Barrie Williams
With competition heritage and bold styling, this 240Z was once campaigned/owned by the late Barrie “Whizzo” Williams. It sounded freeking amazing.
🚗 1933 Singer 9 Le Mans
A pre-war favourite with Le Mans racing roots. The Singer 9’s compact yet bold design made it a joy to work with — the sort of car that looks great from every angle.
🚗 1926 Alvis 12/50 Tourer
This open-top vintage tourer is all about charm and elegance. I approached this one with a softer, more nostalgic lens — to match its heritage and relaxed character.
Why I Love Car-to-Car Photography
One of my favourite ways to photograph classic cars is using car-to-car shooting techniques. I’ve modified the back of my van specifically for this — harnessed in with gear ready, while the subject car follows behind. It takes great teamwork with drivers, but the result is worth it: a true in-camera motion blur, no Photoshop shortcuts.
It’s one of the most authentic ways to convey a vehicle’s movement and spirit — especially cars with history like these.
