I am being greedy, I know. The exercise for Photos of the Year was supposed to be a selection of my fav 20 photos, but I feel there are just too many great pictures from the past year, to fit into a single post! Anyway…. let’s get started.
Goodwood Festival of Speed, Goodwood, UK: It’s hard to believe this photo is straight out of John Brook’s camera without any photoshop enhancements. Quite phenomenal really…
Los Angeles, USA: I think this might be the first mount style shot ever done for Speedhunters and possibly one of the first desktop photos ever released of the 370Z. Thanks to Chris Manacop for the snap. I’m still a bit bummed I didn’t get to do a film shoot with this car… oh well… next time.
California Hot Rod Reunion, Famosa Raceway, USA: You can almost smell the Nitro. As I look out my living room window at the falling snow; the heat of California is feeling rather far away…
Santa Pod Dragstrip, Poddington, UK: Antonio doing what he does best…. This was one of the first Speedhunters shoots ever, from this April.
Red Bull Drifting World Championship, Long Beach, USA: I love the style of this car… one of the coolest drift machines I’ve ever laid my eyes on. This photo chronicles the first time I saw this wide and low S14 in person.
Los Angeles, USA: The R35 on the streets of downtown Los Angeles. It’s an absolutely beautiful composition. I have to say, I’ve really been enjoying Antonio’s driving impressions stories. He’s been doing a great job!
Red Bull Drifting World Championship, Long Beach, USA: If only more professional drift cars in Europe, Oceana, and North America paid as much attention to aesthetics as the Mad Bull. Just look as the wheel fitment….. So good…
D1GP, Odaiba, Japan: Got dish?….. (drools)
Le Mans 24Hs, Le Mans, France: Seeing Le Mans prototypes going full tilt on the famous temple of speed: the Mulsanne Straight is a must do auto pilgrimage for any serious petrolhead. John Brooks was there this summer for us, with his lenses…
Red Bull Drifting World Championship, Long Beach, USA: Take one Le Mans photographer with 30 years of motorsports shooting experience, drop him in to a top level drifting event and what do you get? The answer: Magic.
Formula Drift, Irwindale Speedway, USA: Foust on his way to his second FD title at the Irwindale… The house of drift is a place I’ll always return to, year in, year out.
Superlap Battle, Buttonwillow, USA: Tarzan Yamada at speed. I do wonder if the west will ever be able to beat the Japanese at the time attack game….
24 Hours of Spa, Spa-Francorshamps Circuit, Belgium: I was standing next to John Brooks when he took this photo. Regular Speedhunters readers will recall, this is the same set up as the epic opening shot of the Spa GT film we released a few months back. For the life of me, I’ll never forget this moment, where 50 of the Europe’s fastest GT cars flew down the Kemmel straight directly towards where I was standing….
California Hot Rod Reunion, Famosa Raceway, USA: I think it’s sooo coooollll when the pilots of retro drag cars attire themselves in period specific helmets…. It adds to the authenticity of the experience IMO.
Le Mans 24Hs, Le Mans, France: Before I became a drifting fanboy (and I’m still relatively new to this scene remember), I was a hardcore Sportscar and GT geek. A great night racing shot like this one will still bring a smile to my face… :>
Old Spa Circuit, Spa-Francorshamps, Belgium: OK this post seems to be getting a little bit of a sentimental… oh well… It’s fun to look backwards once and a while. Here, I’m getting to grips with the new 997 Carrera4 on the old Spa Circuit in the beautiful Belgian countriside.
SEMA, Las Vegas, USA: Most of my close friends think of me as some kind of futurist, cyberpunk computer freak and this is true for the most part… until you get me near a retro race car.. then I turn into sentimental 5 year old boy. Case in point, when I look at this photo it makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside.
MSC, Honjo Circuit, Japan: Mind you I also feel also warm and fuzzy inside when I look at the cool logos on this MSC drift car….
SEMA, Las Vega, USA: Ever heard of the Law of Attraction? The gist is like this: the more you think about and visualize a subject or a future scenario (good or bad), the greater the likelihood of it happening in your life. With this in mind I really need to visualize myself driving and owning a Lead Sled… perhaps if I do this every day it will happen!
Donington Grand Prix Collection, Castle Donington, UK: Another must do pilgrimage for any serious racing fan: the Donington Grand Prix Collection….. You can see the history of the art of downforce in one go… truly amazing.
Formula Drift, Irwindale Speedway, USA: And I leave you with this shot… The art of sliding by David Lister.
BTW can I ask you guys a question: What events would you like to see Speedhunters cover next year?
What films to you want us to make?
What scenes or automotive themes do you want us to feature near year?
We are making our 2009 plans right now so now is the chance to tell us.
Best,
:Rod