This issue is very special.
On top of myself sharing about today's topic, we also will have our first guest ever, Peter Taylor, to talk about some wheel design and engineering details with his over 15 years of experience in the field.
Without further ado, let's get started.
Table of Contents
When we think of a car photography, what I shared above is definitely not the first thing that comes to mind.
What you think about is something like this:
The reason for this is that we want to see "the car".
We never stop to observe the car's details until later on.
And the thing is, sometimes, a car's details is what makes them who they are.
If I show you this:
I'm sure you don't need more to know which car this is.
And still, many don't think of car wheels as something as distinctive or special as some body details.
Except for Ant over at Bluesky.
Ant does not mess around when recognizing cars from tiny details.
In this case, wheel specific details!
Genres of car photography
"Car Photography" is one of many photography genres.
And there are many sub-genres within it. For example:
Full Car Photography
Tracking or Car to Car Photography
Panning Photography (And I gave tips for this kind here)
Detail Photography
and many more.
Then, of course, you have "Wheel photography".
One could argue that it's a "sub-sub-genre", since it might fall under "Detail Photography" but it doesn't really matter how we define it, as long as we all understand the same.
Estelle loves photographing lights. There are so many attention worthy details in cars. And each photography is a testament of what one sees.
Wheel photography might just be defined as a "sub-sub-genre" within "Detail Photography", but it doesn't matter as long as we are after the same.
Wheels are such an important part of the car, they can be the only subject in some art or merch you can get. Take this example from Marcus and these great coasters he created.
Let's talk about Wheel Photography
This is an underrated genre in the same way that Full Car Photography is a bit overrated.
When we think of "Car Photography" we probably default to Full Car Photography as mentioned in the beginning, something like:
This kind of pictures are a bit "predictable".
They are "the car".
Specifically, they are what "anyone" thinks about when they think about "that car".
But that a car is much more than "the whole". A car has so many details and nuances that makes it "that car" and none other. Those are the things I think are worth capturing.
And wheels are some of them.
Wheels are iconic
It's not hard to see a wheel and say "that's the wheel from <some specific car>" and that's what makes them special.
Have you noticed how complex and beautiful some wheel designs are?
And how simple but recognizable some others are?
Have you been paying attention?
One of my favourite things to photograph
Car wheels is one of my favourite things to photograph.
It's "kind of easy" to shoot.
They are all the same shape, different sizes, so not much consideration or adjustment between them.
They are easy to photograph in crowded environments like a museum or an event full of people.
You can get close enough and people mostly won't get in the way.
One can develop "one style" and keep shooting that way.
The designs can vary tremendously.
Each brand can have its own design language.
Even within one brand, different types or eras of cars can show vastly different wheels.
They "tell a story".
They represent an era.
They show a clear purpose.
Ultimately, they can make or break the look of a car.
This is of course, my opinion, but look how bad the original wheels on the Pagani Utopia looked like, and how much they can elevate the car with a better set.