Private Car Photoshoots: Are They Only for Show Cars?

Long Story Short

Let’s cut to the chase: no, private car photoshoots aren’t just for show cars. But that idea didn’t come from nowhere.

Magazine Era

I feel like the belief that “Only show cars get photos done” stems from the era of physical media, from magazines like Street Machines.My thought process behind this is, in these days, the only time you saw car pictures in the real world, was from advertisements, or when they were published, and no self respecting journalist is going to publish a story on an AU Falcon unless it had something special behind it. For lack of a better term, this almost “gatekept” builds from being showcased, as they had to genuinely compete in order to be published. 

Instagram Era

In today's world, you see photos of cars all over instagram, people have the means to self-publish their cars, and they can even build their own following around it. Movements like “respect all builds” even have stock mazda 3’s with stickers and LED’s queuing up in Bunnings car parks. But is this for better or worse?

The Side Effects

A side effect of magazine era gatekeeping, was cars had to be special to be shown, and people who wanted their cars seen, went all out. This was the era of self-expression, and even if a car wasn't published, people still showed out even at car meets. To paint the picture, just think of this era’s Need for Speed, Fast and Furious, Pimp My Ride and compare it to the Instagram Era’s Car’s. A lot less expression, minimalist and clean. Neither style is inherently bad, but you can see the shift in car culture as people's less expressional cars became more and more commonly seen.

With this shift in culture, the car scene has never been so accessible. Hashtags like “Respect all builds” lead people to feel confident in showing of their cars. Although the movement is controversial (That's another blog), I can see the sentiment of the community it brings. At the end of the day, whatever the budget, build or model, we’re all passionate about cars.

My Opinion

I drive a clapped-out 2005 Holden Rodeo, with a big dent in the tailgate. Probably over 300,000km by the time this blog gets published. It rides like crap, and there is not one day that I feel confident that it will start, but you know what, It’s mine. I still get a kick out of taking photos of it. And I think you would agree, that even this POS looks alright in front of the camera. But I would never take this thing to a 4x4 meet and demand the same level of respect as the actual rigs there.

With that being said, this is exactly why I have respect for anyone who wants to get photos taken, and why I offer one-on-one sessions to anyone with a set of wheels. For a lot of people, there’s real sentiment attached to their car. In many ways, it’s a piece of them and I can relate to that. There’s a big difference between getting some photos of your car and pulling up to a meeting to take up space and seek attention.

With a private photoshoot, there’s no ego, no showing off to a crowd, and no pressure to impress anyone. It’s simply a chance to get photos that focus on your car, your story, and your pride and joy. It’s about celebrating the thing that makes you happy even if, to everyone else, it’s just regular traffic.

To Wrap it up

I answered the question at the start, NO your car does not have to be ripped from a show room for pictures. Most people won’t own their current car forever. This phase will pass. The build will change, or the car will be sold, or life will move on. One day, this version of your car will only exist in photos.

That’s really what a private shoot is about. Not showing off. Not chasing validation. Just making sure a chapter of your life doesn’t disappear.

If your car matters to you, it’s worth documenting.