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There’s something deeply satisfying about photographing a machine that’s been meticulously built, restored, or customized with love. Recently, I had the opportunity to photograph a striking black hotrod — a vehicle that’s as much a work of art as it is a machine — and turn it into a fine art piece worthy of its legacy.

For this shoot, I used a drive-in photo studio setup, allowing full control over every lighting condition and reflection. With black vehicles, lighting becomes especially critical. The wrong light can quickly flatten the shape or lose the vehicle in a pool of reflections. So, I approached this shoot with precision and patience.

Rather than lighting the entire car at once, I lit each panel and part individually — carefully sculpting the bodywork, chrome, wheels, and interior details one element at a time. Each light placement was designed to enhance the curves, showcase the craftsmanship, and eliminate distractions. After capturing each component, I meticulously composited the frames together in post-production to create a single, unified image. The result is a beautifully lit, fine art portrait that captures the hotrod in its full glory — a dramatic blend of light, shadow, and detail.

We repeated this method for several angles, allowing the owner to select from a series of powerful perspectives, each crafted with the same attention to detail. The final images weren’t just photographs — they were visual tributes to the machine’s design and spirit.

The completed artworks have been licensed exclusively to the vehicle’s owner, who now owns not just a custom-built hotrod, but an equally custom piece of automotive art to go with it.