Car Crazy: 2012 Amelia Island Concours – Part 3: Panorama

Mar13

Here’s the last of the photos from our shoots at the Concours – this time in our ultra-high resolution panoramas! Feel free to view or download the HD photos using the slideshow below.

If you would like to purchase a print of any of the photos from our time at the Concours, or if you’d just like to browse additional images that weren’t on the blog, check them out on our online viewing and ordering site: http://www.photoreflect.com/store/thumbpage.aspx?e=8441882. Enjoy!

All the photos can be downloaded for free as HD desktop wallpaper. Simply click on a photo below, click on the permalink (bottom right), save the HD wallpaper by right clicking the “1280×720″ link, and selecting save as.

Car Crazy: 2012 Amelia Island Concours – Part 2

Mar12

Yesterday, we finished up our coverage of the 17th Annual Concours D’Elegance on behalf of the Ritz-Carlton, Amelia Island. Sunday is the big day at the Concours – all those in the show (and there were a whole lot this year!) bring their cars out onto the 10th and 18th holes for everyone to see. From turn of the century motorized wagons and early 20th century custom coaches, to concept Corvettes and one of the largest gatherings of Ferrari 250 GTO’s in recent history – this year’s Concours really had it all!

Pictured above is Mauro Forghieri, the head designer responsible for the stunning lines of the 250 GTO’s bodywork. He was one of the judges for the event, and it was amazing standing nearby as he shared little details and stories about each of these cars.

Also on hand for the show was a collection of notable Road & Track cover cars including (above) this beautifully preserved Astro II Covette Concept from 1968. But, this is the Concours, so why stop at one concept? Also on hand was the 1990 Corvette CERV III concept. A Corvette nut at an early age, I still remember drooling all over myself when I first saw photos of this car.

Another of the noteworthy cars from the event were the various Shelby Cobras. The one pictured above – a 1964 Shelby Daytona Coupe – is one of just six ever made. Below are all my favorite photos from Sunday. Enjoy!

Car Crazy: 2012 Amelia Island Concours – Part 1

Mar9

This morning, we had the pleasure of shooting the Concours D’Elegance on behalf of the Ritz-Carlton, Amelia Island. As you may know if you’ve followed the blog for any period of time, I am a bit of a car nut. So, when I was offered the opportunity to photograph this prestigious event, saying I was excited would be a big understatement. From antiques and exotics, to modern luxury vehicles, the C0ncours has it all. This year’s honored car is the Ferarri 250 GTO. Of the 32 still in existence, 10 are featured at this year’s show. And with the last GTO going for over $30,000,000, these cars represent some serious investments.

One unique aspect of the Concours is Friday’s Isle of Eight Flags road trip. This tour takes participating guests through the scenic Florida coastline and ends with a wonderful luncheon in the heart of Downtown Fernandina. Not only does this give the owners of these priceless cars the opportunity to stretch the cars’ legs, but it also provides all those folks who love cars, but may not be able to afford a visit to the Concours, an opportunity to see all these wonderful cars for free (above).

I also had the pleasure of test driving several cars this morning. I tried out the latest Chrysler 300 SRT, scaled the mountainous off-road course in a Land Rover Evoque, tooled around the island in a Porsche 911 Carerra S, and I would have to say the car I enjoyed most was 550 HP the Jaguar XK RS (above). My host for the test drive was Formula Drift Pro Am driver Doug Van Den Brink. Unfortunately, Doug informed me that drifting wasn’t part of the test drive… Below are all my favorite photos from today. Enjoy!

You are Entering the Twilight Zone: Daytona 500 Under the Lights…

Feb28

As you can see from the photo above, we had quite an adventure shooting the Daytona 500 last night! The race, which was delayed over 30 hours due to rain (the first time in its 54 year history the race was not run on Sunday), was marked by events that could have been straight out of the grainy, black and white world of the Twilight Zone.

The race itself, promised to be exciting when just one lap into the race, a large crash collected several cars. But before long, the race was going full bore, with very little in the way of incidents and with everyone for the most part staying in line and waiting for the last run. But that was all about to change…

At lap 160, while the caution was out, the 42 Target car was on the back stretch catching up to the pack. Just before entering turn 3, something broke in the rear of the car, sending it spinning out of control – and directly toward one of the jet dryer trucks that was slowly circling the track. I just happened to be looking in that direction, and saw a massive fireball erupt as the two vehicles met. I quickly grabbed my 100-400 and took the following series of images. The first is just a second or two after impact, before the jet fuel ignited. As you can see, the damage doesn’t look all that severer. The second image is shortly after the fire crew arrived. The third image is after the fire has been put out – you can clearly see the destruction.

Below are my favorite photos from this very unique race!

Going “Top Fuel” with The Parts House

Feb6

This past week, we had the opportunity to photograph a day-long event on behalf of The Parts House (TPH). The event, for TPH employees and vendors, consisted of a conference and balloon challenge, supplier expo, and awards gala – and the guys at TPH pulled out all the stops! Guest speaker Clay Millican -Driver of the Parts Plus Top Fuel dragster and a record 6 time IHRA world champion – got the crowd revved up (I know – horrible pun) about excellence and service.

On display were Clay’s Top Fuel dragster as well as Wood Brothers’ 21 car, raced in 2011 by Trevor Bayne. The expo also included industry leading suppliers of OEM, aftermarket and automotive supplies.

The day was capped at Deerwood Country Club, with a lively and entertaining awards gala – as evidenced by the photo above! And yes, that is a guy – a very large guy – dressed as a redheaded lady. Below are our favorite photos from this event. Enjoy!

Want to see more of our architectural work? Check out our full portfolio at www.deremerstudios.com/events.html.

Flying High with Audi at the NAS JAX Air Show – Part 3 [The Panoramas]

Nov10

Here’s our third and final installment from the air show – our Panoramas.

One of the unique things we provide at the majority of our shoots are ultra-high resolution panoramas. This is a fun and unique way to capture all the activity in a wide area while maintaining lots of crisp quality, even at very large sizes. Enjoy!

Want to download any of the photos for your desktop wallpaper?
TO DOWNLOAD: simply click on the photo you like from the gallery below. On the bottom right, click permalink. Right above the photo is a link to the full resolution image (1280×720 is usually what it says). Simply right click that link and save it to your preferred folder.

Want to see more of our commercial work? Check out our full portfolio at deremerstudios.com/events.html.

Flying High with Audi at the NAS JAX Air Show – Part 2 [The Planes]

Nov8

Here’s Part 2 from this weekend’s Air Show. For those of you who missed the first post, we had the opportunity to shoot this year’s show on behalf of the title sponsor, Jack Hanania Automotive Group.

Aviation goes way back in my family. My grandfather flew a P-51 during WWII and so the P-51 holds a special place in my heart (right next to my TR-6 if you were wondering). The two P-51s above are flown by The Horsemen – the world’s only P-51 flight team. It’s always a thrill to hear those mighty 16 cylinder engines come to life. It’s a sound not easily forgotten!

For those of you who follow the blog, you already know I am a bit of a car nut, but you may not know that it was actually my love of aviation that brought me down to Florida. I originally came down to Jacksonville University as a flight student. Though I changed majors, my love for flying has never diminished. So, having the opportunity to walk among such beautiful and storied aircraft, not to mention watch them fly, is quite a treat.

Above is a wonderfully restored example of the trainer variant of the Stearman model 75. The first aircraft most WWII veterans flew, this plane taught countless thousands all the basics of military flying. This particular Stearman is flown by John Mohr [of Mohr Barnstorming] – who put on a thrilling barnstormer-style display – flying just feet off the ground in a variety of unconventional attitudes. It was all the more impressive this weekend because of the crazy crosswinds. He’s truly a talented pilot!

Want to download any of the photos for your desktop wallpaper?
TO DOWNLOAD: simply click on the photo you like from the gallery below. Right above the photo will be a link to the full resolution image. Simply right click that link and save it to your photo folder. With some internet browsers, you can even right click on the full resolution image and set it as your background right from there!

Want to see more of our commercial work? Check out our full portfolio at deremerstudios.com/events.html.

Flying High with Audi at the NAS JAX Air Show – Part 1 [The Sponsor]

Nov7

This weekend, we had the wonderful opportunity to photograph the NAS Jax Air Show on behalf of the title sponsor, Jack Hanania Automotive Group. To shamelessly parody a cherished Christmas carol, though the weather outside was frightful, the stunts [and occasion warm jet wash] were quite delightful. As you will see in a few photos below, we employed our ND filter for several unique time exposures of the crowd. The one below is my favorite:

Jack Hanania Automotive Group has four dealerships in town, specializing in Audi, Acura, Hyundai, Mitsubishi and Volkswagen sales. We had a great time getting to know some of their staff at the event, as they showed those daring souls who braved the cold, some of the great new cars from Audi, VW and Acura. We hope you enjoy the photos!

Want to see more of our commercial work? Check out our full portfolio at deremerstudios.com/events.html.

What has 4 Wheels, a Silver Horse, and Costs 18 Million Dollars?

Sep20

We recently received word that we’ll have the honor of shooting the 2012 Concours D’Elegance on behalf of the Ritz-Carlton, Amelia Island. Being an avid car guy, this is an exciting opportunity, made all the more exciting by the car they will be honoring – namely the Ferrari 250 GTO. In 2010, one of these beauties went for £12 million at a rare car auction in London.

Got some spare change lying around? Well perhaps you can pick up one of these – or one of the countless other stunning, rare autos that will be featured at the Concours this year.

Saturday Night at the Car Show

Sep5

Now, I’ve been accused of being a bit of a car nut by more than one person. As a result, I have always had a passion for automotive photography. Several years ago, a few car guys that share my passion of all things auto began getting together on the first Saturday of every month at the Merrill Rd. Krystal’s to hang out, talk shop and most importantly, show off their cars. Today, this has grown into quite the event, often with over 50 cars and lots of fans. Here are a few photos from this Saturday’s show:

Note, all these photos are in 720P format, so they can easily be used for desktop wallpaper if you find one you fancy! To download, simply click on the photo you like from the gallery below. Right above the photo will be a link to the full resolution image. Simply right click that link and save it to your photo folder. With some internet browsers, you can even right click on the full resolution image and set it as your background right from there!

Freebie! HD Desktop Wallpaper

Sep1

To celebrate the launch of our new blog, we’re giving away a selection of full HD desktop wallpapers. These backgrounds feature photos from two of our recent fine art trips – one to Virginia this Spring, and the other to New Hampshire and Maine this summer. Feel free to download as many as you like and enjoy.

To download, simply click on the photo you like from the gallery below. Right above the photo will be a link to the full resolution image. Simply right click that link and save it to your photo folder. With some internet browsers, you can even right click on the full resolution image and set it as your background right from there!