An Automotive Photographer's Dream Starts at SEMA 2019
This year's SEMA adventure needed a change to make it worthwhile. Every year, I felt overwhelmed by the sheer number of vehicles and the need to photograph each one that caught my eye. Usually, I attended the show to showcase the vehicles to my fan base. However, this year was different. I made a conscious effort to focus on making connections and interacting with potential clients. SEMA presented a great opportunity to get acquainted with new publications and connect with other talented photographers.
The adventure started at the airport when I boarded my flight. I was pleasantly surprised to spot four people I knew on the plane. Despite being seated in Row 23 and John Teheen in Row 9, he kindly offered me the aisle seat so we could chat during the 6-hour flight, making the journey much more enjoyable.
In the past, at SEMA, I've always had issues with security, and this year was no different as I entered the show. I was told I couldn't enter and needed to pick up my credentials in one of the buildings. The lady instructed me to go directly there without taking any photos until I had them. Yeah, right! I found myself in the midst of the motherland of modified automotive eye candy, and as soon as I was out of sight, I was like a Navy Seal, stealthily sneaking around to capture the early morning shots.
I acted as I always do, pretending like I was supposed to be there all along, and continued shooting the cars outside. One morning, I managed to capture pictures of all the cars I wanted to. In one of the lots, I came across New Hampshire native Corey Maillet's GTR, and I instantly messaged him to see if we could arrange a shoot in the desert the morning after SEMA Ignited.
This year's show was similar to past years, with a massive crowd and an array of high-performance cars. SEMA's purpose is to display the latest products on some of the most exciting vehicles. It's not a formal Concours event with meticulously perfect builds. In fact, it's not even just a car show. While some are recognized for their exceptional builds, not everyone attends with the goal of winning a trophy.
Vaughn Gitten Jr. was there launching his truck and offering rides to attendees. One highlight I missed last year but thoroughly enjoyed this time was the Hoonigan Burnout Box. It was pure insanity! By the end of it, my camera was coated in rubber, and the air was so thick with smoke that you could barely see the silhouette of the person next to you. I spotted Larry Chen inside the box and decided to join him. Approaching a member of the Hoonigan team, I asked if I could get in there to take some pictures. All I received was a thumbs up and a smile, drowned out by the thunderous roar of V8 engines and screeching tires. It was absolutely awesome!
I had some trouble with security last year when I attempted to take a few light painting shots. This year, I made sure to speak to the right people, and they granted me special permission to take all the time I needed to capture the shots exactly as I wanted. The head of security for the outside perimeter informed me that to access the buildings, I would need to speak to another security team, warning me that it might be troublesome. However, all I had to do was present my credentials and talk to the right person, and just like that, the doors opened for me. It was like entering heaven. I had never seen the inside of that massive building with not a single person around except for a few security guards. It was an incredible experience!
This year, I made a decision to take a day off and have some fun with the guys I was rooming with. We decided to rent scooters, and at first, I was a bit hesitant. "We're going to get killed out here!" I exclaimed, but agreed on the condition that I could drive the one that looked like a modified ruckus. So, the five of us got scooters and tore up Vegas, forming our own scooter gang! Surprisingly, people loved it! Even the passenger in the rented Lamborghini we rode next to said they'd rather be on those scooters than sitting in 10 mph traffic. So, the choice was clear: spend $500 for an hour with a supercar that everyone knows you don't own, or $100 for 24 hours on a badass modified scooter. I'm so glad I took a day to enjoy myself in Vegas!
The morning after SEMA Ignited, Cory Maillet picked me up at 4:30 am with his friends, and we set out to scout the desert. As we drove down the street, I spotted two hot air balloons in the distance and asked Cory to pull over. I got out of the car and lay down on the side of the road to capture the shot. However, this wasn't New England, where I had to worry about snakes, big spiders, or prickly cacti before crawling around. Ouch! I inadvertently sat on a small prickly plant – lesson learned! We eventually found the perfect spot that showcased the red rocks in the background, and we waited for the sun to rise.
