Another week means another batch of Instagram accounts to follow. Each time I put this list together, the seemingly endless well of talented people around the world leads to thinking about the relationship between the actual art of photography, and the gear and distribution necessary to achieve the goals of the auteur. Did that last word make you roll your eyes? Perhaps it’s a bit affected, but it is also a perfect definition for the people below, who control the entire creative process, from locations and transportation to equipment and editing.
The last two are the most variable over time, with the advancement in digital cameras continually marching alongside the increased importance of post-processing, but there is still a stalwart contingent of analog film shooters who cherish the intangible, almost living, qualities of the old school. Think top-end McIntosh setup playing lossless music files versus a vintage record player spinning your scratched up Doors LPs. There is no right answer of course, and both have their place. Anyway, getting off topic a bit… Here are our favorite Instagrammers this week:
I’m not sure what his or her real name is, but Countryman seems an appropriate alias for this Mini loyalist. For not only does Countryman in fact drive a first generation Mini Countryman (Fiat 500 who? This Mini is the paragon of cuteness), the pair of car and driver seem to hit the road for exploration often. There’s also a regular Mini in the stable, and the two cars both see some frequent enjoyment by their owner. The photos themselves are crisp and slightly nostalgic—though that tends to happen when you see vintage Minis with “GB” on their bums—and the locations around Japan are a wonderful contrast to the iconic British micro machines.
Pun Chavalitdhamrong likes shooting Porsches. That much is clear. What’s also immediately evident is his keen eye for photography in general. Primarily working in and around Bangkok, Pun gives every rear-engined subject a proper presentation, either on location for full fledged photoshoots or serendipitous street finds. From city centers to open spaces and race track paddocks, he does justice to every Porsche he aims his lens at, and though you’re not likely to find anything in his account without a Porsche crest attached to it, there is a lot of relative diversity among the brand’s history, spanning early 912s, lane-wide RWB builds, and Carrera GTs alike. For a taste of the Porsche scene in Thailand, start here.
Oliver Roggenbuck is another photographer that shoots mostly a single marque—Mercedes-Benz in this case—but even if you’re not supremely interested in their cars, I think Oliver’s Instagram feed still has a lot to offer. For instance, having frequently worked with the company on commercial shoots, he has been exposed to what is more or less the whole gamut of Daimler road and race cars produced over the last century. In that sense, it is an interesting look through the history of one of the world’s oldest and foremost automobile brands that doesn’t require sifting through massive tomes of information. His photos are gorgeous of course, as if that needs to be said, and among the professional stuff we’re also treated to some behind the scenes action, which provide some human context to the flawless imagery that results.
Gianni Mazzotta is an Italian photographer I’ve been following for a while, at first for for his excellent rolling shots, though his static work is equally enticing to classic car enthusiasts of the European bent. Alfas, Lotuses, plenty of 911s, Ferraris, Lancias—it’s a veritable cast of Italian and German sports car icons in here, and they are all shown in a very clean style that doesn’t reek or even really have a scent of over editing. There are a few outliers that lean toward the “filtered” look, but as a majority they don’t come off as manipulations of real life, more like enhancements of it. The colors a bit deeper, the light a little brighter, the dynamic range increased juuuust enough. It’s just plain high quality stuff, and the locations and locomotion are all excellent choices.
For the “non-auto” fifth spot in our weekly list we have Eskil Digernes, a Norway-based adventurer and photographer. Given that it is December 1st today, it felt fitting to include some wintry work as the unofficial beginning of the cold season descends on so many of us. It’s still sunny and warm in SoCal at the Petrolicious offices, but we love a looming snow-scarred mountain range as much as the rest, and the photos in Eskil’s portfolio are staggering in this regard, both in their subject matter and perspective. Trekking through the mountains of Nepal in one shot and taking a teepee’s portrait under the aurora borealis in the next, his eye for composition is well-honed, giving proper weight and drama to the places he visits, whether they be summit tents above the clouds or the streets of Kathmandu.
You already know what I’m going to say at this point, right? Pop into the official Petrolicious account whenever you’re needing a vintage fix; we’ll keep it coming!
Pretty pictures making your garage feel a little barren in comparison? The Petrolicious Marketplace has you covered.
