The idea of an overarching automotive lifestyle is kind of useless, yet the pursuit of your own ideal version of one is both valid and worth the effort. It’s kind of an empty term in the broad sense though; because each person will idealize it differently, the sum of all of these will eventually become so inclusive as to outgrow the limits of any meaningful definition.
Take two tableaus as an example of just how wide this can stretch. A topless Alfa Romeo careens along a cobblestone street constructed centuries ago on the way to a quaint bistro just in time for a cappuccino in the square, complete with tolling bell and fountain, of course. At the same, time thousands of miles away, the dim halogens of a Porsche 930 struggle to keep pace on an unrestricted Autobahn at 5AM as the wipers occasionally flick away dawn’s foggy mist.
The point is, there are so many different ways to incorporate cars into a life that instead of trying to corral the idea of car culture into a coherent whole is kind of hard to do. Instead of a big vague blob then, why not ditch the term and focus on a few individual versions at a time? In an attempt to link these lists to a theme each week, this time around we have a spread of different aesthetics that each display a different section of the umbrella term.
Kevin McCauley’s feed is a buffet of vehicular glamor of course, but no matter what he shoots—and it’s quite a lot, from the ‘60s’ sculpted American steel to modernity’s lightweight futuro-carbon hyper-whatevers—it’s all captured with a certain feel. Everything looks like it could be in a museum gallery for photography in general, let alone of cars. It all captures a mood of loneliness, but not a bad way. If you’re idea of a perfect day indulging in cars involves an undistracted golden hour for a photoshoot that you can take your sweet time on, this is a great account for a vicarious version of that life.
Starkly on the other side of the spectrum, Angela Weaver’s account, @on.the.grid, is a great counterweight to the intimacy of the previous page. That’s not exactly right though, because this portfolio is similarly up-close-and-personal, just in a different sense. It’s still uncluttered by other cars and people, but that’s achieved through smart framing and a good eye for tight shooting. Here, you feel as if you’re quite literally on the grid, as the photos all have the aura of track days, vintage circuit racing, drags, and everything else that involves cars in competition.
Cars and design are indelibly paired, so when you come across somebody in the design industry who’s also a little more than appreciative of what a car can be in its best form, you’re left with an account that a lot of Tumblr tweens might call “hashtag, aesthetic.” That’s not intended to be a dig though (well, it is to the tweens), as Larry Pipitone’s feed is full of thoughtfully composed images that showcase intriguing design wherever it flourishes. The sense you get scrolling through his account is of a seamless blend of automotive style and the larger world of design.
If the name wasn’t hint enough, porschuhhs likes, well, Porsches. A lot. This account is a representation of the focused enthusiast. In chasing even the tiniest of the marque’s design digressions and variations, the result is an exploration of a single brand that leads the viewer around the world and through time, but always with that brand anchor to keep it from drifting away into just “cool cars.” There’s a lot of variety in everything except for the badges on the cars, and it’s a fun way to explore Porsche all the way from scale model to contemporary factory race car. Turns out this Porschephile is handy with the camera too, offering a trove of great close-range compositions that shed light in new ways on the familiar shapes.
Obviously, car culture is so expansive that following you interests in the automotive world doesn’t have to involve any real cars at all. Whether you’ve got a room full of jewelry display cases to house a massive model collection or a little spot on your dresser for some especially choice Hot Wheels, model car collecting is its own unique hobby. For many of us, die-casts were our first experience with cars, long before our feet reached the pedals or we grew the gumption to go for a joyride. Getting a license doesn’t mean that doesn’t mean you need to put the toys in the basement though, because as Doug Breuninger’s @dbmodelismo page demonstrates, collecting models is a way to indulge in every niche, to own a vast collection that could never fit in your garage. This is a relatively new page, so there’s not a ton of content yet, but it’s one to add to your list all the same, especially as it seems to be growing steadily.
Have you seen what’s on the Petrolicious Marketplace lately? There’s something available for tasteful driving of any persuasion, and we won’t call the cops if you loiter too long without buying anything either, so feel free to stay and check out the metal for as long as you’d like.
With summer fast approaching in many places, the event calendar begins to brim with shows, rallies, concours, swap meets, and everything else. We’ll be all over the place, bringing you the best of what’s on offer.
