There are endless essays on the projected impacts of the information age that we’re living in and propagating, but I’ve yet to come across anything about this shift of life in relation to automotive photography on Instagram. Maybe that lack is for good reason though, because really, is there any argument to be made against the use of this app as a main course for our automotive appetites? Is it possible to over- … do it? (I couldn’t say “eat.”)
It’s true that unfettered access to the world’s compiled database of vehicular information has made it much more of a chore to find good deals on cars and parts, but there’s another point to consider: this influx of stuff we can get at any time of day, for however long we wish, can result in a weird kind of jadedness that one can somehow attain without actually experiencing anything. I don’t fully agree with that, but critical thinking has inherent value.
There’s no denying the existence of more content than what’s possible for an individual to consume, but I like to frame it differently than the “too much” side: this is a situation of competition wherein the producers (the photographers) are striving to provide genuinely better service (the photographs) to the consumers. The massive amount of images distributed on a second’s-basis has two big implications: one is the proof of continued enthusiasm for vintage cars—which should not be taken for granted in the current age of Uber and the coming one of cars that you can sleep in on the way to work—and two, even if there is too much of a good thing, doesn’t that also mean that you can potentially pick the best of the best instead of simply whatever’s given to you?
We’re in a time rife with oversharing and excess access, but when it comes to talented people producing images like the ones below, it’s hard to see the downside. So instead of looking at pictures of your co-workers’ lunches on Instagram why not add a few more accounts to your feed that post things worth adding to the pile?
Continuing with the theme, Thomas Cortesi’s portfolio is both expansive and diverse. There’s a lot of content on a lot of stuff. Eloquent, no, but true all the same. This French photographer can manage a tight and cropped style —nothing in here is frustratingly close-quarters, and there’s no nagging urge to see what else is going on outside the edge—as well as the longer ranges with aplomb. It all seems very thoughtfully done, even the more candid content. Featuring scenes of automobiles, motorcycles, architecture, and every once in a while some of the scenes behind these scenes, there’s a lot of good photography to go around.
Following up with a similar style is Andrea Vailetti’s page. An apparent advocate of the up close and personal composition, the subjects Vailetti shoots are both approachable and formidable. What I mean is that while very technically adept, the photos aren’t the type that totally overwhelm with evidence of tons of equipment and whole lighting crews involved. Instead, you get a sense that these shots are taken by someone who’s just wandering around some awesome places and happens to have a camera handy. Surely there is more prep than what I just implied, and that shows in the quality of the photographs. Best of both worlds then, right?
If you enjoy Petrolicious, add @ramp_style to your list for another outlet to indulge in classic cars and the things they churn up in the culture that surrounds them. Featuring a mix of contemporary photos and some of the more iconic scenes of the vintage variety, it’s fun to kind of chart the evolution of these cars and these stories; from how they were portrayed back in the day to how we view them in retrospect.
If you feel like you have enough car content (in which case, you’re wrong), then take solace in the non-car photos that are included in this feed. The aesthetic here is varied but everything is still aimed at the same target. It’s a mix, but certainly not a mess.
Patrick McCallion apparently designs cars and private jets, which I think we can agree is automatically cool. He also has a penchant for photos too, and as further confirmation of the bleed-over in the visual arts, here is another example of someone who can create pretty things regardless of medium. McCallion doesn’t seem to share his design work, but it’s all the more interesting, in a way, because of that absence. You can sort of trace out through the pictures what kind of things inspire this designer, and it in doing so you start to look at things differently, start noticing similarities between objects you’d never think to compare, begin picking up on the shared and unique DNA in the cars’ forms. Maybe this is an example of the placebo effect in action, but whatever the case is, the colorful expedition into the eye of a visual thinker is a treat.
In case it needs to be said, there is no rank-order in my lists each Friday, and Blake Jones occupying the fifth slot should be evidence of that. I believe that most every car enthusiast is intrigued by how things are done in Japan, and Jones is in the heart of it. Thankfully, he’s one to share his experiences with us through photography. Armed with an indiscriminate eye for what’s cool, his ample portfolio includes everything from modern racing to the weirdest of the back-alley niches, and as a bonus there’s the welcome addition of little patches of life in Japan when the cars are parked.
Have you checked out the Petrolicious Marketplace on Instagram yet? Even if you aren’t in the market for a new-to-you classic—though if you have weak impulse control, be warned, you will be tested—we won’t let you down with the images. Beautiful cars for sale deserve their glamour shots after all.
To those following us, we promise to maintain the quality you’ve been enjoying (and also, we appreciate the support!), and to those who have yet to click that blue button, there’s a lot of catching up to do. Rather than getting up to date on your email inbox then, how about working your way through our back catalog?
