How to photograph cars.

BMW M Magazine: When one looks at your work, then nature is mostly just a backdrop. Don’t you like nature?

Frederick Unflath: I love nature! I even live in it, far away from any city. I’m always glad to get back to nature after being in the big city.

So why do you photograph vehicles and not landscapes?

Cars may not be alive or natural, but they have character and they trigger emotions. I see them as works of art, as highly aesthetic objects. I’m fascinated by design and technology and how the two come together in a car.

Out of the studio: What’s the right time of day to get great vehicle shots? Is there one?

Probably when the sun is setting. Ultimately, it’s up to the photographer and what light and shade he uses to create his style.

Every vehicle has a different design – what should one look out for to find the right angle to shoot from?

It’s a matter of personal taste. There are the classic angles, I use them too, but you shouldn’t bury your creativity in classic camera angles. At the end of the day, it’s also about how you want to interpret the vehicle.

Beauty shots are all well and good, but how do you photograph a moving vehicle and at the same time get the feeling of speed across?

Reduce ISO as much as possible. Get in the boot of an estate or SUV, don’t forget to strap yourself in. Roughly speaking: If the car’s doing 60, set the shutter speed to 1/30 and adjust your aperture for the perfect exposure. If you want more depth of field, put a ND filter on the lens. Ta-da! BMW M4 GT3.

When you shoot action shots at the racetrack, wouldn’t you prefer to be behind the wheel and not the camera?

Let me put it this way: Back in the day, I was always the cautious one on our freestyle ski days and nights. And that hasn’t really changed. I think I’m better behind the camera.

Talking of design, which vehicle has always been a favourite of yours?

I like classic, iconic silhouettes like the BMW M3 E30 or the Porsche 993 Turbo. When we talk about modern design, it’s vehicles like the BMW M8 Gran Coupé that speak to me – fantastic side profile. As I say, I’ve always loved it when manufacturers have guts. The BMW M4 G82 is a good example. OK, the model polarizes, but I find the expressive design of this sports coupé superb.

Business talk: What would you recommend amateur photographers who want to get into shooting cars professionally?

Build up a portfolio, borrow cars to shoot and do something special. The most important thing is contacts. Build up a network, that’s essential.

What does one’s first camera equipment have to include to be able to shoot good pictures?

Like I say, nowadays there’s hardly any bad equipment around. With a 24-70 mm lens you can’t go wrong at the beginning, because you immediately have a wide spectrum of shots covered with just one lens.

What was your first professional camera set-up?

That was a Sony a7r II with Metabones adaptor and Canon FD lenses, focussed manually.

The worldwide Corona crisis means a lot of restrictions. Do you miss travelling?

I miss travelling privately to a certain extent, sure. Professionally, not really. Travelling with a lot of equipment means a lot of stress. I love shooting in Germany – guilty pleasure!

One car that’s missing from your shooting list?

The BMW 3.0 CSL Hommage.

Thanks for the interview, Frederick!