A MILESTONE IN CAR PHOTOGRAPHY
24 October 2016
Jaguar Land Rover North America President and CEO Joe Eberhardt was invited to receive an exclusive first copy of a remarkable new collection of car photography by acclaimed German photographer, René Staud. Eberhardt visited Staud at the PhotoPlus Expo in New York City on the occasion of the book’s U.S. launch.
Here Staud explains the background to his landmark 286-page, limited-edition book ‘Milestones of Car Photography’.
A MILESTONE IN CAR PHOTOGRAPHY
What makes your Milestones book so special?
It is truly unique in the way it is printed. It’s produced one page at a time on very special, very heavy, museum-quality art paper; paper that is created by our partner Hahnemühle using a process that dates back to the 1500s. Since the printing process is so time-consuming, we are using five printing houses throughout Europe, with each printer requiring around two weeks to produce a single edition. The plan is to print a total of just 125 copies, which will take until the end of 2017 to complete.
How did you decide which photos to include?
This was a very personal journey for me. These are quite simply my favorite images from over 40 years of being a car photographer. The cars I feature are not always the most expensive, the most prestigious or the most significant. Many are highly-attainable by regular enthusiasts. For me, it is all about the photograph, the composition and the lighting. These are images that make my heart soar.
Are there any Jaguar vehicles featured in the book?
Yes of course. I have had a love affair with Jaguar vehicles since I was a school boy working in a car wash where I grew up in Stuttgart. My favorite was always the wonderful MK2 sedan. So when I had the chance to photograph one back in 1987, I naturally created an image of it going through a car wash. The other Jaguar I feature in the book is the lovely XK8 coupe. Back in 2004, I took one to Lyon in France and photographed it at the remarkable Gare de Saint-Exupéry TGV Station designed by the Spanish architect, Santiago Calatrava. It is a wonderful photograph. I think my next major project will be a book on Jaguar. I already have so many beautiful shots that I’ve taken over the years; all the different XK shots, the XJ220 supercar, C-Type and D-Type vehicles from a recent Mille Miglia, and many E-Type shots. I’m also thinking of something entirely different using the latest models. The world is still full of remarkable photo locations.
A MILESTONE IN CAR PHOTOGRAPHY
Why did you select Joe Eberhardt, President and CEO, Jaguar Land Rover North America, to present a copy of your book to?
I have known Joe for many, many years, starting from his days working at Mercedes-Benz in Germany. Joe is a true car guy with a real passion for beautiful automobiles. My plan is to present one book to a car enthusiast involved in the auto industry on each continent. In Europe, I recently presented one to Italian car designer, Dr. Andrea Zagato. For North America, I am very pleased to be able to meet with, and present the book to Joe.
You have a fine car collection of your own. Does it include a Jaguar?
Sadly not anymore. In a moment of foolishness I sold my treasured XK140 roadster to a good friend of mine. I used to race it in vintage events in Europe in the ’80s and ’90s. I truly miss it and do plan on getting another XK soon.
What do you think are the next big developments in car photography?
My clients are asking for more elaborate, more complex, more technically advanced shoots in more unusual, extreme places. We are already photographing cars in 3D in the studio, then shooting the same car at a location and combining the sharpness and detail we get in studio with the location images. The process already involves a great deal of computer work, so CGI - computer-generated imagery - is where I think future developments will continue to be made.