Car Spotting - What is it & why is it a dirty term?!

Many have heard of the term "car spotting" but what is it?
It's spending numerous hours, pounding the streets of high class areas in cities, in search of supercars and hypercars. Both foreign and domestic.
In London's case, Knightsbridge and surrounding areas is where everyone goes.

There's negative connotations surrounding the term, and this can be due to disagreements between owners and said 'spotters'- a comment on social media that someone didn't appreciate, it can be due to someone getting snapped unwillingly, or just due to spotters standing in the middle of the road annoying drivers!

Now, I've been called a 'spotter' yet, I'm not. This isn't due to it being considered an insult or anything, but I don't have the dedication for it. Not like the real spotters do! These guys can walk around from morning till night, in search of something cool. Some travel from hundreds of miles away to visit London, just to do some spotting!
There's a type of hierarchy with all of it, you have the guys who have been doing this for a while and are fairly well known - even having their images published, there's people who have a good social network following due to it but aren't quite as known, and then it trickles down to those who just walk around taking photos/videos... just because.

After speaking to spotters, I've found out why these guys do it. The reasons vary from person to person. Ranging from just wanting to see these incredible vehicles in person, to practicing photography, to how it gives people something to do, all the way to how it's an escape for some people.
One real sad story I heard was how a boy, only around 11-12 years old, was being bullied at school "for running around after cars." He wanted to give up so the bullying would stop. This was really sad to hear. All he wanted to do was see these £250,000 plus cars out and about - yet he was bullied cause of it! I knew of a few people with cool cars who said they'd happily go down to the school in convoy to pick him up one day. Fortunately the bullying seemed to stop and he's still doing what he enjoys.

I love my automotive photography and yes I do walk around with the spotters occasionally, this is to practice my photography or just to go and say hi! But I don't deserve the title of spotter as I mentioned, these guys are just so dedicated to it. For as much as people will say it's pointless or a waste of time, some of these guys are making money from their images or videos! So it can't be that bad. Even those not making money from it, they're still getting to practice or better still, just doing what they love!

Enjoy what you love!

Skully x

Auto Italia at Brooklands 2015

Italian cars. So beautiful to look at.

Lamborghini. Ferrari. Alfa Romeo. Maserati. Fiat.
All had fantastic numbers attend. Seeing so many of each brand, was like viewing a production line at each factory. Such variations, and the care people have taken to keep the older models so pristine is amazing.

I was attending with Lamborghini Club UK and they had a stunning display of 52 cars! Ranging from various models of Gallardo's, to a Murcielago SV and obviously Aventadors with a few other models!

This Lamborghini Aventador, courtesy of Lamborghini Pangbourne, was absolute perfection!! The Black & Gold just looked incredible. The Gold stitching on the interior looked flawless and the Gold alloys just finished this off beautifully.

One of my favourite images was this...  The stand off!!

Visitors to LCUK's stand was Oakley Design's Matte Chrome Green LP680 Huracan! This colour was just stunning. It suited the car so well, really showcasing it's shape.

The club was lucky to participate in the parade lap. Prior to the Lambo's getting to be unleashed (a tad) on track. These guys went first...

I really enjoy getting to shoot these incredible cars, that are a part of LCUK. They're cars you can only dream of getting close to when you're young!

Now these were some of my favourite pics I took -

For the full album - https://www.flickr.com/photos/jkingman/sets/72157652332933006

Skully x

Piazza Italia 2015

Ciao!
This was my first year visiting Horsham for Piazza Italia, I'd always wanted to go but never remembered it!
The weather wasn't fantastic which I think deterred a few people but otherwise it was a great atmosphere and some truly amazing Italian cars showed up. Well I say Italian, there was a few non- Italian cars.

I wish I'd been able to attend more than the 1 day as it looked really good! It's a definite for next year that's for sure!!

Skully x

'Modifications under the bonnets on some of these beauties, make them real beasts' - Battalion30five

Battalion30five.

Such an awesome bunch of people, stunning cars and true passion & knowledge of the cars within the group.
We met up near Canary Wharf and had some quick pics in the underground car park. Surrounded by 25 cars could seem daunting to shoot on your own, but I tell you what, I wasn't complaining!!
Ranging from cars wrapped Lime Green by Yiannimize, to Goldy (funnily enough, that's the Gold one in the pic!) to full carbon bodies and Akrapovic wrapped R35's.. it was a stunning combo!

We left this car park to head to Pall Mall for some pics with the Queen.. well, not exactly but outside her house! Anyway, Pall Mall was shut so we went to another car park in Kensington.

                                          I love this bit, leaning over getting these angles...

I just love these cars! I don't know what it is about them, but they're just incredible!
The modifications under the bonnets on some of these beauties, make them real beasts!!
Ranging from Akrapovic exhausts to Litchfield maps & upgrades to custom parts and upgrades, they're all fantastic.

It was pretty epic... unfortunately weather wasn't great. Hoping the next shoot with this lovely lot has some better weather! Especially as it sounds SO cool. That'll be up soon after it's been done.

Find all the images here - https://www.flickr.com/photos/jkingman/sets/72157651826948929
Check out Battalion30five on instagram for some epic R35 shots!

Skully x