Running through a roll of slide film today will run you around $30, before you add in any cost of processing and scanning a single photo. It costs a lot to hold a slide up to a light and see a more colourful world shining back at you. What’s free, though, is looking through this wonderful repository of slide film car photography in the British car mags’ glory days of the 1990s and 2000s.
I don’t know when or how I first came upon David Shepard’s Twitter feed, but I was glad I did, as someone who has certainly wasted plenty of time and money on rolls of Provia and Velvia. I can’t say I know a lot about photography, but I can say I know the feeling of satisfaction of glimpsing at your old shots.
More archive discoveries – didn’t think I still had the original 35mm transparency of this image. @evomagazine @DickieMeaden #Muira #Lamborghini #Italy #carphotography #boxintheroof pic.twitter.com/qmdBP0DrAT
— David Shepherd (@downshep) June 16, 2020
When you shoot normal film, what you get back are negatives. Everything is inverted, and no matter how rich the colours turn out on your pictures when processed, everything looks like a slab of smoked salmon when you pull out a roll of negatives.
MAGAZINE COVERS I can’t actually remember my first cover – it may have been for a kit car mag a few years earlier than this Issue of Performance Car April 1998. Finally felt like I was getting somewhere #performancecar #mclarenf1 #lightweight #carphotographer pic.twitter.com/D1514jREmn
— David Shepherd (@downshep) June 20, 2020
Slide film, on the other hand, gives you frame after frame of a glowing alternate reality. That is, if you got the exposure right. Slide can be unforgiving when you’re scanning it, so mistakes are costly to both your wallet and self-esteem.
That’s just slide versus negative film. The joy of seeing car photography like this on film at all is a joy on its own. Here’s Chris Harris trying some twin drift action with Richard Meaden back when all anyone cared about was Evo vs STI:
MAGAZINE COVERS Remember this was hard to get right even with Sutcliffe & @harrismonkey at the wheel – the shot of them drifting in sync required a few attempts. And some strong words from both participants. #sideways #impreza #evo @autocar_official #drift #carphotography pic.twitter.com/t22zVS7AjF
— David Shepherd (@downshep) June 22, 2020
Getting the shot meant firing away and hoping things came out. You can see how you’d have to really blast the shutter to get the moment:
Another blast from the past. Think this was the first UK registered Subaru 22B, shot for @evomagazine in the Peak District. Maximum attack from a youthful @DickieMeaden Still think this was by far the best looking Impreza iteration. #evo #subaru #Impreza #22B #sideways pic.twitter.com/sHSWpDo9lI
— David Shepherd (@downshep) June 17, 2020
Here’s also some advice on how to get low-angle shots: bring gloves and goggles:
There’s a theme of low rear shots in my outtakes of 1998 – 2004. I convinced myself it was easier to lay in the footwell and aim my camera UNDER the open front door. This was a bit iffy and frequently knuckle scraping so a glove and swimming goggles were de rigueur. Don’t try it pic.twitter.com/9IaXSMnkl2
— David Shepherd (@downshep) June 19, 2020
There’s lots of eccentric film stuff here, like shoots done with panoramic cameras both in 35mm:
BMW Mini launch Italy 2001? One of my first jobs for Bernie’s new F1 mag working with John Watson. Shot on Hasselblad XPan – more often than not the panoramic format was chopped down by art editors. Very frustrating. #F1 #Mini @MINIUK #Johnwatson #Hasselblad #carphotography pic.twitter.com/nU7KRpD1J4
— David Shepherd (@downshep) June 18, 2020
…and in the bigger, costlier medium format.
Also found some of the original panoramic, 6X7 & 6X6 Fuji transparencies from our @evomagazine drive to Skye. Old school lightbox and 3 big cameras required. @DickieMeaden @harrym_vids #Scotland #drivestory #Roadtrip #fuji #Hassleblad #Mamiya pic.twitter.com/a7GchgzuqO
— David Shepherd (@downshep) June 16, 2020
These are gorgeous photos, and are making me want to hunt down some old issues of Performance Car and EVO just to stare at the photography.