River City Congress

Driving photo of a Nissan 350Z with a Pandem Rocket Bunny kit

If you look back through my blog for last year, it probably looks like not much was going on. In some ways, that’s true. While I wasn’t shooting as much as I have been in years past, I was actually chasing passion projects and networking more with the local community. In short, I started a new project that I can share a different style of work on.

In the summer of 2021, while I was looking for something different to point my camera at, I stumbled upon an idea that sounded like fun. Having switched my focus on shooting more at night, to help diversify my style from other photographers in my area, I began to receive feedback from people online who felt like the vehicles and style of my work had a very “Need for Speed” vibe to it. Since I grew up on NFS: Underground, this was something I found incredibly flattering - and I wanted to expand on it.

Knowing that the world of NFS consists of fictional cities, pulling from a common nickname for my area seemed fitting. The next step was trying to establish an identity of its own, beyond just a location. Because a lot of the vehicles I started working with were often overlooked by bigger, more mainstream media outlets but typically pretty hyped and supported on social media, I liked the idea of a “by the people, for the people” theme. With that, River City Congress had a ring to it that felt strong, exciting and even a bit prestigious.

“So.. what exactly is River City Congress?” - Everyone

It’s a project, really… River City Congress is a brand I’ve created to focus on celebrating the diversity of automotive culture in the Midwest. While I’d initially planned to focus entirely on vehicles/builds within my hometown, I’ve since opted to expand to areas across the Midwest. Why? Because enthusiasts in my area aren’t the only ones underrepresented. Oh, and eventually I’m going to run out of cool stuff to work with here, so why back myself into a corner like that?

The only common factor that will always be in play when creating imagery for RCC is that it will - always - be featured at night or indoors. Don’t get me wrong. The sun is great and I love working with it but this is a stylistic choice that mirrors the look and feel of the very subculture that inspired all of this. It’s forever an important part of what makes RCC the project it is.

RIVER CITY CONGRESS

Poster Cars: Stance Edition..?

Every once in a while I'll get a wild hair and want to get my hands on something completely out of my wheelhouse to photograph. I wouldn't say any type of vehicle is more my type than anything else but, for sure, stanced cars are a breed I have very little knowledge or familiarity with. So.. a couple months back, when I was missing shooting the local nightlife, I dropped a post on Facebook looking for someone to donate some time for some content. Enter Parker..

We linked up at a local gas station, I told him I couldn't believe his car could actually move around town at the static height it was sitting at, he laughed, and we hit the road. The first goal was to get some rolling shots of his car sweeping streets.. because, why wouldn't you? When something is that low, that's kind of the magic behind it doing its thing. We took it out onto the highway and under one of the new overpasses, just because I knew there'd be some lighting there that could help push the image over the top. And, according to the number of likes that image gathered on Instagram, we succeeded.

From there, we found an empty parking lot (the middle of nowhere doesn't have much else to offer), and snapped a few more images. I didn't think much of it beyond just a night to hang out, meet a fellow enthusiast, and create some content.. and then the next day I get a message from the editor of Fast Car Magazine. He wanted more info, more photos and contact details for Parker. They were seriously considering it for a feature in their publication. To say Parker was thrilled might be an understatement.

A couple months passed and the feature is now out in the July 2021 issue of Fast Car Magazine. And, as if that isn't cool enough, his car landed the pull-out poster feature. Remember the car posters you'd pull out of your magazines as a kid and hang them on the walls in your room? Parker's car is now one of those cars.. Which also means I created one of those posters.. Somebody, pinch me. (Update - So I totally jumped the gun on this, based on the design work on the cover, and assumed the rig shot we put together of his car was the pull-out poster. After finally getting my hands on the publication, it turns out I was incorrect! Big bummer.. But I guess I can add this goal to my list for future projects!)

2019 Year in Review

In 2015, I decided that I wanted to start shooting cars and build stories. I hoped I'd get the chance to have my work featured in publications, backed by brands people knew all over the world. At the time, there wasn't a single reason why that should've or could've happened. So I started practicing. I photographed a variety of vehicles, even shooting some small videos to help with story telling and to dip my feet into a changing market, all with the hope of being noticed by the right people and paving the way for a future in automotive photojournalism.

In 2018, I decided that hope wasn't getting me anywhere. I teamed up with a friend who had a pretty incredible Volkswagen, we put together a fairly challenging shoot at night, released a single image and a blog post about what we hoped to accomplish, and then I actually did the leg work to get that in front of the right eyes. Instead of a quick share on Facebook or Instagram, I looked up the editor's information of the publication I wanted in, I passed on the private gallery of photos even the owner hadn't seen yet, along with some build details, and told them exactly what I wanted. Seven hours later it was green lit to be published.

2019 has been the year that my work has transcended beyond my own label, Cinemauto, and into the pages of some well known publications. While I've had a few small bits in publications before, this is the year I took control, started the conversations, and made the necessary moves to bring my dream to life. It sounds ridiculous to say that, because it's only been three publications this year, but two have landed covers. For someone who was absolutely no one this time last year, I consider that a victory.

As I write what will likely be my last entry for 2019, I'm thankful. I've had the chance to work with some really great people, to share my passion for this craft with more people than I ever imagined, and to grow as both an artist and an individual. While photojournalism will likely never be a career for me, its practice has taught me a great deal this year. Having crushed my 2019 goal, I'm excited to see what 2020 brings!

Support Your Local Nobody

I consider myself a nobody in this industry. From what I can tell, I haven’t really been on anyone’s radar. So, as 2018 came to a close, I took a chance and decided to reach out to some publications that I admire (perhaps you saw my letter to Super Street?). Since I started shooting more seriously, especially with vehicles, it's been a dream of mine to be a part of that world. There's just something about seeing your work in print, and watching other people enjoy it and go out of their way to look at it again and again, that brings absolute joy to my heart. This was my goal and I'd hoped I'd made enough progress to see it come to fruition in 2019.

Street Trucks responded to my inquiry almost immediately, letting me know they were very interested in featuring Brandon's truck in an upcoming mini truck issue. Sharing the exciting news with Brandon, we set a date to create some fresh new content and so we did. At the time, I was just thrilled to be a part of such a fantastic and established publication. Little did I know that my first time being involved in their publication would yield not only a multi-page feature but also the cover!

This is a feeling I've never known in photography. A 20 year old publication, with a well established following, so happy with the work I provided for them that they're willing to bank their monthly sales and reputation on it. I had no words. "Thank you," didn't seem sufficient. "I can't believe this," felt disrespectful. It's one of the most humbling experiences of my life - and I'm so incredibly excited to share it with my friends and family. So, for those who haven’t yet seen it, here’s the June 2019 cover of Street Trucks!