Who needs four wheels? Michael's retro three-wheeled Morgan and futuristic two-wheel Bimota define the perfect summer
I was just leaving a photoshoot in Boston and posted a message on Facebook to see if anyone was in the area who wanted to have a quick photo session. I received a call from a gentleman named Michael. He explained that he had an Egyptian Mau that he wanted to get photographed. Now, not being privy to what an Egyptian Mau was, my curiosity went wild. I began to think about the possibilities. Was I going to this mansion- with something called an Egyptian Mau, I was sure the residence was just as elegant - to photograph some Egyptian artifact worth millions? I laugh about it to this day for the assumptions I made on the drive to his place. Boy was I in for a surprise when I arrived and saw what sat before me. He told me that Mau’s name is Buddy. Dog, you may assume? I set my eyes on a beautiful show-winning grey cat. He told me that the cat travels across the United States and competes in shows. I stood there thinking, I photograph high-end automobiles and this guy wants photographs of his cat…how did he find me? Little did I know he had some awesome toys! I set up and got shots of Buddy, well-poised with his healthy-shined fur.
After the shoot, Mike showed me his garage and I did a double-take. It was packed full of an assortment of motorcycles! He had a Bimota Tesi 3D, other interesting motorcycles (you will find out at another time), and a 2013 Morgan 3 Wheeler Gulf Edition. All staring at me, right there in my face. He inquired about getting photos of the Morgan and, of course, you all know that answer! A few weeks later, I met up with Mike and the Morgan.
I had brought my friend Justin Richard and had borrowed my friend Evan’s Miata for him to drive while I captured rolling shots. The Miata was the perfect car for me to get the types of low and high-rolling shots that I had envisioned during the planning of this shoot. Later, we proceeded out to the countryside to grab some scenic shots, with the rolling green hills and farmland backdrops. What an incredible day!
A bit after the shoot and receiving the photos, Mike called to ask if I was interested in going to the Misselwood Concours in Essex, MA. The Morgan was entered into the show and was on the driving tour the day before. Let’s just put it this way, a Lamborghini or Ferrari is sleek, fast, eye-catching, and recognizable. However, they lack the individuality that the Morgan possesses. The Morgan is a wooden hand-crafted masterpiece. It is such a rarity to see, that it causes people to stop whatever they are doing to admire something so different. You can’t go anywhere without people pulling out their cell phones to take a snap or hear others ask “What kind of car is that?” It does get nerve-racking as people start swerving into your lane trying to get the shot while they are driving. Most are respectful and just curious. Police usually pull up next to the car to give the thumbs up and then continue on their way. Mike’s car is eye candy, and people are sugar addicts.
I met Mike at his place and we drove down. We had a front-row spot next to an original 1965 Ford GT40 at the show. The event was fun and it was great to learn more about Mike, the Morgan, and other cars that were there. When we went to leave, it was pouring rain. Now, in case you haven’t noticed, the Morgan is a two-seater with no roof or covering. Let’s just say it was a blast driving home in a rainstorm on a highway! What a unique experience. We had a grand old time. Luckily, I had goggles and an open-faced helmet!
Mike and I have since become friends and I enjoy combining our creative ideas to come up with interesting photos. One great idea Mike had was getting rollers with his Bimota Tesi 3D and using a helicopter as part of the shoot. Mike had been learning to fly and wanted to capture that with his bike. I called my buddy Evan Yesmentas with the Miata for help with the shoot and Aubrey Nicole to model. We all met up at the North Andover airport and already my mind is racing with ideas. We had about 75 yards of the taxiway to get a sweet roller with a bike and helicopter at a speed of around 50 mph. As we talked with Boston Helicopters the place supplying the chopper, we coordinated the sequence of events and positioning needed to pull it off, which I now consider one of my favorite shots. It took 3 passes and me hanging out of the door of the Miata to make the shot. The first two times we ran out of the taxiway and the speed was off by all drivers. They all had to be going at the same speed for the picture to be sharp. The third time was a charm, as the saying goes. Mike brought the bike into the hangar for shots with the stunning Aubrey. Wowzers!
In the spring, Mike came out to visit me in Westminster to take some shots at Wachusett Mountain and the surrounding area. Driving around, the sugar addiction was in full gear, and people were strewn about, asking questions, and overall, had smiles on their faces. Nobody knows what it is and Mike’s favorite answer, when asked, is that it’s created off of a bathtub from Home Depot!
We got to talking about possibly making a movie of the Morgan at Castle Hill with our good friend Sonig Varadian. We wanted the theme to be of elegance. That day was incredible as we had so much fun creating scenes around the grounds of the estate. We even tied a rope to the back of the little 3-wheeler to have Sonig be pulled on her skateboard. This was not so elegant, but was fun to watch! We made our way to the beach to see what we could do and found horses walking in the ocean. What a lucky find: they provided a beautiful shot for me to capture.
