Amelia IslandConcours d’Elegance 2021
This trip was a departure from my usual routine, as I typically join the Hagerty Amelia or Bust Tour with a group of friends, documenting the journey with over 20 drivers in their unique vehicles. However, this time, it was all about a woman—a very fortunate woman, I must say, to have crossed paths with this charming fellow. Haha.
On May 10th, I flew down to Sarasota, Florida, to spend a couple of weeks with my girlfriend, who resides there. Additionally, I aimed to forge new business connections, with the hope of eventually relocating there for the winter.
On Wednesday, May 19th, I embarked on a 4-hour drive to Amelia Island, where my good friend Joe Freeman awaited me with a key card to a lovely, cozy room at the Ritz Carlton, the venue for the Amelia Concours. Joe's generosity knows no bounds, providing me with this opportunity to stay close to the show field. This proximity greatly reduces the stress of managing tasks like charging batteries and transferring numerous photo files to my computer.
I also count myself extremely fortunate to once again be one of the official photographers for the Concours.
Arriving on Wednesday, the air was filled with anticipation as people worked to set up tents and booths for the upcoming events. At the Ritz, RM Auctions were in full swing, with cars being carefully positioned for the Thursday to Saturday preview. While I dedicated my day to capturing images of these cars, I received an unexpected call from Darin at RM. He asked if I could cover their event, and I gladly accepted the offer. To ensure full coverage, I subcontracted another talented photographer to handle the auction on Saturday, as my schedule for shooting the Concours would overlap.
As I wandered around on Wednesday, a spontaneous idea led me to walk to where the trucks were being unloaded. At the back of the lot, I came across something truly special. Standing next to one of the Reliable Carriers trucks was Walt, a good friend of mine from Michigan who often transports GM Concept vehicles. I was thrilled to see him, and it was a joy to catch up after following his adventures on Instagram over the past year.
To my delight, the GM Design team granted me the opportunity to photograph the Hummer EV and Cadillac Lyric as they were unloaded and later on the field for testing. It was another remarkable experience courtesy of GM. I was kindly asked not to take any photos or videos while the vehicles were in motion, and I respected those requests. It felt incredible to capture some of the first shots of these vehicles before they were unveiled to the public in person.
The following morning, I ventured out to RM in an attempt to capture sunrise photographs. However, due to the event being in May instead of March, the sun rose behind the hotel rather than behind the RM tent. Nevertheless, my morning took an exciting turn when I bumped into Chris Brewer and Ramsey Potts, the vehicle specialist for RM. They were preparing to go live on the local news channel, Channel 4. I seized the opportunity to photograph their live broadcast from various angles, later sharing the photos with them so they could cherish the moment. Ramsey Potts' interview skills were truly exceptional; even the news team's cameraman was impressed.
About an hour later, I crossed paths with Paul Tuttle Jr. and his wife Rachel, catching up on various topics. I'm hopeful to see them again at this year's Misselwood Concours in Essex, MA on July 18th. Paul has recently introduced a new lineup of electric bikes, and they are nothing short of stunning.
Later that evening, I received a text from a dear friend who works for the Hagerty Driver’s Foundation, informing me that they had lit up the box for the Back to the Future DeLorean and were taking photos. Despite not knowing the exact time frame and seeing the text 10 minutes late, I swiftly grabbed my bag, dashed through the hotel, and sprinted out onto the field like a banshee. I was determined not to miss this incredible opportunity.
This car was "the Car" — the screen-used hero car that famously backed out of Doc's van in the first Back to the Future movie. Now residing at the Petersen Automotive Museum on loan from Universal Studios, it was here at Amelia Island Concours, gracing us all with its presence. I joined two of their photographers, and as a close friend of the Sheas (BTTF Collectors) who share a deep passion for this car, the experience was truly breathtaking for me. I felt compelled to connect with the car, sitting there silently, admiring it in all of its glory.
One standout feature of this show, more than any other, is the presence of industry insiders and many of my friends. It's always a pleasure to steal a minute or two for conversation with these wonderful people. This year, what I missed the most were my photographer friends from overseas, like Dirk Jager and Peter Singhof, who couldn't attend due to ongoing COVID-19 flight restrictions.
Regarding the Concours itself, it didn't seem much different from previous years. There were no mask requirements, unlike in 2020 when the Concours took place just a week before the lockdown. The Ritz also implemented new rules, allowing only those who had paid for rooms to access the halls with a pin. While it made navigating with all my gear easier, I understood that it made spontaneous meetings at the bar, which has historically been a popular spot, more challenging.
The only noticeable difference for me was doing the light painting on Saturday night, as the mosquitoes were relentless. Being May instead of March, they were out in full force. I had to wear long pants and a heavy North Face sweatshirt with a hood to prevent them from feasting on me. However, even with this protection, it was impossible to stay dry in the humid 85-degree weather. I found myself sweating profusely, despite being miserable and running on only 2 hours of sleep.
The security team was diligent, ensuring the safety of the vehicles on the lawn throughout the night. However, I was hassled by them 7 to 8 times, even though I was allowed to be there. I felt honored to be the only one with the privilege to work there at night. Despite this, the security team did not communicate effectively among themselves. They had walkie-talkies but seemed reluctant to use them to inform their colleagues that the person in the yellow sweatshirt was the designated photographer. Instead, they kept shining their lights on me and the cars from afar, which unfortunately ruined some of my shots.
Despite these challenges, I persevered and managed to get a few hours of sleep before the next big day.
Saturday and Sunday were jam-packed with scheduled shot lists and events to capture. Saturday morning kicked off with the Eight Flags Road Tour, where approximately 20-30 cars from the show embarked on a scenic drive around Amelia Island, making stops at 2 different parks before heading to Downtown Fernandina. There, eagerly awaiting crowds were treated to the sight of these elegant machines. This year, the tour featured a smaller number of cars due to the date change and lingering caution from the pandemic.
At one point during the tour, I positioned myself on a bridge, walking halfway down to get the angle I wanted. However, once again, the sun wasn't in the ideal position for my shots. I then decided to head to Fort Clinch and set up under the tree canopy to capture the cars as they rolled by.
While downtown, I sought out different vantage points to photograph the cars lining the streets. A helpful lady at the post office suggested I go up to the 3rd floor to photograph from the windows. This proved to be a great suggestion and resulted in some fantastic shots. However, the windows were a bit dirty, so some editing was required to clean up the images.
Before Sunday even began, I had already clocked over 60,000 steps, covering every inch of the Ritz property and the two fairways. By the end of the show, I was just shy of 80,000 steps. This job demands a lot of physical activity; for instance, at the end of a hot and humid day spent pacing all over the field, capturing the expressions of people enjoying the automobiles, I received the news that Joe Freeman had won the Tony Hullman award, to be presented by Lyn St James.
Despite being on the other side of the field, I sprinted as fast as I could to make it to the presentation for this remarkable achievement. This marked Joe's 4th time winning the award. I barely made it to the cart that was pulling him in his car up to the awards table, with barely a breath of air left before nearly passing out. Yet, I was thrilled to be in that position and honored to be up there with him, capturing that significant moment. The Hullman Award is bestowed upon the Best American race car at the event, named after Tony Hullman, who owned the Indianapolis Speedway before Roger Penske.
Shortly after, it was time for the Best in Show awards ceremony, where every year Nathan directs the swarm of photographers to hold their positions for wide shots, gradually moving in for close-ups. My batteries were running low, and I was determined not to miss the Best of Show lake shots. So, I made a quick decision to dash up to my room and swap out batteries, then sprint back through the hotel and across the field.
During my mad dash, I noticed a group of people gathered at Wayne Carini's booth, setting up for a cell phone shot. I couldn't let that moment slip by, so I stopped and quickly took a few shots before rushing off, not even realizing who was in the photo. It wasn't until later, when I uploaded the images, that I realized they were a group of very important people in the automotive industry, including Bill Warner and his wife Jane, who are the hosts of the Amelia Island Concours.
All in all, it was another successful event for the team, despite the date change to May. Thankfully, Amelia 2022 will return to its usual March slot, and with everything fully opened up, we hope for a return to full capacity and fewer concerns.
Thank you to everyone for your support, and I look forward to seeing you all next year!