054 | How to Shoot Cool Cars: Car Photography, Camera Gear & Sim Racing with Adrian

What does it take to make a car look incredible on camera?

In this episode of Cool Cars with Chris, Chris and Courage sit down with automotive photographer and filmmaker Adrian from Meant to Be Driven to talk car photography, camera gear, automotive storytelling, Subaru BRZ driving, Cars & Coffee culture, track days, and sim racing.

https://www.instagram.com/_meant_to_be_driven/

Adrian has spent years behind the camera shooting photography and documentary-style video, including automotive listings and creative work connected with Cars & Bids. He breaks down what actually makes a great car photo—from lighting, composition, contrast, foreground, and finding the right angle to why sunrise and sunset can completely change the look of a vehicle.

The conversation also dives into Adrian's photography and video gear, including the Canon C50, Canon R6 Mark II, Canon 5D Mark III, vintage Canon lenses, DJI Osmo Pocket, Sony FX6, and the ongoing debate between shooting with a dedicated camera versus a smartphone.

Then it's time to talk cars.

Adrian shares what it's like owning and modifying his 2015 Subaru BRZ, why he believes it's often more fun to drive a slow car fast than a fast car slow, and how he's preparing the BRZ for future track use. Chris also talks about his modified Nissan 370Z, while the guys get into manual transmissions, heel-toe downshifting, exhaust setups, mountain driving, classic cars, rare enthusiast cars, and why some cars are simply meant to be driven.

They also explore Southern California car culture, including Cars & Coffee, Garage 79, Mount Palomar, early-morning mountain drives, and photographing the people and stories behind the cars—not just the machines themselves.

Later, Adrian takes the guys inside his sim racing setup, including his Logitech Pro wheel, pedals and shifter, PC racing, Assetto Corsa, VR racing with the Meta Quest 3, and how practicing in a simulator can help drivers learn braking, steering reactions, car control, and even real-world racetracks like the Nürburgring and Laguna Seca.

If you're into automotive photography, car photography tips, camera gear, sports cars, Subaru BRZ builds, Nissan 370Zs, Cars & Coffee, track driving, sim racing, or automotive content creation, this episode is packed with practical advice and car talk.

00:00 — Meet Adrian: Automotive Photographer & Car Enthusiast

05:08 — Best Camera Gear for Car Photography

10:31 — How to Take Better Car Photos: Lighting & Composition

12:29 — Adrian’s Subaru BRZ & Why Slow Cars Are More Fun

17:39 — The Story Behind “Meant to Be Driven”

19:49 — Cars & Coffee, Garage 79 & Car Culture

26:15 — Golden Hour & the Best Time to Photograph Cars

34:12 — Subaru BRZ Exhausts, Boxer Sound & Mods

36:43 — Behind the Scenes with Cars & Bids

42:26 — Building a Subaru BRZ for Track Driving

45:08 — Can Sim Racing Make You a Better Driver?

47:54 — VR Sim Racing, Assetto Corsa & Learning Real Tracks

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Love cars, horsepower, road trips and real automotive conversations? Follow Cool Cars with Chris and Courage for new podcast episodes, YouTube videos, car reviews, event coverage and behind-the-scenes content.

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