A Perfect Jump Start to Summer

Jun 22

*The Porsche Design Studio offers an immersive, luxurious experience unlike any other car dealership.*

The summer road trip is an enduring image for a reason—without snow to slow the roads down, anything is possible. For two of our automotive-retail clients in wildly different locations, we used creative techniques and off-hours lighting to evoke the thrill of shopping for a new car.

*Don’t want to wait for your favorite model to be available? Two simulators allow visitors to virtually test drive the Porsche of their choosing.*

First up is the Porsche Design Studio, designed by the Penney Design Group and located in the iconic King of Prussia Mall. This revolutionary automotive retail space takes advantage of an unexpected setting to go above and beyond the typical car-buying experience with exclusive merchandise, immersive driving simulators, and space to host special events.

*A fully stocked bar serves both browsing customers and local Porsche fans attending the studio’s special events.*

*The in-house boutique offers a curated selection of Porsche-branded merchandise.*

Most car dealerships will offer some light refreshments to customers, but this studio’s amenities could rival those of some of the luxury apartments I’ve photographed. Even those not yet looking to buy can still be tempted by the apparel and accessories for sale. My wide-angle lens helped capture as many of these amenities in frame as possible.

*On loan that day was a rare 2006 Porsche Carrera GT—one of fewer than 1,300 units made before the model was discontinued.*

Contending with foot traffic at the fourth-largest mall in the United States would have added too many variables and visual distractions, so we held our session a few hours before the usual 10:00 AM opening. As a bonus, the early-morning sunlight and freshly cleaned floors added to the polished vibe of the studio’s exterior.

*Morning sun lights up the Porsche Design Studio’s storefront.*

Next was a more traditional car dealership whose impressive size demanded a visually dramatic backdrop. New Country Motor Group’s combined Jaguar–Land Rover location in suburban Washington, DC, is an enormous two-part structure whose interior lights were especially striking against a deep blue sky at twilight. To get the most out of the fleeting transition from day to night, my Virginia-based assistant, Robert Paul Goughnour, and I set up four cameras to photograph multiple perspectives at the same time. The automation features in our Canon cameras allowed us to operate all four at once.