Automotive Photography Tutorials

Learn how to shoot cars with step-by-step photography tutorials, including scouting, camera settings, and lighting from automotive photographer Mike D’Ambrosio.

Upgrading the BMW G8X M3 engine bay

Under hood fashion is all the rage these days. I never really saw the need, especially on the E92, where it had that beautiful crackle finish to the V-8’s manifold. But the G8X engine bay is very different, with its prominent strut brace and giant plastic engine cover. After seeing so many clean G8X engine…

How to install BMW badges

No doubt you’ve seen a BMW out and about with unique Roundel badges. There are multiple options to choose from, but they all have the same installation process, so today I’ll show you how to remove the original badges on your BMW and replace them with this BMW badge installation guide. Where I got my…

Upgrading the interior of the G8X M3

One of the biggest improvements of the G generation M3 is its interior. It’s on par with the F90, and miles ahead of anything from Cadillac, Lexus, perhaps even Porsche (though not Mercedes). Still, since this is a build story, surely we can improve upon it. Let’s upgrade the G8X interior. I’ll go through the…

How to install fender trim on a BMW G8X M3 and M4

This will be a part of a story on deleting all of the Shadowline Trim from my M3. While all the lower sections are best left to those with access to a lift, the BMW G8X fender trim is easy enough to remove on your own. I’ll detail the steps below – set aside about…

How to build a dream BMW garage

The garage has always been a place I spend a lot of time in. From wrenching to washing, I’ve always got something cooking. When I moved into my home a little over a year ago, I made sure to get one with a garage big enough for at least 2 cars and a few additional…

How to light paint a car with gels

Light painting a car is, by now, a well known skill set. But I recently picked up some new toys, gel lights, that can give some really cool effects and make your images pop. I visit AMMO NYC’s garage to try them out on an original Lamborghini Countach. I’ll show how to make this image,…

Shooting the Jaguar XJR-15

Sometimes I put the Bimmers away and shoot incredibly rare cars. In this case, it was a Jaguar XJR-15 going up for auction with Sotheby’s (the car eventually sold for 1.9 million!). What was it like shooting this thing? Not a lot of fun…I’ll explain. The Jaguar XJR-15 Just 53 were made for use, and…