When I pick up the camera, I always aspire to tell a story through my imagery, and I am delighted that this one clicked with the audience. My photography and automotive journalism work are centered around cars, history, people, technology and the beautiful places they take us. Sometimes they are the result of weeks of research and planning concepts, on other occasions it’s good fortune. I would like to point out that this particular image was the result of being in the right place at the right time.

I am blessed to be at the heart of California’s car culture and organized rallies, and I try to be ready for when the right moment comes by. As the drivers at car meets get chatty with coffee in hand, I get to work positioning my camera strategically to portray the automotive potpourri in attendance. It is of special interest to me when a serendipitous moment of colour-matching presents itself.

In January of 2024, the Breakfast Club Rally of Northern California invited me in an automotive journalist/photographer capacity for their rally. The spectacular Francis Ford Coppola Winery was chosen as the starting point, and it had everything that epitomized the beautiful wine country – vineyards laden with fresh grapes, crisp morning air, vintage European cars and architecture to match. The yellow-ochre Alfa Romeo was one of the early arrivals, parked on its own at ease, as a lady wearing a matching sweater happened to pass by taking in the view of the Bertone styling. While it was chance which made for this image–it’s all about being present and working with the setting on offer. I have included a few more photographs from that morning to give a sense of the atmosphere at the location.

Having recorded countless vintage car rallies such as this over the years – starting with my Google Pixel 3a phone, now graduated to a Sony A7iii camera – I never cease to be amazed by the fresh automotive ecstasy conjured up by the Northern California scene. Mornings like these make you blissfully forget the present, and mentally transplant you to a romantic, long-gone era with period-correct cars, and driving roads untouched by the march of progress.