Introducing Christian Warmington, an emerging talent in automotive photography from the vibrant South Florida region. His journey, fueled by a lifelong passion for cars and early influences from family car shows, has led him to the dynamic world of capturing high-end automobiles through his camera. Christian's path reflects a deep connection to the automotive culture, where he has honed his skills and developed a unique photographic style.
In our interview, we'll explore Christian Warmington's approach to automotive photography. How does he capture the perfect shot that combines a car's mechanical beauty with artistic expression? What methods does he use when starting new projects, and what challenges does he face in the specialized field of exotic car photography? Christian will share his techniques and provide insights for those interested in pursuing a career in automotive photography.
To see more of Christian Warmington's impressive work, be sure to visit his Instagram page.
I’ve always been passionate about cars ever since I could remember. My parents would take me to the Miami Auto Show every year when I was a kid and I was always excited to see all the cool cars that were on display. My dad definitely influenced my passion for cars when he got a 1994 Acura NSX. In 2016, I started going to local car shows with my dad and would take a bunch of pictures on my phone.
One of the first cars I took pictures of was a Mansory Bugatti Veyron. After going to a few shows, I realized I wanted to start automotive photography. In 2017, my dad gave me his camera to start my photography journey and I’ve enjoyed every second of it. Since then, I have been able to experience so many awesome events, hear really interesting stories, meet a lot of supercar owners, and meet a lot of incredible photographers (@supercarsofboca, @everydaysupercarspotter, @cytographyyy just to name a few).
For a photo to stand out, the lighting and location are the two most important factors for an insane photo. When you go out and start taking more photos, you start to notice what type of lighting works best, whether it’s in the morning, afternoon, evening, or even at night. Plus, you’ll start to find cool spots like warehouses, parking garages, or a cool spot next to the beach. My photography style is specific to the car and the setting around it. I’ll always want to have a different editing style for each set of photos while getting inspired by other photographers and wanting to try new things whenever I pick up my camera instead of taking the same shots every time.
I haven’t had that many photo shoots but, one that stands out was taking press photos for McLaren North America of a McLaren 720S wrapped in a special livery, that would be used during the 2022 Formula 1 Miami GP weekend. The photos were taken at HAGERTY Garage + Social in Delray Beach and because McLaren wanted a clean and clear background, 2 or 3 Mercedes Sprinter vans, a medium-sized camper van, and a few other cars had to be moved. It was very a special moment getting to do something like that and I am extremely grateful to the guys at HAGERTY for helping organize that photo shoot.
A Circular Polarizer is in my top 3. The amount of reflections and glare that you can control just by rotating a CPL filter on your lens changes a photo dramatically. You don’t need to have a CPL but for those that are new to photography, I would highly recommend it.
To have a unique edge and keep my work innovative, I’m always trying new things. Over the last year, I’ve started to play more with my camera settings, trying out different angles and just messing around with Lightroom and Photoshop.
I would say it's a mix of the two. Photographers are always going to be competitive by trying to have the best set of photos for one car. But it is also collaborative because you’re able to talk with other photographers, get advice on how to fix something in Lightroom or give advice to someone who is just getting started.
Some advice I’d give my younger self is don’t worry, just go for it. Don’t worry if you think other people won’t like how you edit your photos. If you like how you edited the photos, just go for it. If someone asks you to do a photo shoot, just go for it because that is the first of many connections that you’re going to make.
My favorite photo I’ve ever taken is of my dad’s Aston Martin V8 Vantage. It’s not my favorite shot because he owns the car. It’s my favorite shot because it is the first time I really put my skills to the test. I had never done photos of one car with a clean setting and perfect lighting. I asked him if we could take the car to do some evening shots at a local park in Davie, FL and I was really proud of how this photo came out.
This one is tough because I have so many dream cars, but if I had to choose three cars, it would be with an Aston Martin Vantage GT12, a 50th Anniversary Lamborghini Aventador, and a Zenvo ST1. I’ve always been an Aston Martin fan and when the GT12 was unveiled, I fell in love with it instantly. Only 100 cars were made and none of them came to the US so I’d love to experience one one day. The second car is one that I’ve had a poster of since middle school. The Aventador is my ultimate dream car and out of all the variants, the 50th Anniversary is my favorite. I love the look of it and with a factory race exhaust, it gives me goosebumps. Finally, the Zenvo because it’s very rare, very aggressive looking, and it’s different from all the other hypercars that are out there.
We're thankful to Christian Warmington for opening up about his experiences and viewpoints in the field of automotive photography. His path, defined by both commitment and skill, is truly inspiring and abundant with valuable lessons. Christian's talent in capturing the allure of cars is outstanding. We appreciate the knowledge he has imparted about his craft and eagerly anticipate his future achievements as he continues to leave a notable mark in the world of automotive photography.
Check out more of Christian's work and download the TCN app today and immerse yourself in a world where automotive beauty meets high-end technology. Stay tuned for our regular updates, and let's drive into the future of automotive enthusiasm together!
