The Photography of Rob Mains
Rob Mains is a photographer based out of the Phoenix area with a great eye for shooting cars. We caught up with Rob at one of the valley’s biggest and best Cars & Coffee events at Alpio’s in Troon. The show is from 7am-10am the second Saturday of each month, but as you can see from the photos, good parking spots close to the coffee are filled before sunrise.
Rob’s interest in shooting cars goes back a long time. “Performance-oriented mechanical art seems to be in my DNA. As a kid, I always liked having a car, airplane or boat in my pictures, and that hasn’t changed much over the years. I appreciate the personal drive and high-quality craftsmanship that it took to create the classic cars, as well as modern exotics. Although I prefer race-designed autos, I can always find a certain beauty in any vehicle, from hot-rods and motorcycles to trucks,” Mains explained.
“One of my joys in photography is sharing time with an automobile’s
‘human family,’ and learning the unique story behind their special vehicle and
what it means to them. We are fortunate
in Arizona to have many car events to attend that also help raise money for
various local charities. Photography lets me combine my past experiences as a
long-time car guy and motorcycle road racer/instructor, and hopefully create
images that bring joy to the folks that view them,” said Rob.
The hosts for this Cars and Coffee is Alpio’s at Troon, a performance and event venue
catering to private gatherings. Filled with fun automobilia, it is a perfect
place to hold a corporate meeting, charity fundraiser, or a themed birthday
party for the car guy in your life. Alpio himself is a member of the Ferrari
Club of America Desert Region, so it’s not uncommon to see a lot of Ferraris at
each of his events.
Cars come and go all morning at Alpio’s at Troon, making for an ever-changing mix of automobiles, affording onlookers the chance to see and hear these cars running. The movement of the cars adds a kinetic element to Rob’s photographs, and creates interesting juxtapositions.
I asked Rob if he had any advice to aspiring automotive photographers. “With most everyone having a cell phone camera, it is easy to capture memories at car events. To create a unique perspective, simply lower the height and angle from where the picture is taken. Most of us take our pictures standing with the camera at around head level,” said Mains. “You might often see me kneeling down to take a picture or sometimes finding a higher location to shoot from for another new angle. Consider photographing just part of a car; an interesting wheel/brake combination on a Ferrari 488 Pista, the rear wing on a Porsche GT-2, or an engaging interior or engine bay. Shots like these can bring a fresh look to your photos and it is a fun way to spend a day.”
To see more of Rob’s work, go to robmainsphotography.com
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