Michael Minelli’s Sense of “Sportivity” for Quattroroute

You know that one kid in elementary school who was obsessed with cars? The cars you used to get at gas stations, the remote-control ones, and even the real ones — but only if they’re painted a really bright yellow. She might have grown out of that phase almost immediately but wasn’t it a shame we didn’t let the eight-year-old play with the real thing?

Italy-based photographer Michael Minelli still loves cars and now happens to be able to play with them on a regular basis. His recent shoot for Quattroroute, a well-established Italian automotive magazine, was one such opportunity to play.

He was found by the magazine’s art director via social media. Michael has plenty of experience with automotive and motorsport photography, which was immediately apparent to Quattroroute. His portfolio is full of racecars doing wheelies, creating clouds of dust, or idling on rain-slicked roads in the moonlight. However, this shoot went a little bit differently than planned.

I expected a beautiful sunset and found snow and fog instead.

Michael, however, celebrates flexibility — both in himself and in the cars he shoots. This time, he was sent to photograph the Porsche Cayenne GTS Coupé.

The Porsche Cayenne GTS Coupé is an amazing SUV with a sport soul and I wanted to show that dynamic style through these images.

Michael chose to photograph the car in a location close to home, a very special place in the heart of the alps. He likes to play a lot with this juxtaposition of a rugged terrain to a sleek and urban mode of transportation. He enjoys experimenting with the possibilities and incites others’ imaginations to do the same.

The images bring up fantasies of the quiet during a lengthy road trip, the fading vroom of a car zipping by, and a serene view of the vast expanse beyond the mountain tops, the clouds the only thing in your way. You’re simultaneously protected from the elements and totally immersed in them.

Michael, on the other hand, was outside of the car, unprotected and snapping photos that exude a sense of action and adventure.

The shoot was only for one day, so it was a great challenge trying to create dynamic images that really portrayed the ‘sportivity’ of the car.

After a quick color-correction to the body of the car in the images, the snow-dusted roads and snow-capped mountains provided the perfect backdrop and contrast against the sleek grey-toned vehicle.

See more of Michael’s work at michaelminelli.it.

Check out our other great photographers on our Find Photographers page!