by Editor Michel Romaggi 
Edited and published by Yvette Depaepe, the 30st of October 2026

Today, the car tends to be just a tool like any other, despite having been a symbol of emancipation, freedom and dreams for generations. Yet it continues to inspire photographers. Whether it occupies a central place in the image or blends into the scenery, it offers multiple possibilities for interpretation.

PORTRAIT
Old cars, abandoned cars, luxury vehicles, utility vehicles, family cars and sports cars can all become the subjects of a portrait gallery.

“You will smell him passing ….” by Peter Ebel

“Alpine” by ATTILA SZABO

The photographer can either show them in their entirety, or focus on a specific detail of their anatomy.

“Renault 4CV” by Rico Cavallo

“Austin Haeley” by Mr.G.

“US classic car Sedan Deville 1959 tail fin abstract” by Beate Gube

Classic cars are a popular subject, 

P 094706 by Svetlin Yosifov

“The bride’s car” by Jose C. Lobato

Even more so when they are abandoned. Once symbols of modernity and progress, they gradually become objects marked by time, covered in rust and sometimes overtaken by vegetation.

“red forest” by Holger Droste

“The Old Hudson” by Anne Berger

 
IN MOTION
Movement can be the focus of an image. Rather than simply photographing a car, the focus becomes capturing the feeling of speed, the energy of movement, or the transience of a moment.

“Cab” by Masatoshi Ujihara

“Malecon” by Andy Bauer

IN THE NIGHT
Headlights, taillights, deserted car parks, petrol stations and illuminated roads, as well as reflections on wet tarmac, form a visual universe in which the car can appear as a silhouette, a light source or a mysterious presence.

“Freeway to he Stars” by Peter Davidson 

“In the theeth of cold winds” by Yvette Depaepe

THE CAR AND THE HUMAN BEING

A hand on a steering wheel, someone cleaning their car, a driver seen in their rear-view mirror, someone waiting inside, or a family travelling: these are just some of the scenes that illustrate the uses, habits, and emotional ties associated with the automobile.
The car then appears as an extension of the individual, a social marker or an element of their identity.

“Portrait of a taxi driver” by Subhajit Das

“drive” by fyb

“Car Repair” by Inge Schuster

AN INTIMATE PLACE

The cabin is a world unto itself, occupying a space halfway between public and private. The interior of the car thus becomes a place for solitude, waiting, reflection or escaping the outside world.

“Asleep” by Stephanie Kleimann

“Reflection” by Vasil Nanev

REFLECTIONS

“America is watching you” by Hervé Loire

“Car & Wall” by Lus Joosten

THE CAR AND LONELINESS
An isolated car in a vast environment, such as a deserted countryside, beach, mountain or arid landscape, or an empty car park. Faced with such vastness, the vehicle may appear insignificant and vulnerable, or it may embody a promise of freedom and escape.

“Down the road” by Larry Deng APA
 

“The Moravian Serpent” by Izabela Laszewska-Mitrega / Darek Mitrega

THE TRACES
We no longer photograph the cars themselves, but rather the traces they leave behind. The car itself is not necessarily visible. Instead, it is suggested by what remains after its passage, or by the space it has momentarily occupied.

"Parking Bays” by Hans-Wolfgang Hawerkamp

Untitled by Sherry Akrami

AN ELEMENT OF THE LANDSCAPE 

A photograph does not always have to feature a car as its main subject. It can also blend into the background, become a secondary element, or help to create a balanced composition.
 

“no1” by Alper Hasan ÜKE

Sometimes, it adds scale, colour or a human presence to a landscape.

“hors des sentiers battus” by Piet Flour

In other cases, it is part of a minimalist urban scene or becomes an almost imperceptible detail.

“go” by Alfredo Caridi

“Walk alone” by Marius Cinteza

Aerial photography, particularly with the help of drones, provides a unique viewpoint. When viewed from above, cars lose their individuality and become just another form.

“Repetition” by Mihai Bogdan R

“Bridge” by Jure Kravanja

Vehicle alignments and saturated car parks can create almost abstract paintings, where the cars blend into the image's lines, rhythms and patterns.

“Trafic Jam” by Wayne Pearson

“Parking” by Jure Kravanja

It can also be the subject of creative production, allowing the creator to let their imagination run wild. 

“Destruction of the environment” by Sulaiman Almawash

“FireStorm” by Marcel Egger

These different approaches transform the car from a mere photographic subject into something much more significant: a means of viewing our daily lives differently.