054 | How to Shoot Cool Cars: Car Photography, Camera Gear & Sim Racing with Adrian

<p>What does it take to make a car look incredible on camera?</p><p>In this episode of <strong>Cool Cars with Chris</strong>, Chris and Courage sit down with automotive photographer and filmmaker <strong>Adrian from </strong><a href="https://www.instagram.com/_meant_to_be_driven/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferer"><strong>Meant to Be Driven</strong></a> to talk <strong>car photography, camera gear, automotive storytelling, Subaru BRZ driving, Cars &amp; Coffee culture, track days, and sim racing</strong>.</p><p><a href="https://www.instagram.com/_meant_to_be_driven/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferer">https://www.instagram.com/_meant_to_be_driven/</a></p><p>Adrian has spent years behind the camera shooting photography and documentary-style video, including automotive listings and creative work connected with <strong>Cars &amp; Bids</strong>. He breaks down what actually makes a great car photo—from <strong>lighting, composition, contrast, foreground, and finding the right angle</strong> to why sunrise and sunset can completely change the look of a vehicle.</p><p>The conversation also dives into Adrian&#39;s photography and video gear, including the <strong>Canon C50, Canon R6 Mark II, Canon 5D Mark III, vintage Canon lenses, DJI Osmo Pocket, Sony FX6</strong>, and the ongoing debate between shooting with a dedicated camera versus a smartphone.</p><p>Then it&#39;s time to talk cars.</p><p>Adrian shares what it&#39;s like owning and modifying his <strong>2015 Subaru BRZ</strong>, why he believes it&#39;s often more fun to drive a slow car fast than a fast car slow, and how he&#39;s preparing the BRZ for future track use. Chris also talks about his modified <strong>Nissan 370Z</strong>, while the guys get into manual transmissions, heel-toe downshifting, exhaust setups, mountain driving, classic cars, rare enthusiast cars, and why some cars are simply <strong>meant to be driven</strong>.</p><p>They also explore Southern California car culture, including <strong>Cars &amp; Coffee, Garage 79, Mount Palomar, early-morning mountain drives</strong>, and photographing the people and stories behind the cars—not just the machines themselves.</p><p>Later, Adrian takes the guys inside his <strong>sim racing setup</strong>, including his Logitech Pro wheel, pedals and shifter, PC racing, <strong>Assetto Corsa</strong>, VR racing with the <strong>Meta Quest 3</strong>, and how practicing in a simulator can help drivers learn braking, steering reactions, car