Film Friday: a Q&A with large format motorsports photographer, Brandon Faith: Digital Photography Review

Fast cars and slow cameras: This is the story of, and a Q&A with, Brandon Faith, better known in the online world as Baggen Photos.

Faith’s introduction to large format photography came from a class he took at the ArtCenter College of Design in Pasadena, California. While he had shot with 35mm and 120 film at a previous school, one of the courses required at the ArtCenter College of Design focused on only taking images with large format cameras. ‘I was in love,’ Faith told DPReview.

However, carrying a view camera alongside a tripod was less than ideal for walking around Los Angeles while taking photos. So, he decided to switch to a smaller large format system, opting for the iconic Crown Graphic. Due to its (relatively) lightweight design, Faith was able to expand his subject matter, including something he had been photographing since he started 35mm and 120 film – cars.

A photograph of Faith with his Crown Graphic in hand at an IndyCar race.

Faith spends time fixing up and modifying a trio of cars, including a Hyundai Genesis coupe, an Audi A3, and a BMW 328i. ‘When I was first building the Genesis I wanted to share progress, so I took to Instagram,’ says Faith. ‘From there I figured if I’m going to take pictures of my car I might as well take good pictures, and that’s where it all started.’

For the next two years, Faith focused his camera (and time) on the tuner car scene, but after catching a Formula 1 race on television, he knew he wanted to cross over into the motorsport scene.

Faith says he’s ‘always said cars are just moving art, and they really only cumulate into one masterpiece at the track.’ So, with his Crown Graphic in hand, Faith started attending motorsports events and the rest, as they say, is history. He’s still young in his artistic endeavors, but his collection already showcases a unique form of photography rarely seen in the world of motorsports.

The following images feature questions by me and answers from Faith, edited at times for brevity and clarity. You can find more of Faith’s work on his website, Instagram and Twitter profiles.