- The Power Pit
- The Art of Transforming Light into Speed
The Art of Transforming Light into Speed
René, when one hears your name today, one immediately thinks of iconic car photography. But that was a journey that began long before Neo Classics. Early on, you started to intensively explore light – not just as a means to an end, but as a central design element. Over the years, you developed your own lighting system that allows you to precisely model vehicles and deliberately bring out their shapes. This approach has shaped your visual language and made you internationally renowned – and this very understanding of light is naturally reflected in this book.
Jürgen Preuß: René, I’ll tell you straight: This book is no ordinary photo book. You open it – and you’re immediately drawn in. And for me, that’s mainly due to your light. That’s not photography, that’s staging.
René Staud: I’m so glad you see it that way. For me, light has always been the decisive factor. Technology, camera – all important, of course. But light shapes the car. It shows the lines, the tension, the soul.
Jürgen: That’s exactly what I mean. Your pictures don’t look like they were just “shot.” They look as if you’re sculpting the cars out of the darkness, piece by piece.
René: Yes, that’s indeed the approach. I wanted to move away from random reflections or classic studio photography. I wanted control. And from that, my own system developed over the years.
Jürgen: And it shows. Especially with these hypercars in the book – they stand there like sculptures. Almost surreal, yet totally tangible.
René: Because light tells the story of the form. These cars are extremely well-designed. If you light them incorrectly, you lose everything. If you do it right, the exact opposite happens.
Jürgen: Then suddenly there’s a sense of calm. And that’s what I find exciting: even though these are all high-performance machines, many of your images seem almost meditative.
This is never just about engineering or perfection in the details— it’s about that hard-to-pin-down feeling when a car suddenly tells more than its spec sheet.
René: That’s a beautiful word for it. I never wanted that loud “supercar poster” feeling. I prefer tension through reduction.
Jürgen: And it works very well. You get hooked. I’ve caught myself staring at a page for minutes at a time.
René: (laughs) That’s the best feedback ever.
Jürgen: What I also find powerful: You call them “Neo Classics.” So, cars that are already classics today. And through your light, they gain a whole new timelessness.
René: That was exactly the idea. These vehicles are not just fast or rare – they have character. And I wanted to show them in a way that they would still have the same impact in 20, 30 years.
Jürgen: You know what sticks with you from this book? Not just the cars. But your unique perspective on them.
René: That means a lot to me.
Jürgen: My conclusion is simple: Neo Classics is not just a book about cars. It’s a book about light, form, and perfection. Thank you for the conversation!
René: My pleasure!
If you’re now eager to bring this special work home: You have the opportunity to acquire a copy of Neo Classics signed by René Staud. For yourself or as a gift for a car enthusiast. Everyone in the family surely has one.
Jürgen Preuss, infact.digital
Copyright: René Staud
