It's Time For Your Photoshoot Amongst the Bluebells

WOW, they certainly know how to pack a punch and Mother Nature has done it again and filled our local woodlands with the most amazing display of bluebells and a lingering and captivating scent to entice us there.

Yes! it’s time to confirm your family photoshoot so I can capture a perfect moment in time!

I’m showcasing the first bluebell shoot this year taken today, Wednesday 19 April on a glorious spring morning.

After many years photographing your families this shoot was an extra special one for me because for the first time ever I get to photograph my daughter Nicola with her daughter Bella who is 7 months old amongst the bluebells!

A special moment in time that I get to treasure forever, as well as Bella’s mummy and daddy and our extended family too!

Now is the time to allow me to capture your family, but you’ll have to hurry because Mother Nature waits for no one! There is only a tiny window of opportunity before these protected wildflowers fade until next year.

Just call me on 0777 181 0105 to book your shoot or email me at stella@stellascordellis.com

This link tells you more….

PREMIUM PHOTOGRAPHY - BEAUTIFULLY PRESENTED

International Women's Day 8th March

International Women's Day is celebrated annually on March 8th to honor the achievements of women around the world and is a national holiday in many countries.

The day has its roots in the labor movement of the early 1900s when women began organising to fight for improved working conditions and the right to vote. The first official International Women's Day celebration was held on February 28, 1909 in New York City. The Socialist Party of America declared it a national event and more than 15,000 women attended rallies in the city.

In 1910, a second International Women's Day was held in Copenhagen and was attended by women from 17 countries. At the conference, they created the International Woman Suffrage Alliance, which fought for the right of women to vote. Since then, International Women's Day has grown to become a global event, with millions of people around the world taking part.

So hats off to all of us women out there in celebration of our strength and independence to fight for our rights and visibility in society.

I have photographed hundreds of women and girls over the years, too many to add to this post. But I’d like to add just one – it’s of my daughter and her baby daughter – symbolising the unique and hardest job in the world, a Mother, certainly something to applaud today on International Women’s Day.

Thanks

Stella

Springtime Photoshoots Amongst Nature

I always look forward to the onset of springtime when the birds start singing just that little bit louder, a reminder that warmer weather and longer days are just around the corner!

This signal means I can start planning a small number of family photoshoots in local woodlands and private gardens whilst the bluebells are in flower during April and May time. Not forgetting the stunning rapeseed fields and meadows are awash with vibrant colour too, providing nature’s very own backdrop – perfect for body, mind, and spirit!

 Did you know bluebells (Hyacinthoides non-scripta) are native to western Europe and well established in Britain and are an indicator of an ancient woodland?

 The bluebell is protected under the Wildlife and Countryside Act (1981). This means digging up the plant or bulb in the countryside is prohibited and picking them could land you with a hefty fine!

 Whilst photographing small groups of people and dogs in woodlands and gardens we always stay on the many pathways or fallen trees so we don’t trample on or disturb the plants. Photographing at a low angle highlights the abundance of bluebells and their colour too ­– it’s all to do with perspective and composition.

The bluebell flowers attract bees, providing an important source of nectar, being among the first flowering plants. Ancient woodlands have a distinctive flora and ecology, having been established for hundreds of years. They are not always blue or violet, but their flowers can sometimes appear as white or pink. Their scent is at its most pungent at dawn and dusk and their hue changes tone with the morning and afternoon sun.

 Please get in touch to book your photoshoot. These are limited due to capturing the best light of the day and when the bluebells are at their best which is a small window of opportunity. This link to the PEOPLE page of the website tells you more.

 I also offer one-to-one photography masterclasses in the woodlands whilst the bluebells are in flower to understand your camera better.

Thanks Stella

Community and Connection - Then and Now

How times have changed in so many ways…

Brothers holding photographs of them taken at 6 months old. See their sisters on the next slide.

Sisters holding photographs of them taken at 6 months old. See their brothers on the previous slide.

Brothers holding photographs of them each at 3 months old.

This young man holding framed photographs taken of him at 3, 6, 9 and 12 months…

and when he was 4 months old…

…and with his dad in the bluebell woodlands at 2 years old

The photograph this couple are holding is of this young lady with her brother when she was a year old. Her brother wasn’t available for the photoshoot so her lovely boyfriend stepped in!

Siblings photographed 18 years ago in the photograph they are holding!

Today, 10th February, marks 26 years since I opened the doors to my shiny new portrait studio on Station Road East, Oxted– SMS Creative Photography – on 10th February 1997.

 A lot has happened and changed since then! Notably, the introduction of digital photography which completely changed the way I worked from 2001onwards! And since August 2019 the studio is no longer on the high street, having made the decision to work remotely nearby. SMS Creative Photography is now called Stella  – Premium Photography, Beautifully Presented.

Before 2001 it was a roll of film loaded in my 35mm Nikon with just 36 exposures. It would take a week or so to get the film back from processing. Black and white printing was very popular back then, especially when photographing babies & children. I used to offer a four part photo-shoot called ‘Baby Steps’ where I photographed babies at 3, 6 and 9 months and on their first birthday. This was very successful and most of these babies are fully-fledged adults now.

The one constant throughout my 26 years in Oxted is my amazing customers who without I would no longer be in business doing what I love – thank you very much!

This brings me to a collaborative project I am taking part in – organised by the female part of the Association of Photographers – the F22 group. The project is called COMMUNITY and CONNECTION  – for each member taking part to interpret the brief as we wish.

For me it was obvious to call back a handful of babies from the early days to photograph them holding their baby photos I took to show the passing of time. To me, this symbolises Community and Connection and how important printed photographs are.

It’s a curated online exhibition to celebrate International Women’s Day on March the 8th 2023. With the possibility of physical exhibitions, artists’ talks discussing their approach to the brief and future collaborations are in store.

I’d like to share with you the photographs I took. It was so lovely to reconnect with the families and to hear what they are up to. They all said they enjoyed taking part in the project and were proud to hold up how they once looked and to be photographed by me.

 Please feel free to get in touch if you have a project in mind – 0777 181 0105, be great to hear from you.

Thanks Stella

 #aopF22community

Collaboration with Casmin Group - Luxury Bespoke Automotive Manufacturing

Barnett, Nick and Ian from Casmin Group

During this week I have been working with Ian Smith, Nick Campolucci and Barnett Fletcher creating images for the launch of their new business and website Casmin Group. Enabling luxury and bespoke manufacturing of automobiles and motorbikes to be matched with discerning clients, giving a personal service from start to finish.

This collaboration stems from our mutual passion for beautiful cars and motorcycles. It’s exciting times as I get to be in the front seat to witness the manufacture of bespoke one-off vehicles, visually capturing the process from concept to manufacture to delivery – to create provenance within tailor-made coffee table books.

Ian said “this is an excellent addition to our portfolio of luxury lifestyle services that we offer our customers. Stella’s service helps us deliver a tailored and personal service from start to finish. Choosing and managing the purchase of a customer’s next vehicle is only the beginning of what we believe should be a long and rewarding relationship. Over the years we have been very impressed with the quality of Stella’s work and believe this is a perfect fit with the services and philosophy available at Casmin Group.”

1966 Jaguar Series 1 E Type Fixed Head Coupe

It was a cold January morning on the Thames but that didn’t deter us from a photoshoot of the three founders together with a stunning 1966 Jaguar Series 1 E Type Fixed Head Coupe that has been in Ian’s family since new – a perfect addition to the shoot! Thanks to the duck’s geese and swans for arriving right on cue!

You can find out more about Casmin Group here as they begin their launch.

CHRISTMAS GIFT INSPIRATION FOR LOVED ONES

LIMITED EDITION PHOTOGRAPHS

ONCE THEY’RE GONE THEY’RE GONE!

From the exhibition ‘A Drive down Memory Lane’ it’s time to buy one or two…

If you're looking for some Christmas gift inspiration for the automotive lover in your life, this is for you!

Brighten up your walls with Artist's Proofs from my exhibition 'A Drive Down Memory Lane' – reduced to less than half price. They come framed and finished with Art glass and printed on fine art paper. From a Harley Davidson to a Ferrari F40 and more…

You’ll have to hurry, once they're gone they're gone for good!
See HERE to find out more and start shopping in time for Christmas!

GIFT VOUCHERS

PHOTOGRAPHY MASTERCLASSES

ENJOY TAKING CONTROL OF YOUR CAMERA

Learn to use your DSLR camera in manual mode so you can be in control of photographs to be proud of!

Share some love this Christmas Time

For the budding photographer in your life, give them a gift voucher for a one-to-one class with me so they can understand their camera better to achieve results to be proud of.

Find out more HERE.

PHOTOSHOOTS

PEOPLE  – IDENTITY – LIFESTYLE

PHOTOSHOOTS

to enjoy in the new year, for family fun, a special occasion a landmark birthday, a collection of classic and supercars or wherever your imagination takes you.

For loved ones to choose how they would like to use their photoshoot for, people, identity, and lifestyle.

Find out more HERE

If you would prefer to call you can reach me HERE.

Thanks Stella

Women Drive Electric - The Ford Mustang Mach-E

 ‘Women and Cars’

The Ford Mustang Mach-E

Back in the day the automobile was a revolution, a carriage on four wheels. Little has changed, or has it?

A 1904 Columbia 2 Cylinder 14 HP at the London to Brighton Veteran Car Run.

 Cars have evolved in so many different ways that are significant to current trends and demands.

 But one thing that really hasn’t changed all that much is the way cars are sold in the media and who the manufacturers are trying to appeal to, and that is predominantly to men!

 It wasn’t that long ago that scantily clad young women were draped across cars in adverts and dealerships to lure men to part with their hard-earned cash.

 Well, times have changed big time! And we women want to be included and directly spoken to about the performance and practicality of the vehicle – this includes on the forecourt and in the media, to close the gender gap inequality for good.

 Don’t get me wrong, we know the words torque and horsepower, but the language we women use is far more expressive and emotional when we describe our cars and driving experiences. We are passionate about Carbon Footprint, Sustainability and Supply Chain – words that belong in the 21st century. I doubt this was ever considered in the early days. But now we have to stand up and listen to our overheated planet and protect it for future generations.

Did you know:

• 41% of all privately owned cars were owned by women at the end of 2020 (17% increase in 10 years vs 9% increase for men)

• 19 million women hold a driving licence in the UK

• Women would rather shop for a car online because they feel dealership environments are uninviting and masculine.

• 1 in 5 haven’t even looked into electric cars and 1 in 4 think they are much too expensive to run and 2 in 3 don’t know about government grants.

 Last year, the Government announced that the sale of exclusively petrol and diesel cars will be banned by 2040

 I recently had the pleasure of test driving a Ford Mustang Mach-E with a group of like-minded women with Ford and Erin Baker – an award-winning Motoring Journalist. I have always loved Mustangs – for their power and design prowess.

Erin Baker an award-winning Motoring Journalist during our creative content class.

This is what I discovered about the Ford Mustnag Mach-E.

•  Stylish, spacious and comfortable interior

• Standard 15.5 portrait-style touchscreen

Easy to use and comprehensive touch screen.

• Heated front seats

• Smartphone charging pad

• Front and rear parking sensors and 360 parking camera

• Between 248 and 379 miles of range

• SUV with instant acceleration

• No congestion charge

• Handy App to access info within the car and to lock and turn on heated seats remotely and more

 Starting at £42,500 it has captured my attention (and heart) – so much so I didn’t want to return it.

Grid Serve. Braintree, Essex. Super-fast, reliable charging for up to 36 cars at the same ti

We visited the Grid Serve Electric Forecourt in Braintree, Essex where there were multiple charging points and shopping experiences. Currently, electricity can be bought for 40p/kiloWattHour making £35 for 370 miles of range on the biggest battery, taking in the region of one hour to charge.

 This sounds like simplicity on wheels, and I like the sound of that.

 Over my past 4.5 decades as a passionate car owner and automotive photographer, I’d like to pitch to car brands to connect more with women.

 As they say I’m your (wo)man.

In the driving seat of the Mustang Mach-E. A spacious and comfortable interior with a glass panoramic roof adds depth and light.

Recharge at Grid Serve can take as little as ten minutes for a top-up or one hours for a full charge.

Women Drive Electric - Our group of writers and presenters – to create content to appeal to a wider female audience to educate them more about the world of cars and the evolution of electric cars.

Thanks very much

Stella

Introducing Our Automotive Photography Online Shop

After many weeks of choosing and sorting which images to include it gives me great pleasure to announce the opening of our online shop where you can buy exclusive photographs of some of the world's finest classic cars, supercars and bikes taken at various locations and commissions over the years.

We're open all hours – ideal for Christmas gifts too!

A5 Greetings Cards for birthdays, anniversaries, hello’s and goodbye’s – you decide!

Open Edition prints from exclusive photo-shoots

Framed and unframed limited editions for something extra special.

Choose from a selection of postcards to send to friends and family or for your own collection.

Simply follow this link to our shop to start buying.

We look forward to welcoming you.

Stella

Original Automotive Father's Day Gifts

It’s time to treat the special man or men in your life – be it your dad, husband, boyfriend, granddad or father figure.

From an exclusive range of photographs of some the world’s finest classic and supercars printed on fine art paper and sized at 16” x 12” image area 12” x 8” – priced at £45 each or £135 ready to hang in a tailor-made frame.

If you would prefer to give him the option to choose his own why not buy a voucher so he can redeem it at his leisure. Simply email us via this link to place your order.

We also have a collection of Limited Editions and Artist Proofs for sale via this link.

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2004 Ferrari Enzo

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2004 Ferrari Enzo

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1991 Ferrari F40

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1955 Chevrolet Bel Air Hood Ornament

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1964 Ford Mustang Convertible

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1955 Chevrolet Bel Air Bumper Reflection of Miami house

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1955 Chevrolet Bel Air Side View

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1955 Chevrolet Bel Air Window Winder

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2012 Ferrari 458 Italia Rear Light

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2006 Ford GT

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2006 Ford GT Inside

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1968 Ford Mustang ‘Bullitt’ with Sheep

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1968 Ford Mustang Exhaust Fumes

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2003 Harley Davidson V-Rod Rear View

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1948 Tucker Torpedo - Rear View

Bonhams London to Brighton Veteran Car Run - 3 November 2019

This year’s Bonhams London to Brighton Veteran Car Run took place on Sunday 3 November 2019. For the fifth year running, I had the pleasure of photographing the arrivals of these veteran cars as they crossed the finishing line on Madeira Drive, Brighton on what proved to be a warm and sunny day.

A little bit of background history to set the scene, the first run was in 1896, and it has taken place most years since its initial revival in 1927. To qualify, the cars must have been built before 1905. It is also the world's largest gathering of veteran cars.

This year at Hyde Park, at precisely 06:56am sunrise, the first of the horseless carriages were flagged away with the earliest of the Victorian vehicles leading the way through Wellington Arch, down Constitution Hill, past Buckingham Palace, Whitehall and Parliament Square and then over Lambeth Bridge. Here the 60-mile route split into two alleviating traffic congestion in South London.

As in recent years, the Bonhams Veteran Car Run provided a fitting finale to the Royal Automobile Club’s busy London Motor Week. The penultimate event in the week was the free-to-view Illinois Route 66 Regent Street Motor Show, on Saturday 2 November, which turned London’s flagship shopping street into a motoring showcase that put the spotlight on veterans and moderns alike and attracted hundreds of thousands of visitors. This was my first time photographing this event, it was interesting to see the lead up to the Sunday Car Run.

All the photographs below have captions on each to tell you more about the two days events.

The Illinois Route 66 - Over one hundred stunning, historic cars were on display within the Bonhams Veteran Car Zone, featuring the Concours d’Elegance, at the Show

These vehicles were all lovingly restored by their owners, many of whom attended in period dress!

A wet day didn’t stop the crowds from coming to visit in admiration.

All the veteran cars were built before 1905.

Winner of ‘Period Motoring Attire’ car number 83, a 1901 Albion went to Mark Farrall and his passenger.

The judges overseas award went to car number 166, a 1903 Oldsmobile, driven by Michael Seidemann.

The Historic Veteran Car Award went to car number 27, an 1899 Daimler, driven by Robert Abrey.

Original and Unrestored Veteran Car Award went to car number 386 an 1899 De Dion Bouton, driven by Dirk Van Praag.

Concours d’Elegance Light Vehicle Award went to car number 1, an 1894 Benz driven by Mr Hermann Layher

The trophy for the Veteran Car Concours d’Elegance Light Vehicle.

Concours d’Equipe award went to the vehicle, driver & passengers who wore the appropriate period dress that, in the view of the judges symbolises the veteran era. Went to car number 124, a 1902 Peugeot, driven by Mark Sabbe.

Concours d’Elegance Overall Winner went to car number 381, a 1904 Mercedes, driven by Albert Eberhard, shown here with broadcaster Alan Titchmarsh.

The Spectators Special Award, as voted by the public for their favourite Veteran of the day. Winner car number 124, a 1902 Peugeot driven by Mark Sabbe seen here with his wife.

Over 100 veteran cars were displayed ahead of the Car Run from Hyde Park to Maderia Drive, Brighton the next day for the Bonhams London to Brighton Veteran Car Run on Sunday 3 November.

Over one hundred stunning veteran cars were on display within the Bonhams Veteran Car Zone at the Illinois Route 66, Regent Street Motor Show, featuring the Concours d’Elegance. The cars were judged by a panel of experts and several awards were given out at the Show. A showcase of 125 years of motoring including veteran, vintage, classic, and modern-day cars.

First to cross the finishing line Andreas Melkus for the third year running in his 1902 Oldsmobile.

Car number 15 an 1898 Daley driven by Keith Pearson

Motorcycle A a 1903 Dreadnought ridden by Jonathan Hill.

Car 226 a 1903 Renault driven by Shane Houlihan.

Car 051 a 1900 Darracq, driven by Tim Summers.

Car 348 a 1904 Gladiator driven by Adam Fergusson and car 256 a 1904 De Dion Bouton driven by Mark Green.

Car 200 a 1903c Cadillac driven by Richard Skipworth and car 298 a 1904 De Dion Bouton driven by Andrew North.

Car 219 a 1903 Darracq driven by Peter Boulding.

Car 180 a 1903 Cadillac, rear entrance tonneau driven by Michael Kadoorie.

Car 132 a 1902 Panhard et Levassor, rear entrance tonneau, driven by Charles Clark.

Car 176 a 1903 De Dion Bouton driven by Thomas Morgan.

In total, nearly ninety percent of the 400 plus starters made it to Brighton before the 4.30pm deadline to claim a coveted finishers’ medal.

First back was car number 95, a 1902 Oldsmobile, driven by Andreas Melkus who crossed the finishing line at 10.08am. Andreas has been the first to cross the finishing line for the past three years, well done to him and his Oldsmobile!

While the Run is famously not a race, the popular A. Lange & Söhne Regularity Time Trial provided a competitive element. More than 230 entrants elected to take part in the Trial by attempting to keep to a strict average speed for the stretch between Crawley and Burgess Hill. The winner was Paul Emile Bessade a 1904 Darracq who covered the 13 miles at an average speed of 10.1mph compared to his 10mph target.

Car 125 a 1902 Darracq driven by Allan White.

Car 78 a 1901 Darracq driven by Paul Hoskins.

Car 149 a 1902 De Dietrich, rear entrance tonneau driven by F Van Haren.

Car 231 a 1903 Berliet, closed swing-seat tonneau, driven by John Bentley.

Tricycle number 9 an 1898 Margot Gardon, ridden by John Wilton.

Car number 82 a 1901 Renault driven by Ron Walker.

Motorcycle letter C a 1904 Kerry ridden by Alan Williams.

Car 139 a 1902 Panhard et Levassor driven by Thomas Hill.

In total, 120 different marques ranging from Adler (built in Frankfurt, Germany) to Yale (from Toledo in Ohio, US) were represented on this year’s Run – some, like Cadillac, Renault, Vauxhall and Mercedes, still well-known today, but the vast majority long since forgotten. Many cars and crews sported moustaches in support of Movember, the event’s official Charity Partner.

The veteran car drivers and passengers enjoyed an unseasonably mild day, it was especially warm at the finishing line - Madeira Drive, Brighton.

Half of the participants followed the traditional A23 route via Kennington, Brixton and Streatham Common; the other half journeyed via Vauxhall, Clapham Common and Tooting. The two routes then merged on the A236 just north of Croydon with the entire cavalcade reunited as it headed to the spectator-friendly halfway point in Crawley High Street, the South Downs and eventually the Madeira Drive seafront in Brighton.

To see a copy of the route please click here

As the sun began to set the last of the cars arrived at Madeira Drive.

Well, that concludes a warm Sunday on Madeira Drive, always a pleasure to photograph this event. It’s a huge contrast to the Formula One & Two events I have photographed over the past two years, it just shows how far the automobile has come!

It’s always interesting to hear the stories from the drivers and passengers as they stop at the finishing line to say a few words about their journey and the history of their vehicle and personal experiences. Some of the participants told the story about how they have been taking part in the race for the past 50 years, first as babes in arms with grandparents, to eventually sitting in the coveted driver’s seat, a true family tradition.

Thanks for reading.

Stella

British Grand Prix 2019 - Formula Two - Chasing the Dream

This year at the British Grand Prix I had the pleasure of photographing the stills during the making of a four part documentary about the young and aspiring Formula 2 drivers called ‘Chasing the Dream’ due to air at the end of August on F1TV, it will then be available on other platforms which are to be confirmed.

The idea for the documentary is the brainchild of Martin Turner, former head of F1 Sky Sports and Sky Europe - keen to tell the story about the often forgotten Formula 2 championship and the journey the young drivers take to realise their dreams to become Formula 1 racing drivers and world champions - working with Rory Child from Golden Child TV, Martin is making this a reality.

I took part at Silverstone on the two pre-race days, the Thursday and Friday and the qualifying day the Saturday, photographing the 20 young drivers, behind the scenes, during their studio interviews, the track parade, races, press conferences, press interviews and on the podium. I’m sharing with you a few of the photographs I took during this time just to whet your appetite before you watch the programs.

The documentary also features action from the first three F2 racing weekends in Bahrain, Baku and Barcelona. Part one introduces us to these aspiring F1 drivers, with unique access behind the scenes of the most competitive and cutthroat racing in the world. With contributions from Ross Brawn, Formula 1 Managing Director of Motorsports and Rob Smedley technical consultant for Formula 1.

Current drivers who have made the transition from Formula 2 to Formula 1 are George Russell the reigning FIA Formula 2 champion, Charles Leclerc FIA Formula 2 Championship in 2017 and Lando Norris FIA Formula 2 Vice-Champion 2018.

Formula 2 has 10 teams each with two aspiring F1 drivers.

The team names, driver names and car numbers are shown below, there is not a number 13 as this is deemed an unlucky number, It was used in the early years of the sport but in the 1920s it was dropped after the Delage factory team suffered two fatal accidents with the number in the course of just a few months.

Carlin - Louis Delétraz #1 and Nobuharu Matsushitsa #2

Louis Delétraz

Nobuharu Matsushitsa

Art Grand Prix - Nikita Mazepin #3 and Nyck De Vries #4

Nikita Mazepin

Nyck De Vries

Dams - Sérgio Sette Cåmara #5 and Nicholas Latifi #6

Sérgio Sette Cåmara

Nicholas Latifi

Uni-Virtuosi Racing - Guanyu Zhou #7 and Luca Ghiotto #8

Guanyu Zhou

Luca Ghiotto

Prema Racing - Mick Schumacher #9 and Sean Galael #10

Mick Schumacher

Sean Galael

Sauber Junior Team by Charouz - Calum Illot #11 and Juan Manuel Carrea #12

Calum Illot

Juan Manuel Carrea

Campus Racing - Arjun Maini #14 and Jack Aitken #15

Arjun Maini

Jack Aitken

MP Motorsport - Jordan King #16 and Mahaveer Raghunathan #17

Jordan King

Mahaveer Raghunathan

BWT Arden - Tatiana Calderón #18 and Anthoine Hubert #19

Tatiana Calderón

Anthoine Hubert

Trident - Giuliano Alessi #20 and Dorian Boccolacci #21

Giuliano Alessi

Dorian Boccolacci

F2 cars are backed by a 500 horsepower engine, which is about half that of a Formula 1 vehicle. Formula 2 vehicles sport an rpm of 10,000rpm while F1 cars hit up to 18,000 rpm.

This gives you a small introduction into the world of Formula 2, the documentary ‘Chasing the Dream’ will tell you a whole lot more. I will be posting updates about the documentary on social media, please feel free to follow me on Instagram @stellascordellis and @stellasms.

A little piece of extra information, I’ll be using the images from this commission as part of a presentation I’ll be giving onboard luxury liners as I take on another role as a cruise ship speaker to educate and entertain passengers about the fascinating worlds my work takes me to. The F2 talk will sit very nicely alongside my talk about F1 featuring photographs from the British Grand Prix 2018.

If you happen to be cruising with Cunard, Fred.Olsen, P & O, Royal Caribbean, Marella or Viking check your speaker program and if you see me listed come and enjoy one of my presentations, I’d love to see you!

Thanks for reading, bye for now…

Stella

Stella Scordellis and The Classic Motor Hub Italian Event 2019

On Sunday 5th May I had the pleasure of showcasing my photography at The Classic Motor Hub in Bibury, Gloucestershire as part of their Coffee & Classics Italian event which attracted a huge crowd of marvellous guests and their wonderful Italian Classics.

It was great to be amongst some of the finest Italian cars and motorcycles, from Ferrari to Ducatti and Lamborghini to Lambretta and so much more!

Whilst I wasn’t behind my ‘desk’ discussing potential commissions, I took a brief few moments to grab my camera to capture the essence of the event to give you a flavour of the occasion.

The cars and bikes arrived in quick succession with a live band adding to the Italian atmosphere and many familiar faces who frequent these occasions and new ones too, eager to see what the Hub has to offer and to share their love of cars.

It was good to speak to the drivers and their passengers to hear a little bit more about their cars and the history behind them, they each had an interesting story to tell.

Scroll on down to soak up the atmosphere…

You really have to see the showrooms for yourselves because this is not like any other showroom I have encountered, The Classic Motor Hub sits in a five-acre former RAF site dedicated to classic motor sales and events, it is a haven of mixed delights in a friendly and relaxed atmosphere which resembles a museum, a museum where you can buy the ‘goods’ is a match made in heaven.

The team at the Hub certainly know how to put on events, they take place the first Sunday of the month between April and October from 10am - 1pm with a different theme each time.

The Classic Motor Hub is open Tuesday to Friday 10am -5pm and Saturday 9am-3pm.

I’ll be back there again on Sunday 2nd June for their next event and to sell my limited edition framed photographs and to discuss any commissions you have in mind.

A few cars from other parts of Europe were included to add to the mix too, the Citroën is from 1948!

That’s it for now, I’ll be back again soon with other updates about my work, in the meantime if you are interested in taking one of your cars or bikes to the next event on Sunday 2nd June, follow this link to find out more.

Thanks for reading, bye for now…

Stella

The Classic Motor Hub - Coffee & Classics - Italian Event 5 May 2019

On Sunday 5th May between 10am and 1pm The Classic Motor Hub in Bibury, Gloucestershire will be hosting another of their much loved Coffee & Classics events.

This time they are holding a particularly special Italian edition for anyone with an Italian classic or vintage, modern performance car, super car, or motorcycle.

The event promises to offer a little bit of Italian elegance with a live Jazz Band and food with a Mediterranean influence and much more going on too, adding to what is always a fun and exciting three hours on a Sunday!

If you haven’t visited The Classic Motor Hub before you are in for a real treat, you can check-out the award winning showrooms, see the on-site private collection and browse their shop.

On this particular occasion I’ll be there showcasing my collection of limited edition photographs of a few Italian favourites and will be available to discuss an exclusive photo-shoot of one of your cars or motorcycles in a location meaningful to you.

To come along you will however need to register your Italian car or motorcycle, but you can rest assured you will be in fine company of many other classic and modern Italian cars and motorcycles, but don’t leave it too long as spaces in their parking area fill up fast!

You can register via this link to their website.

I look forward to meeting you!

Stella

Showcasing 'Stella' Lifestyle Photography for 2019

Happy New Year, I hope the Christmas break was a good one and you are now well and truly settled in 2019 with plans and goals in place for a successful year.

This is a blog I have been meaning to write for a while but didn’t quite find the right time, it’s about my marketing book that I produced last summer, that has proved to be a vital tool to showcase my photography and all that I can offer my discerning customers.

The book, printed in the UK, features automotive events, commissions and photographs from private classic and supercar collections over the years - it turned out to be a lengthy process, selecting the images, and working with the printers, designer and copywriter to get the best results as quality and the fine details are so important to me.

This book is unlike others that I have encountered, it is printed both sides on photographic paper, I chose to go for a lustre finish and even more different is the way the pages meet in the middle to lay flat, it’s pretty unique because it uses a transparent plastic ‘clip’ so the registration of the two pages align perfectly side by side, which is impressive.

The size of each page is A3 so when it’s fully open it certainly does have the wow factor. Working with a designer meant I could think about how best to show each page spread and the power of visual imagery to promote my craft at it’s very best and the service I can offer you, the customer.

To add the finishing touches my words were used to tell the story of each event, including commissions from Silverstone Classic, Salon Privé and the Goodwood Revival.

If you have an up and coming project in the pipeline or are looking for a photographer with over 30 years experience working with people, cars and places to create new and exciting imagery for you personally, your company or a brand you represent then please do get in touch. I would love the opportunity to introduce myself, discuss your ideas and present the book in person, either at your place of work or my Surrey based studio.

Thank you

Stella

The Classic Motor Hub Coffee & Classics Day

On Sunday 7 October I was invited by The Classic Motor Hub in Bibury, Gloucestershire to be a part of their final Coffee & Classics event of the year, and what a fabulous event it was! With over 250 vehicles and over 500 visitors arriving in their pride and joy to share and display with other collectors and enthusiasts.

The Classic Motor Hub is more than just a showroom, it’s a classic motorist’s dream. Based at the site of the historic RAF Bibury, The Classic Motor Hub has something for everyone, set in a five-acre site dedicated to classic motoring sales, events, classic cars & bikes, modern performance machines and all manner of automotive ephemera on offer.

I arrived at 8am to display a selection of limited edition photographs from my exhibition called ‘A Drive Down Memory Lane’ in one of the showrooms. I was in good company amongst some very prestigious cars including - a silver Ferrari 275GT convertible, a Mercedes CLS AMG in satin silver and a beautiful 1937 Delage D8 120 cabriolet which won “Most Opulent” at Salon Privé on 30 August and quite righty so.

Right on cue the first of the cars arrived at 10am with a steady flow arriving soon after, it was a lovely sunny morning with a nip in the air and the smell of fresh coffee and sizzling bacon, an ideal welcome.

I can see why the event was fully booked, these events are proving to be very popular, not only is there the opportunity to see other cars and bikes, it’s a chance to mingle and explore the showrooms, to shop and to tuck into a bacon roll and enjoy a cup of coffee from the barista. With the choice to purchase other goods and services from local vendors.

I enjoyed meeting many new faces and hearing about their love of cars and to have been given the opportunity to showcase my photography of other collectors cars and to gain new commissions in a fitting setting.

The next Coffee & Classics events is on New Year’s Day 2019 with other dates soon to be published, to find out more about The Classic Motor Hub just click on the link.

To take a peek at others photographs taken at the event click here.

Thanks

Stella

The Classic Motor Hub - ‘Stella’ Photography Exhibition on Sunday 7 October 2018

I have some exciting news to share with you, on Sunday October 7th I have been invited to showcase my automotive exhibition of limited edition photographs called ‘A Drive Down Memory Lane’ at The Classic Motor Hub in Bibury, Gloucestershire as part of their Coffee & Classics event, from 10am - 1pm.

Some of you may remember this exhibition from the inaugural event at Chartwell in Westerham in October 2014. Since then it has featured at many events including the Royal Automobile Club, Pall Mall, in Mayfair and at an exclusive day at Bremont in South Audley Street, Mayfair. Since then there have been additions to the collection with further exclusive photographs included, each photograph is limited to editions of 25.

There will be an opportunity for all visitors to enter a competition to win one of the limited edition framed photographs, by identifying a key element of different prestigious cars.

The Classic Motor Hub is more than just a show room and has something for everyone in a five-acre site dedicated to classic motoring, including events, classic cars & bikes, modern performance machines and all manner of automotive ephemera.

I hope you can make it, it promises to be a fabulous event with visitors arriving in their classic cars & bikes to mingle and enjoy the atmosphere and to visit the showrooms of wonderful cars where I’ll be waiting to greet you with my exhibition.

Visitors are invited by pre-registration only, I have been advised that capacity is full for vehicles post 1990 and there is limited availability for vehicles pre 1990. Further details to register your attendance can be found here, but please hurry to avoid disappointment!

Stella

Images below supplied courtesy of The Classic Motor Hub, thank you.

Salon Privé 2018

I had the pleasure of photographing this unique, glamorous and relaxed event for the 3rd consecutive year.

Salon Privé is one of the world's major Concours events, closed to the public and limited to just 2,500 guests per day. Presenting the finest collection of supercars, hypercars, classic cars and motorbikes.

This year’s prestigious event marks a particularly special milestone as Salon Privé relocated to the foot of Blenheim Palace to become the first event ever to be located on the Palace’s famous Cricket Pitch. I felt this was the perfect place to position the event with the Palace as the ideal backdrop, it really did feel like a garden party, and it wasn't too far to walk from the car park.

I was commissioned to photograph on Thursday 30th August, the first day of the show when the judging and presenting of the trophies takes place during the Chubb Insurance Concours d'Elegance official parade.

The expert panel of 17 judges was chaired by Derek Bell MBE, and included Ben Barkaway, Matthias Bartz, Keith Bluemel, Henry Cole, Yasmin Le Bon, Louis de Fabribeckers, Marco Makaus, John Mayston-Taylor, Hugo Modderman, Cecelia Muldoon, Steve Parrish, Jeff Smith MBE, Harvey Stanley, Giles Taylor, Marcus Willis and Tony Willis. 

During the course of the morning the judges carefully inspected and spoke to the owners or representatives of each of the 53 cars – 17 of them international entries – plus 20 motorcycles.

The star-studded Concours comprised of three motorcycle and ten car classes, including ‘Preservation at its Best’; ‘Pre-war Bugattis’; ‘Pre-war Luxury Tourers’; ‘Grand Tourers of the 1950s & ’60s’; ‘Wind in Your Hair’; ‘Best of British at Blenheim Palace’; ‘Streamlined Closed Sports Cars’; ’50 Years of the Dino’; ‘Supercars of the ’70s’ and ‘Competition Cars’, all competing for the prestigious Best of Show, Best of Show runner-up and individual Class prizes.

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The photographs I took show the day unfolding, starting with the European Debut of the new Lamborghini Aventador SVJ, with 770 bhp and 720 Nm of torque at 6,750 rpm, the Aventador SVJ is Lamborghini’s most powerful, naturally-aspirated V12 ever produced: SV standing for ‘super veloce’ meaning superfast, and the ‘Jota’ suffice referencing the car’s potency on both track and road. 

This year the weather was wonderfully warm and dry unlike last year when there was a downpour during the parade. 

Before the Chubb Insurance Concours d’Elégance official parade & trophy presentation a wonderful lobster luncheon was served with champagne by this year's official sponsor Pommery. 

The parade was an eclectic mix of automobiles and motorbikes spanning the last century, driven by their proud owners onto the red carpeted stage under a canopy for all the audience to admire. The Master of Ceremonies – the highly knowledgable Max Girardo –  gave a brief history about each one. On hand to present the trophies were His Grace the 12th Duke of Marlborough and Andrew Bagley Salon Privé co-founder.

The day concluded with a quintessentially English afternoon tea and many trophies and rosettes taking pride of place on the winning automobiles and motorbikes.

Last but not least, the camera kit I used comprised of two Nikon D700 bodies, one Nikon D750 body, one Nikon 70-200mm lens, one Nikon 24-120mm lens and one Sigma 15-30mm lens and one Nikon 910 Speedlight, fortunately I wasn't holding all the cameras at the same time! 

To view additional photographs from the day please follow this link to the events section of the website.

Stella

Sergey Sirotkin 'Under the Helmet'

Sergey walks the Silverstone circuit on Thursday morning with his engineers

Sergey and his team-mate Lance go head-to-head on the simulators in the F1 Fan Zone

Sergey meets the fans for an autograph signing session in the Silverstone pitlane

Sergey and his engineers chat in the pitlane

On Thursday 5 and Friday 6 July - the pre-race days at the British Grand Prix, I had the pleasure of photographing Formula One racing driver Sergey Sirotkin, for an exclusive feature about this up and coming Russian 22-year-old from the Williams Martini Racing team.

Before any of this could take place, I had to apply to the FIA to ask for accreditation, the criteria is notoriously strict. I wanted to somehow get behind-the-scenes to photograph the intricate and precise world of Formula One, working with one of the world’s leading Formula One teams, Williams Martini Racing.  

By photographing Sergey, I was aiming to appeal to a younger generation and to gain exposure in the emerging markets, such as Russia, China and the USA.  I pitched the idea of a story called 'Under the Helmet' to various well known glossy magazines in the hope that the feature would appeal to one of them to spread the word, after a lot of time, effort and rejection, a Russian magazine called Rútage London Lifestyle Magazine, replied to my email invitation saying they would love to feature Sergey and had been looking for an opportunity such as this for some time. At last my journey was on the right track.

The photographs above show Sergey 'walking the track' -  a ritual that happens on the Thursday morning before each race, when the driver walks the full length of the track with the engineers so they can get a feel for it, and to discuss any issues they may have. The Silverstone track measures 5.891 km (3.660 miles) and has 18 turns, this took place on the hottest day of the year and proved to be quite a trek, phew! 

The Thursday before the race is also traditionally media day. On this particular Thursday, Sergey took part in pre-arranged interviews including the one for Rútage London Lifestyle Magazine, autograph signings and fan-based interaction fun with his team mate Lance Stroll.

It was an eye opener for me as I didn't quite realise the number of people who were involved in the finest detail of the sport and the intricacies and technology of the cars. It is a physically and mentally challenging sport and the drivers have to be in tip-top condition to compete at this level.

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My accreditation gave me access to the Paddock, I was also welcomed into the Williams motor home to photograph Sergey during interviews and whilst he was relaxing, I got to know the media team and to see just what goes into the pre-race days to make sure the drivers are in top form, physically and mentally for the challenge ahead.

I was also given access to an engineers’ briefing which carries highly confidential information, all the engineers (at least 20) and the drivers sit at desks in front of computer screens with headphones on, due to the sensitivity of the information I was only able to photograph close up of Sergey during the briefing, this takes place in a room above the tyre store, although the engineers are whispering very quietly into their microphones, it is so quiet you can hear a pin drop! I was so grateful for the silent electronic shutter on my Fuji XT-2, any noise or distraction would not have gone down well and I'm sure I would have been asked to leave!

Sergey takes in his surroundings whilst walking the Silverstone circuit

The precise timings and dedication from all involved in the Williams Martini Racing team goes a very long way into developing this engaging, hard-working and most of all focused young man on his journey in Formula One.

I think you’ll find the photographs speak for themselves!

It was a privilege to have been given access to the 2018 British Grand Prix and to see first-hand how much work and money is invested in this wonderful sport. I wish Sergey and the Williams team all the very best for the future.

Before I go, a very big thank you to all at Williams, especially Sophie, Jacques, Emma and Ann for making this possible and for welcoming me into the Williams family.  To Anna at Rútage London Lifestyle Magazine for taking the story and of course to Martin Turner, former SKY Sports F1 chief, for showing me the way, I'm very grateful!

Stella

Silverstone Classic 2018

What an eventful day it proved to be at Silverstone Classic on Saturday 21st July, the morning started at the Media Centre to collect my media pass and Official Photographers bib which gave me access track side. Some very nice Tesla owners gave up their day to drive media people and VIP's to designated points during the event. 

The first 5 races took place at the National Paddock during the morning with the remaining 7races taking place at the International Paddock in the afternoon.

The variety of photographs from the days events show track side activity, World GP Bike Legends before an exciting demonstration. On the podium there was happiness and victory for the likes of Christophe D’Ansembourg, William Nuthall, Jake Hill, Steve Tandy and Nick Padmore amongst others. 

For those of you who are interested in my kit, I used Nikon bodies D750 and D700 with prime lenses 18mm and 50mm and zooms 70-200mm and 24-120mm with a Nikon Speedlight SB-910, I also introduced to the mix a Fuji XT-2 body with a16-55mm lens for when the other bodies became too heavy!

I hope you enjoy the photographs and the story they each tell of an action packed day, scroll down to see the link to further images and the results of the day.

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To view further images of the day please follow this link and to find out the results of the races please click here.

Thanks for reading.

Stella