Ah Romeo

I am not good at photographing cars …which is hardly surprising, considering that I don’t like cars. But I make an exception for Alfa Romeo.

Several years after I moved to Ireland, I decided to learn how to drive manual. Since we live rurally, I figured it’s an important skill to have, whether I choose to actually use it or not.

The car I learned on happened to be an Alfa Romeo 156. It re-defined what I thought driving was. And any other car I’ve tried since, has been a let-down in comparison. Which has partly helped me justify refusing to drive cars, despite having learned how to to it.

Four years since my last driving experience, this is an Alfa Romeo 159. It is 15 years old, cost less than my bicycle, and the suspension needs a bit of work. Naturally, I love it.

One of its most striking features is the red leather interior… but the mood did not look right in colour, so I took these in black and white.

Bokeh and sun flare in the same {backlit} shot! I had not realised that could be done. But the Alfa is magical, so I suppose anything is possible.

I have no idea how to photograph cars. Are you meant to take them from the driver’s side, like the ‘drivetrain side’ rule with bicycles? I am probably doing it wrong. But at least I’ll have some photos. I haven’t even a single one as a keepsake of the long-gone 156, which I deeply regret!