- Automotive influencer Larry Chen is one of the hardest-working photographers in the business. Now you can get his lens trained on your own car.
- A partnership between Bring a Trailer and Pennzoil is auctioning off a full photo-shoot day with Chen, with all the proceeds going to the 43 Institute charity.
- The 43 Institute is Ken Block’s charity, and this collaboration is also a way for Chen to give back to his late friend. The online auction ends Friday, November 17.
Larry Chen is among the most influential automotive photographers in the business. Born in Santa Monica, California, he grew up surrounded by car culture and worked his way into the business through sheer persistence, self-taught behind the lens. He’s covered everything from Formula Drift to the wildest SEMA builds to the action at Pikes Peak. Now you can bid for the chance for him to capture your own car—and it’s all for a charitable cause.
In partnership with Pennzoil, Bring a Trailer (which, like Car and Driver, is part of Hearst Autos) is auctioning off a private photo-shoot session with Chen, with all proceeds going to the late Ken Block’s 43 Institute.
The 43 Institute, named for the race number Block competed under in his rally racing exploits, does everything from providing mentorship and scholarships for young athletes to donating helmets for after-school programs. It’s a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit, looking to create a pathway for the potential next gymkhana hero who might not have the financial wherewithal otherwise.
Chen captured thousands of images of Ken Block over the course of the latter’s career. Perhaps his most famous shot shows Block in his wildly modified Hoonicorn V2 Mustang, barely maintaining traction as it slews around a totally exposed corner at Pikes Peak. It’s an iconic shot, the kind that Chen has built his reputation on.
The successful winner of the auction will have access to Chen’s camera work for a full day as he captures 50 fully edited digital images and four 24-by-36 signed prints. The parameters are wide open; thanks to Pennzoil’s backing, Chen can meet you anywhere in the United States. Have a collection you want captured? A special car you want immortalized? Great photos of your club track day? Make the winning bid and it’s up to you.
The one caveat is that the shoot is scheduled rain or shine, but then as the official photographer for the often unpredictable Pikes Peak Hill Climb, Chen is no fair-weather photographer. It’s further noted that the photo shoot should be scheduled by March 1, 2024, at the latest and completed before the end of the year.
The entirety of the sale price, including the 5 percent BaT fee, will go directly to the 43 Institute nonprofit. Head on over to Bring a Trailer before the auction ends on Friday, November 17, for your chance to bid on an epic photo shoot for a good cause.
Contributing Editor
Brendan McAleer is a freelance writer and photographer based in North Vancouver, B.C., Canada. He grew up splitting his knuckles on British automobiles, came of age in the golden era of Japanese sport-compact performance, and began writing about cars and people in 2008. His particular interest is the intersection between humanity and machinery, whether it is the racing career of Walter Cronkite or Japanese animator Hayao Miyazaki’s half-century obsession with the Citroën 2CV. He has taught both of his young daughters how to shift a manual transmission and is grateful for the excuse they provide to be perpetually buying Hot Wheels.
Source: Motor - aranddriver.com
