In the case of the Honda FCX Clarity, which is an ecologically conscious vehicle that suffers from a stigma associated with fuel cell-electric vehicles, my goal as art director of a project to showcase the automobile would be to convey the power and capabilities of the Clarity through pictures. To this end, images of the Clarity would have to be convincing of its ability to perform just as well as any conventional automobile, if not outright outperform them. I believe showing the Clarity on rugged roads while driving fast courses would be a good place to start, putting it on level ground with its competition, while making it clear there is an advantage to fuel cell-electric vehicles that gasoline fueled cars sorely lack: the sustainability of a rechargeable vehicle.
My photographer of choice for this goal is Clint Clemens. His work with the Jaguar as seen on his website fits into this line of thinking of “making a case” for the Clarity, while having several objective photographic characteristics that make his images pleasing to the eye. Firstly, Clemens’ use of of directional-diffused light does well in establishing a scene while having all the details of the physical car be clear to the viewers, eliminating bothersome shadows that might otherwise hide features without producing an overly contrasty image, allowing for a full scale range of color. Secondly, in shots where the subject is moving, Clemens’ use of shallow depth of field creates a selective focus that draws the eye to the product, the out of focus and distorted background lending to a sense of power that the car is able to produce and a level of speed it is able to attain.
With these aspects combined, I believe that it would be a great decision to hire Clemens to do the Clarity shoot. His work with the Jaguar has proven that he has an eye for photographing vehicles in a style that flatters them, and flattery is what the Clarity needs to sell units.
