I became a JMUAG for the summer!

Summer days are the best days when they are share with good company and cars. This 2011 summer I had just that and more with a good friend, Neng of Jmuag Production(JMP). From the beginning of Modern Automotive Performance (MAP) NOS energy drink Drift Series to the last few days of having a camera in my hands, it was filled with enjoyable times and a good amount of photography. I started this season with very little to no knowledge in the art of photography and had no idea what I wanted out of it, but as the months passed I started enjoying myself capturing photos of these wonderful work of art in action. It was a pleasure to be part with JMP covering these events that goes unheard to the many that only wish they could be there.

The first event of MAP’s Drift series, I went into it not knowing how I was going to capture cars drifting along the banks of Elko Speedway. A few days prior the event JMP took time and told me some of his tricks of the trade to capture the perfect drift picture. With time and patience I slowly understand that it wasn’t just putting the camera in Auto mode and clicking away. I realized that having a “still” photo wasn’t ideal, but to add motion was the best way of capturing these cars in action. It was easy to have the camera set at the fastest shutter speed but to find that medium of showing motion and crispness of the lines of a car was truly an art form that slowly unfolded in front of my eyes. I started seeing pictures in a different light as I got exposed to this new world that I knew very little about.

As the months passed and I started feeling comfortable adjusting all the settings of the camera, I became more efficient. I remember the first time holding onto the camera and thinking to myself why am I doing all this for one picture and now I understood that each picture is different. I would panic and thought it was hopeless, but I knew that I had to get it down to knowing where to adjust each setting to because each one was crucial to each picture. Still slow, but I started trying different things and tried to get my own style to my pictures. I started seeing how every photographer that I saw had a certain uniqueness to their photos from someone favoring HDR to adding a load of saturation into the picture. Whatever you may prefer each photo was unique in it’s own right.

From waking up early and standing around clicking the camera away, I wouldn’t have it any other way of spending my Saturdays. I guess I could, like having tons of girls waiting to pose for a picture and getting tons of friend request on Facebook(Tydus Photog lol), but it was fun being able to take photos of cars in their natural habitat. My favorite event that I attended with JMP has to be for MAP’s Proven Ground at Brainerd International Raceway because I felt at home. This being my 3rd time at Proven Grounds I felt this time was a bit special since I was there with a purpose. I loved taking photos of the many cars from EVOs to a fully dragged out Civic. It was most definitely fun and I had a blast at the track watching cars going down the 1320, drifters/autoxer’s/road racers/bikers attacking corners. If anyone hasn’t heard about MAP’s Proven Ground or been wanting to go but haven’t yet, I suggest you to go next year because if you’re looking for Minnesota’s Fastest imports, that’s where they will be at. Oh…and look for the guy in the purple shoes cause that’s probably JMP in action and remember to pose for the camera.

This summer was truly a good one and it was a pleasure of taking pictures alongside JMP. I learned a lot during this season and looking forward to taking more photos in the future. It was a great experience and I only wish it didn’t have to come to an end. Like most good things it has to come that and just wanted to share some of my experience I had with JMP. It is truly a special “production” that really just contain one guy reaching out to local racers and getting their story out to the people. It’s guys like JMP that makes the local scene bloom into something great instead of having haters and thieves ruining it and preventing it to be something great. We need more coverage of local events to let other racers know that there is a market out to be tapped in your local scene instead of always dreaming heading out to the west or east coast and even over seas. I see the scene here in Minnesota being more professional and soon enough will have our own platform to build upon. With guys like JMP I am sure that the local Minnesota scene will bloom in the next few years. Thanks JMP for the work you do….

_David Vu

Some fotos that David took over the 2011 season: