Grand Prix Noire
Thomas schorn
PREVIOUS PAGE: Nürburgring Nordschleife. LEFT: Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi.
As a motorsport enthusiast, Thomas has always been fascinated by racetracks; ‘the aura that emanates from them is simply unique.’ With the Grand Prix Noire series, Thomas set out to create a unique perspective of some of the world’s most famous racetracks. ‘I wanted to create an experience you wouldn’t normally have as a spectator.’
‘When you’re smelling petrol and hear that scream of the engine echo through the track – goose bumps – you know that you’re deeply in love. My first experience of this was a Ferrari 412 T1 at the Grand Prix of Spa Francorchamps in 1994. As a little nine-year-old boy that thing scared the hell out of me, but marked the start of a true and unbroken passion.’
Conversely, shooting images for this series has been more of a meditative experience for Thomas. ‘It's the middle of the night, you're alone, standing in a position that usually only race-drivers experience – silence … that feeling is indescribable. To stand there still smelling the rubber and know that at this spot Senna, Lauda, Schumacher, Hamilton and all the others have written history is just amazing.’
His early obsession with cars was bound to find its way into his profession. Shortly after graduating from photographic studies in 2009, he started shooting advertising campaigns for some of the largest automotive manufacturers in Germany. ‘With the big car brands, you need to have a lot of experience, reputation and skill to be qualified to shoot car commercials.’ After a brief stint shooting still life, Thomas quickly transitioned to working for brands like Porsche, Aston Martin, Volkswagen and Mercedes AMG.
‘Cars have a character and soul; and, depending on the light, environment and perspective, you can shape the image of a car. Bringing that to life through the camera is an aspect of my work that I find fascinating. It’s an irrational love: something you feel but can’t explain.’ Working as an advertising photographer, Thomas travels extensively to shoot campaigns all over the world. Sometimes it’s in close proximity to a racetrack. ‘I will extend my stay in the region beyond the regular campaign by a few days to continue working on the Grand Prix Noire series.’ Given his love and knowledge of motorsport, Thomas is familiar with most tracks and has a good idea on which section and what perspective he wants to capture for the series. But there have been some challenges along the way: ‘The Nürburgring was a difficult one to capture. It was winter at the time, which meant dealing with temperatures of up to minus ten degrees.’ While that may not sound too rough, exposure time for images at the Nürburgring was up to an hour long for each one. ‘It’s in the middle of nowhere and you have no ambient light at all. If you’re lucky, the moon helps out a bit … a tiny bit.’
He confesses that the Grand Prix Noire series may never be complete, ‘there are so many great racetracks around the world that deserve to have their story told.’
You can see more of his work, including the full Grand Prix Noire series, at www.thomasschorn.de
Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Valencia, Spain– Abandoned F1 Circuit