Life at Shutter Speed, Two Decades of Larry Chen Photography
by Larry Chen
“My number one piece of advice for auto enthusiasts is to get off your comfy sofa and go out and find some cool cars in the wild.”
Anyone reading these words is likely aware of RADwood, drifting, virtually spontaneous pop-up car gatherings, and other of the Gen Z and other youthful car-oriented activities whether or not you personally actively participate in any of them. This book offers you a visual entrée into those worlds as well as some of the more “traditional” motorsporting activities. It is obvious Larry Chen practices what he advises as cited in our opening quote to heart. He enjoys all cars and he particularly enjoys capturing the culture surrounding each and every type of car, venue, and activity.
Proving that interesting cars and in-car activities are everywhere providing opportunities for super picture taking are pages such as these of images from all manner of events and places.
There are some words with both words and photos from just one person, Larry Chen. The entire books is representative of (as the subtitle says) Two Decades of his work. Each of the 20 chapters indicate the year the images in that chapter were shot. They are divided into four sections titled respectively “A People’s Movement,” “Lens on Fire,” “Leap of Faith,” and “Laying Groundwork.” Neither the sections or chapters are in chronological order.
Canon cameras have always been his tool(s) of choice. Over time this earned him recognition from the factory. And not merely recognition but opportunity too. As an example, that “Groundbreaking Moment in Drifting History” Chen shot with an EOS R1 that was so new it had yet to be publicly introduced or available. Canon required a factory representative tag along with Chen “to make sure the camera didn’t get leaked.”
Drifting competition in the Appalachians—Chen titles this montage “Groundbreaking Moment in Drifting History.”
A few years on, Canon again tapped Chen to help launch another new camera, the EOS R3 mirrorless camera. Of it Chen writes “it brought a ton of technological advances … and took my car photography to another level. … Switching to mirrorless completely changed the way I shoot. … It’s as big of an improvement and change as it was going from film to digital.”
Driver Travis Pastrana did not land in the drink. He made it successfully to the other side. The feat does make a dramatic photo.
Larry Chen’s 20-year retrospective on his career experiencing and recording photographically myriad aspects of auto enthusiasts and their varied cultures—in his own early years as an amateur—whose talents were recognized early on thus enabling him to turn professional is impressive to say the least. In no particular order he’s covered NHRA, X Games, Bonneville Speed Week, drag racing, events at the now closed (and missed) Irwindale (California) track, car events and people in Tokyo, Hong Kong and other Asian places and Dubai, hot rods, Goodwood, lead sleds, Las Vegas, Pikes Peak, Route 66, Baja, Moab, NASCAR, IMSA, F1, the 24 Hours of Le Mans and more.
The header on the caption “Before Media Passes” is proof that neat images can be captured by paying attention. These of the 2005 Long Beach Grand Prix were shot from the top of a parking structure outside the course.
Yet, I would respectively submit that so far he’s missed (or if he has explored those are missing from photographic representation in this book) an aspect of the hobby/culture perhaps best represented by events such as the Fall Hershey Swap Meet and car show as well as concours such as Amelia Island or the Greenwich Concours and other old collector car tours, meets, gatherings, events, and swap meets.
Far left Rob Fuller of Z Car Garage, on right John Morton. These and images on facing page captured in New York’s Times Square as Chen was hired by Nissan to photograph the introduction of its newest Z car.
Chen’s publisher, Carrara Media, correctly observed in its promotional material announcing the book, “Life At Shutter Speed serves as both a time-traveling gallery of car culture and the triumphant portfolio of a career—so far—‘cause he’s not done yet !!” And, guaranteed, your time will pass quickly as you explore those nearly 3,000 images Larry Chen has selected to share with you on the pages of this, his first—but hopefully not last—book.
There are 46 individual images on these two pages. Page pairs like these are interesting to study and also how Chen achieves a grand total of over 2,700 of his images on his book’s pages.
Copyright 2026 Helen V Hutchings (speedreaders.info)
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