In his preface to Günther Raupp’s new work “The Ferrari Book,” Ferrari Vice Chairman Piero Ferrari wrote, “Over and over again, Raupp successfully conveys the exact essence that makes a Ferrari what it is: pure emotion.” Few would argue with that assessment.
Raupp makes his home in a centuries-old renovated German winery in Murr, northeast of Stuttgart. He is widely regarded as among the top automotive photographers in Europe and the United States, having produced commercial photography for just about every manufacturer you can name.
He studied painting and art history at the State Academy of Art in Stuttgart but became fascinated with photography. As a young man, he produced a video about Venice that garnered critical and public acclaim and put him on the map as an artist with a unique eye. This led to commercial work for automakers that took him around the world. Along the way, he has developed proprietary techniques and equipment that makes his work stand tall in a crowded and competitive field.
“Mine is a completely different style to shooting cars,” Raupp says. “It’s an artistic, painterly approach.”
Fascinated by Ferraris early in life, the photographer fulfilled his dream by purchasing a 1972 Dino 246 GTS. In 1985, Raupp published a calendar featuring Ferraris on his own. With the chutzpah of youth, he sent a copy to Enzo Ferrari himself. The legendary automotive pioneer was so impressed with his techniques that Raupp became the exclusive producer of the official Ferrari calendar soon after.
The photographs in “The Ferrari Book” are chosen from those 30 years of calendars. Raupp has complete autonomy over the vehicles featured each year, and he says that those chosen are split roughly 50/50 between historic and new Ferraris. Incidentally, his own Dino has been featured seven times over the years.
Select photos from those calendars will be featured at the Center for Photographic Art in the Sunset Center in Carmel to celebrate Car Week.
“Ferrari Through the Eyes of Günther Raupp” will be on display August 9-25, 2019. A free public reception will be held at the Center Saturday, August 10 from 5:00-7:00 pm. Raupp will be on hand to sign the books, calendars and prints offered for sale.
For more information visit raupp.com and photography.org.