The London to Brighton Veteran Car Run 2024: A Photographer’s View
The London to Brighton Veteran Car Run is the longest-running motoring event in the world, held nearly every year on the first Sunday in November. This was our third time photographing it, and after a few experiences with those early November mornings—often damp and dim—we’ve learned a thing or two.
About eight years ago, Fran and I tried photographing the cars and drivers at the starting line in Hyde Park. While it was exciting to see the participants up close, I quickly found the scene a bit chaotic, with all the high-visibility jackets, security fencing, and endless selfie sticks. It was hard to capture the vintage feel with all the distractions. I learned a lot that first time and thought, “If I come back to shoot this again, I’ll definitely pick a better spot.”
In 2021, we found ourselves in London the same weekend as the Run, so I pulled out the route map to scout a new location. I landed on Constitution Hill—it seemed like a solid choice, with a clear view and fewer obstacles. While it was better than Hyde Park, Constitution Hill isn’t as open as The Mall, so the light wasn’t ideal when the first cars started rolling through. Still, the experience taught me more about what worked and what didn’t, which only motivated me to give it another go.
That led us to 2024. This time, I got a bit more strategic and took to Google Earth, “walking” along The Mall to scout good spots. I placed the little man on the map and “scrolled” back and forth, searching for places with the best vantage points—more on that in a bit!
Overcoming Photographic Challenges
Since the London to Brighton Veteran Car Run kicks off in November at 7 a.m., lighting is far from ideal. Add the possibility of drizzle or even a downpour, and conditions can be challenging. I knew a fast lens would make life easier, and I decided on a Sony 135mm G Master prime lens, shooting at f/2 with a shutter speed of 1/500 and ISO 400. Having a bit of fill flash would help add depth to the images, but the logistics of hauling lighting gear around London made me think twice about setup.
Thanks to Google Earth, I found potential spots where I could place a light stand without too much hassle. I’d tried Magmod Magbeams before and found that the second setting gave a nice balance for lighting the moving cars. Paired with a Godox AD100, I thought it could work—just enough fill flash to bring out details without overpowering the scene.
We arrived at The Mall a little later than I’d hoped, and the first wave of cars was already passing by. After a quick setup, I started experimenting with flash angles and positions, and I finally found a spot that worked. Early on, mixing flash with ambient light was tricky. The ambient was still low, so slower shutter speeds risked blurring, and higher ISO would introduce too much noise. But as the morning light gradually improved, blending flash and natural light became easier.
All in all, it was another learning experience—and a rewarding one at that! I also enjoy using small ultra portable strobes to light subjects and experimenting to see what can be created. Here are some images I captured along The Mall, using a Godox AD100 with a Magmod Magbeam on a Phottix Padat light stand.
