Elevating Porsche street photography to an art form, with Keith Sheahan
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In bustling Hong Kong, Keith Sheahan finds Porsche cars tucked away in alleyways, stacked in garages or cruising through busy streets – and takes captivating photos of them with his phone
With his automotive street photography, Keith Sheahan captures Porsche cars in the heart of Hong Kong – one of the most vibrant, chaotic and visually compelling regions in the world. From chaotic garages to back street workshops, pristine models parked in front of crumbling colonial facades to spontaneous moments in bustling markets, this Irishman’s images are raw, atmospheric and engaging. We spoke to Keith about his passion for Porsche and how to hunt down the perfect shot in a city that never slows down. By day, Keith Sheahan teaches art at an international school in Hong Kong. In his free time, he’s out on the streets with his iPhone, always on the lookout for the next Porsche moment Photo: Keith Sheahan @1988keithHong Kong is a visually rich city, but what was it that first drew you to street photography, Keith? “I got my first iPhone soon after moving to Hong Kong in 2012 with my wife – who’s from here – and felt that I had to photograph and explore this labyrinth-like urban environment, despite the extreme heat and humidity. Photography soon became my main hobby and it was nice to share the work on Instagram and chat with people who have similar interests. “I worked in the design industry for a while before moving into art education. I’ve been teaching art at an international school for the past nine years. It’s very rewarding.” Keith’s love of cars began in childhood when he helped his father – a mechanic – work on the family car in their driveway Photo: Keith Sheahan @1988keithDid your love for cars come before or after photography, or did the two passions evolve together? “The love of cars definitely came before photography. I’ve been obsessed with cars as far back as I can remember. Growing up, there was always a toy car in my hand or a pencil to draw cars. My late father was a mechanic so I have nice childhood memories of helping him to carry out repairs on the family car in the driveway – but unfortunately I haven’t inherited any of his mechanical aptitude.” How did your passion for Porsche, in particular, begin? “In the early days I was attracted to supercars but then my taste evolved as I began to learn more about design. I became fascinated with the 911 and would read anything I could to find about all of the different generations. I’ve also been following the work of Ted Gushue and his team at Type 7 from the early days. What they do continues to fuel my passion for all things Porsche.In Hong Kong, space is extremely limited and the streets are packed with people, but that contrast makes for incredible compositions, says Keith. You can find a rare Porsche in the most unexpected of places Photo: Keith Sheahan @1988keith“I feel very fortunate to have visited the Porsche Museum in Stuttgart four times, too. I always like to get there as early as possible to grab a few minutes of peace with the cars before the place fills up with visitors.” Hong Kong is a unique setting to photograph a Porsche. What makes the place such an exciting backdrop for your work? “Hong Kong is an amazing place to photograph a Porsche because space is extremely limited and the streets are always packed with people going about their business. There’s also a big wealth gap so you can see rare and expensive models in the most unlikely places. A pristine 911 parked in front of a dilapidated building is the sort of authentic Hong Kong scene I love to capture.” What’s the most unusual or surprising Porsche scene you’ve ever come across? “Once, I found a dusty 964 in Oak Green Metallic parked in front of an old pink and grey building in the Wan Chai district. The car was half covered with a flimsy blue plastic sheet and it was a windy day so the billowing sheet made the whole scene reminiscent of some sort of marble sculpture art installation.” A 964 in Oak Green, barely trying to hide under a dust sheet, parked on the street. A rare car but an everyday scene in Hong Kong Photo: Keith Sheahan @1988keithIs there a particular Porsche model that you love photographing the most? “I love photographing the 964 and 993 models because there were lots of unusual colours and interiors in that era. Most of the ones I find seem be used properly as daily drivers so they’ve got character and patina.” What’s your approach when spotting and composing a Porsche shot in urban settings? “I’m always on the lookout for Porsche cars. I only shoot on an iPhone, rather than a camera, which allows me to capture a car very quickly as it passes by. Sometimes I’m fortunate enough to find a Porsche parked in a particularly interesting location. On those occasions, I’ll take my time and photograph it from several angles. “Often, there’s a lot of luck involved, but when I see something of interest to photograph then I’m locked in and in the zone. Every second is precious when I’m trying to capture a decisive moment because Hong Kong’s streets are so densely populated. Keith loves the timeless usability of the 911, whatever the generation, with so many still being daily driven – like this 911 R (type 991), one of just 991 units made Photo: Keith Sheahan @1988keith“I do all of my editing using the standard iPhone photo app. I’m proud that my work is authentic and spontaneous. There are some old neighbourhoods I like to stroll around because they’re filled with tiny independent garages. I want to capture these unique areas before they become gentrified. “It’s very important to me that the photographs I take appeal to a wide audience. They have to be interesting enough to be appreciated by both car people and non-car people alike.” Do you have a favourite Porsche photo you’ve taken? “It’s hard to choose just one, but I would say the 993 I shot passing through a street market in Mong Kok [see white 993 in the image at top of the page] is in my top five. I had to move very fast to capture that scene and it turned out to be a beautiful composition. I won the phone photography category at the 2020 International Automotive Photography Awards for that one. A few months later the owner reached out to me via DM asking to buy a print and we met for coffee, so that was a nice experience.” Keith’s passion for photographing his favourite car brand has even led to him writing and illustrating a children’s book featuring Porsche cars Photo: Keith Sheahan @1988keithYou’ve also written and illustrated a children’s book featuring Porsche cars. What led you to that? “I’m a creative person so I need to create in order to be happy. Photography, drawing, design and writing are things I’ve enjoyed doing from a very young age. My late mother was always encouraging me to write and illustrate a book – so I finally got it done. “I started working on Ted’s Taxi way back in 2015. Ted was inspired by a greyhound my late grandparents had when I was a kid. I love the idea of finding and restoring old cars so it was really enjoyable to create a world for Ted and his friends to exist in. There are lots of Easter eggs in the book for car enthusiasts to discover, but also pop culture and watch references too, like the Porsche Design Chronograph 1 on Ted’s wrist.”The 911 was born to take tackle the open road, but Keith’s photography among Hong Kong’s lofty high-rises shows that they are just as at home in an urban setting Photo: Keith Sheahan @1988keithWhat is it about the Porsche brand that resonates with you so much, both as a photographer and a creative? “Porsche is timeless, effortlessly cool and usable. So many of the classics are still being daily driven today, while the contemporary cars have retained all these special qualities. The same can be said of the Porsche design objects I like. Some days I like to wear a 1970s Porsche Design Chronograph 1 watch, others I prefer the modern Hodinkee version.” The toughest Porsche images to shoot are those fleeting street moments – which is why Keith favours his iPhone over a camera. It allows him to take capture the essence of this fascinating location Photo: Keith Sheahan @1988keith“If I could only choose one Porsche car to own it would be a 964 Carrera RS in Schwarz paint. I love the clean exterior and interior design of that model – and of course the air-cooled engine. I was born in 1988 so it seems like the sort of car I could grow old with and drive as much as possible.” What’s next for you? “I look forward to moving back to Ireland in a few years to start a small design/ photography agency with my wife. I hope to buy my first 911 there and drive it along the beautiful coastal roads. It will be nice to live a little closer to the Porsche Museum – and, of course, all the great European cities, where I can go explore the streets in search of even more Porsche cars to photograph.”
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