Alistair Campbell shadows Sam East on a shoot with a Maserati sports car

Sam East Product photographer

Having crafted a reputation for visually sleek photography that captivates audiences, British-born photographer and filmmaker Sam specialises in producing commercial, portrait, landscape and automotive images. www.sameast.co.uk

Today, we’re taking the scenic route to Devon with product photographer Sam East. Based in Bristol, Sam began his photographic career in 2013 by shooting ‘passion projects’ – portraits, products and powerful landscapes. More recently, Sam’s product work has expanded from luxury watches to some of the world’s most exclusive sports cars.

This is why we’re motoring down to the Valley of the Rocks in the brand-new Maserati Quattroporte Trofeo. For any readers curious as to what’s under the bonnet, you’ll find an enormous 3.8-litre, twin-turbo V8 petrol engine that produces 572bhp at 6,750rpm alongside a rousing 730Nm of torque, which is available all the way from 2,250-5,250rpm.

We start our luxury ride early in the afternoon, setting off from Bristol to our final shooting destination, around 100 miles away via the scenic route to the south-west coast. Accompanying us are Sam’s assistants, Eren Chetin and Chloe Elizabeth, who will provide helping hands throughout the day and also pose as the driver. Sam has plotted a route that will allow us to stop in some quieter spots while he jumps out to bag a few extra images before the sun sets in three or four hours. Along the way, I ask what motivates Sam and where his distinct style comes from. “Visual storytelling is always at the forefront of my work and stems from my love of motion pictures,” he replies. “I also draw a lot of inspiration from the tones and colours of cinematic films.”

Using the right lens and the right filter

“This is an incredibly useful tool that changes the way your camera sees and captures light, particularly in relation to reflections and glare – a prominent problem with car photography,” says Sam. “By using a polarising filter, you can dramatically improve your automotive photography to create images that are vibrant and dynamic and which stand out from the rest. Polarisers have the effect of increasing colour saturation in some circumstances by reducing unwanted reflections such as the sky, clouds or glare from the sun. If you’re into shooting landscapes, then you’re likely to have a polarising filter tucked away in your kit bag already, and you can use it for photographing cars, too. The professional finish you get from using polarising filters can’t be replicated in editing, so for shooting most of my work it’s probably the most essential accessory I own.”