Retouching the Endures (Mazda MX-5)

•

Retouching that Endures

Automotive photography that stands the test of time starts with enhancing, seamless and authentic retouching. And that is born from a sense of caring and a passion for one’s craft. These are also mantras of Mazda’s ethos. Whether it’s the artist who photographs the car, or the crafts person who hand sews the stitching of the seats, when done with a sense of pride, the product will endure.

At Studio KB, we know that photography needs to be fresh and so a lot of times the finished work will be very transient, but that doesn’t stop us from retouching everything as if it will last for years and as you can see below, some times it does. These images were shot by Jeff Ludes and retouched by Studio KB in 2015 and some of them are still on Mazda’s website today in 2022. I’m sure they have undergone some product updates but they have endured in a field where most photos only last a few years and some that get posted to social only last a few weeks.

The art of retouching is adding light where there is none. It could be dappled sun to draw the eye or break up a large shadow area. It’s adding shadow where there is none to enhance the composition with a horizontal line that helps to frame the vehicle in the shot. It’s adding color where there is none to create a mood, look or feel. All of these measures were taken in this series to create lasting moments.

And now for the technicals, you wouldn’t know it to look at them, but they were shot in the European model but needed to be retouched into the American and Japanese trims. This meant that the steering wheel needed to switch sides. The gas cap would also need to be deleted from one side and added to the other. Sometimes the car was flipped and the parts were replaced from shots taken in the studio.