It was a sunny afternoon, and I found myself sitting at my desk in the office when the phone suddenly rang. On the other end was a client with an unusual request—for a truck shoot of the new Iveco S-Way.
This particular request caught my attention. As I answered the call, the client explained that the truck in question was on a journey from Melbourne to Sydney, with a journalist from Trucksales behind the wheel. The journalist was concerned about stopping along the way, as it would affect their logbook and arrival time. If they ran out of time, they would have to take a long rest before completing the job. However, the client still wanted photos of the truck, even though stopping was out of the question. The journey typically took 10 to 12 hours, including a mandatory half-hour break halfway through.
Considering the logistics, I agreed to take on the challenge. Instead of joining the journalist at their starting point, we decided it would be more practical for me to meet them along the way. This way, we could stay in contact, and I would be able to find suitable spots for capturing the truck in various driving environments.
To make the shoot more dynamic, I enlisted the help of my son, who had his driver’s license. He would drive, allowing us to get tracking shots of the truck from different angles. Meanwhile, I positioned myself in the back seat, providing access to both the left and right sides of the vehicle. Additionally, I decided to capture video footage using a gimbal.
Our journey began when we met the truck on the Bolte bridge, offering an excellent city backdrop of Melbourne CBD for urban shots. With the journalist driving and me coordinating with him through speakerphone, we navigated through the city freeways. I directed my son on when to speed up, slow down, or change lanes when safe to do so, ensuring we captured the truck from various perspectives. We continued along the Tullamarine freeway, exploring different angles and taking detail shots of the truck’s chrome wheels, mirrors, lighting, fuel tanks, and badging.
Eventually, we transitioned onto the Hume freeway, allowing us to capture shots that showcased the truck in a highway setting. We even took the opportunity to pull over ahead of the truck in a parking bay, photographing it as it passed by. With some quick maneuvering, we caught up to the truck and obtained more shots from behind and in front. I even requested that the journalist roll down the truck window so I could capture a profile photo of the driver, adding a unique touch to the series.
We didn’t miss the chance to include overpass photos, which added depth and a sense of the open highway stretching into the distance. Once we finished shooting, we headed home, ready to edit and send off the photos. The results turned out better than expected, conveying the motion and energy of trucks in transit. These dynamic shots resonated with viewers, providing a clearer depiction of the truck in its natural environment.
In the end, I thoroughly enjoyed the challenge of this shoot, and the results speak for themselves.
