Black Beauties: Iconic Cars Photographed by Rene Staud

Black BeautiesIconic Cars Photographed by Rene Staud Biography"Rene Staud is a masterful photographer: his artworks are finely joined compositions of light and color contoured with a flash. His portraits of captivating car bodies have made a distinctive mark in the world of modern automotive photography." (Motor Presse Stuttgart) Rene Staud was born in 1951 in Stuttgart and cultivated his interest in photography from an early age. He took many photography courses to build his skills before he was even out of high school. With money he made from selling souvenir photos and portraits, he was soon able to build his first black-and-white photo lab. He completed an apprenticeship in a portrait studio/photography equipment shop after graduation and then worked as a photo assistant and freelance photographer during his compulsory military service.After leaving the military, he was unable to find a staff photographer's job, so he launched his own business. He started out doing wedding photography and news photography, but he soon saw the enormous demand for high-quality advertising and product photography and opened his first studio in Wendlingen in 1975.He achieved his great breakthrough with the development of Magicflash(R), a surface lighting technology specially suited to the needs of studio photography. The automotive industry in particular was enthusiastic about the new possibilities the system presented, and an increasing number of clients from this industry enabled Staud to open his large indoor studio in Leonberg in 1986. Today, with over 35 years of experience as an advertising photographer, the name Rene Staud is inextricably linked to brands like Porsche, Aston Martin and Mercedes-Benz, whose public image has been molded to a large extent by Staud's photos.