Amanda picked up her first camera at 12 and never put it down. Now shooting mostly on film, she combines her love for vintage cars and mid-century design with a timeless style that blurs eras. Inspired by Vivian Maier, her work captures the soul of classic cars and the stories they carry through time.
Age (or age range):
32, soon to be 33 on Thanksgiving this year.
Where you live and/or where are you from?
MA, USA. Growing up with every type of weather possible, and enjoying every season.
What is your earliest memory with a camera? –
My earliest memory with a camera would have to be how I picked out my own digital camera when I was 12 years old. I saved up my money from my birthday and all summer to get one, and it was instant love. Throughout high school, I became the photographer of the friend group, and it never went away.
Do you remember your first roll of film?
My first roll of film was black and white, and I shot it in high school for a photography class. I distinctly remember photographing a family dinner my grandmother made for the assignment. Her hands working in the kitchen, the smiles on my family members’ faces. That kind of thing. Spoiler: Most of them were, sadly, unusable or underexposed.
What drew you to photographing cars?
I’ve always been a huge fan of mid-century design, and so it eventually brought me to appreciate the sleek look of vintage cars. Especially cars from the 1940s-1970s eras.
What do cars represent to you beyond the machine itself?
Cars are an incredibly well-documented timeline. I love seeing how vehicles have changed over the years to the modern designs of today.
What’s your process when planning a shoot?
While I don’t have a specific formula for planning a shoot, I always make sure to bring more rolls of film with me than I think I’m going to need, just in case. Otherwise, I like the spontaneous nature of the hobby.
Is there a photographer, artist or genre that influences your photography and why?
Vivian Meier is one of my influences, mostly for the way she saw light and the way she interacted with her environment and the people of her time. A lot of my self-portraiture has been similar to some of hers, though a lot of it had been shot prior to my knowledge of her existence.
Have you ever tried alternative development methods or film stocks for a specific creative effect?
During the 2020 lockdown I experimented a lot with Polaroid instant photographs. I even did some photo transfers with them onto watercolor paper. Lots of fun! You never know what you’re going to end up with, which is part of the experience.
What’s your go-to film camera for shooting and what would be your dream film camera to shoot with?
I’ve got two go-to film cameras that I shoot with. My Zenza Bronica ETRSi for medium format, and my Pentax K1000 for 35mm.
How do you stay inspired when creativity feels low or stagnant?
I try to look at others’ work to get the creative juices flowing, whether it’s people I’ve worked with before or photography idols.
Which car have you been waiting to shoot and have yet to encounter?
I love vintage VW buses. I’m waiting to see a bright red or bright orange VW bus with 60s/70s floral interior on a beach somewhere. That would be a dream shoot for me.
Have you ever completely messed up a roll? What happened and what did you learn from it?
I do my own developing, so I’ve had my fair share of mistakes. Sometimes they’re happy accidents, but it teaches me to stop rushing the process
What’s your favorite season or time of year for shooting cars, and what makes it special?
I love shooting cars in the summer when it’s sunny because I’ll use a starburst filter on cars with chrome. The effect it gives makes it worthwhile.
What’s the best advice you’ve received about photography — and who gave it to you?
“Just because you can shoot hundreds of photos, doesn’t mean you have to. You should still try and curate the perfect shots in camera without relying on 10 or more shots of the same thing.” A teacher I had in photography school told us that.
What do you hope to transmit with your photographs?
I hope people can gather a vintage feel and imagine what the car looked like back in its time through my pictures. When I can, I like to shoot vintage cars in modern spaces, but in a way that makes the viewer unsure of what time period the photo came from.
Is there anything that you'd like to promote? I.e. Your business website and what you do, other social channels, or projects you wanna promote?
I have a personal website where a lot of my real estate and portraiture work is posted at www.amandalewisphotography.com and @grain.clouds is my instagram. I also have a hobby I’d like to share: www.theunclaimedarchive.com. It’s essentially a huge archive of old forgotten photographs, negatives, and slide positives brought back to life. I like to say I’m preserving history, as these physical remnants of the past won’t be around forever. Though it’s an ever-changing work in progress, I’d love for people to take a look. Plus: it has old cars! :)
