The Smoking Tire Podcast – Larry Chen (September 4, 2025)

Hosts: Matt Farah, Zack Klapman

Guest: Larry Chen (Automotive Photographer, Author)

Episode Overview

This episode features legendary automotive photographer Larry Chen, whose new book "Life at Shutter Speed" chronicles two decades of car culture through his lens. Hosts Matt Farah and Zack Klapman dive deep with Larry about the making of his book, his unique photographic style, memorable shoots, and, in a podcast exclusive, Larry shares his remarkable recent adventure in Brunei, including a rare audience with the Sultan and his royal car collection.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. "Life at Shutter Speed": Larry Chen's New Book

• Larry's first book, "Life at Shutter Speed," is described as his “life’s work in one book,” spanning 20+ years of automotive photography, from early portraits to rich, dynamic motorsport images.

• Chronological Structure: The book is laid out in reverse chronology, starting with his most recent work and tracing back to his beginnings in 2004.

• The curation process was intense: Larry estimates he sifted through over 5 million photographs to select just over 2700 images for the book.

  • “20 years, it’s actually 21, but mostly 20 years of full-on, all-out shooting non-stop… It’s about 5 million pictures—I whittled it down to a little over 2700 pictures.” (07:23)

• Evolution of Photography: Larry details how his technique and perspective evolved with technology; earlier work leans on storytelling and relationships, while recent imagery pushes boundaries of composition, color, and lighting.

• Notable features:

  • Cover and Design: Every cover photo is unique to the cover and doesn’t reappear inside; slipcover reveals a stunning, irreplicable image from Pikes Peak.
  • Exclusive Stories: The first image in the book has never before been published—a $70,000 charity commission via Bring a Trailer.
  • Memorable Quote: “This is legitimately my life’s work in one book…so many people help me, including yourself.” – Larry (02:42)

2. Inside the Photographer’s Mind

• Larry shares his process and the dramatic difference between film and digital, as well as his shift in focus toward video after 2018.

• The philosophy of “capturing richness”—depicting not just cars but their stories, the atmosphere, people, and culture.

• Matt and Larry reminisce about memorable shoots, such as chasing drift cars at Gridlife and unique shots of Matt’s Mustang and Safari 911.

• Techniques:

  • Using mouthpiece triggers for shooting while driving.
  • Chasing race cars with both video and still rigs—highlighting the rare skill of shooting from the car in dynamic, dangerous situations.

• Memorable Quote: “When I pick up my camera, it’s my special day. I absolutely love, love shooting still so much.” – Larry (11:57)

3. Book Launch & Upcoming Events

• Book Launch: October 5th at the Petersen Museum, LA – public event, last day of the Ken Block exhibit. (36:02)
• Type S Night Lights Meet: October 16th, Downtown Long Beach parking structure – Formula Drift pre-meet, open to the public (39:04)
• “We’re going to try to recreate the Tokyo Drift moment the best of my ability—legally, within reason!” – Larry (39:24)

4. Brunei Adventure: Meeting the Sultan & Exploring Royal Car Collections

• In a podcast exclusive, Larry recounts his recent trip to Brunei—one of car culture’s great mysteries—known for the Sultanate’s secretive, fabled, and massive car collection.

• His path:

  • Invited to the Borneo Custom Show, met key figures in Brunei car culture, gained local radio exposure.
  • Within two days, Larry met the Sultan, Prince Jeffrey (the original car collector), the Crown Prince, and Prince Mateen (the current caretaker of the royal cars).
    • “It was insane. In Southeast Asia… the percentage of people there that watch my content absolutely blew me away.” (42:03)
  • Larry’s persistent, respectful approach: Wrote formal letters to Prince Mateen requesting access; initial positive signals but experienced pushback, likely due to internal royal group decisions.
  • Attended the Sultan’s public birthday celebration, met each major royal, and lobbied face-to-face for access to the collection.
  • Matt’s Reaction: “Honestly, I think fucking Bond would be pretty impressed with that. That’s pretty amazing.” (44:24)
  • Prince Jeffrey’s response: “I haven’t seen my own car collection for so many years. Why would they let you shoot it if I haven’t even seen it?” (54:06)

• Outcomes & Teasers:

  • Larry shot some royal cars (details embargoed until his upcoming Hagerty documentary).

  • Highlights the enormous “trickle-down” effect—the number of ex-royal cars now in local ownership, complete with official paperwork.

  • Brunei’s car culture is vibrant, obsessed, and deeply tied to its royal legacy.

  • “Over 13,000 people in a country with less than half a million people went to this car show.” (66:30)

  • New Hagerty episode documenting the entire Brunei journey in the works.

5. Automotive Culture & Emerging Trends

• Brunei’s car culture focuses on JDM cars, thanks to right-hand drive constraints and affordability.
• Larry emphasizes the passion and gratitude of Brunei’s enthusiasts, countering negative perceptions with his on-the-ground experience.
  • Fuel is extremely cheap (~$1.50/gal, subsidized); no scooters—everyone drives.

6. Photography Trends, Advice, and Gear

• The “point-and-shoot direct flash” look has made a comeback; Canon can’t keep up with demand for digital point-and-shoot cameras. (68:07)

  • “It’s pretty cool…Canon cannot keep any of their point and shoot cameras in stock. It’s like they’re going backwards.” – Larry

• Advice for Beginners: Start with your phone—most images in the Brunei segment shot with his iPhone.

Notable Quotes & Moments

• On the book’s scope:
  “5 million [photos] to 2700—That is fucking crazy.” – Matt Farah (07:49)

• On storytelling evolution:
  “You can see my skill develop, but you can also see my style change…The technology evolves, but so do I.” – Larry (04:04)

• On car enthusiasm in Brunei:
  “It’s in their blood. They live and breathe it…They love whatever they can get. The range is incredible.” – Larry (64:48)

• On shooting royalty:
  “I met the Sultan, his brother Jeffrey who started it all, and also the crown prince…It’s like going to England and meeting the king.” – Larry (43:10)

• On what inspires him now:
  “It’s the people that I work with now, that inspire me…we’re all doing it together.” – Larry (79:03)

Timestamped Highlights

• 02:42 – Larry introduces “Life at Shutter Speed” and his gratitude for contributors.
• 07:23 - 08:03 – Discusses size and curation of the book from millions of images.
• 14:18 – Technical discussion on shooting from car, mouthpiece triggers.
• 20:35 – “Live” slipcover design and irreproducible Pikes Peak photo explained.
• 22:03 - 23:11 – Anecdote about Ken Block doing donuts at Rally Catalonia.
• 24:04 – The first published shot bought at high charity auction value.
• 36:02 - 37:56 – Book launch and upcoming events (Petersen Museum, Long Beach).
• 40:03 - 56:14 – Brunei saga: trip setup, meeting royalty, access negotiations.
• 54:06 – Prince Jeffrey’s tongue-in-cheek response to Larry’s photo request.
• 66:30 – The car show: “Almost 3% of the entire country showed up.”
• 68:07 - 69:00 – Point-and-shoot photography resurgence discussion.
• 76:01 – Stories of being hit by debris at races; occupational hazards.
• 82:47 – Quick advice: keep cars relatively clean, but conditions may dictate otherwise.
• 94:03 - 94:46 – On visiting car and camera factories; handcraft vs. automation.
• 97:14 - 99:00 – Closing thoughts on the book, gratitude, and where to buy.

Listener Q&A (Selected)

• Car to bring to Quail? (“I'd bring my R32 next year…it's nice to have some amenities.”) (70:53)
• Subculture surprise? (“It amazes me there are enough people supporting all these restomod companies.”) (71:47)
• Weirdest work hazard? (“I’ve gotten hit by rocks in the face, even in a helicopter over Baja 1000.”) (76:01)
• Do you see yourself as the Anthony Bourdain of car culture? – “No, but his storytelling inspires me.” (81:13)
• Shooting dirty cars? – “Sometimes you just have to shoot around it. Polarizer filter is your friend…Sometimes it's okay to leave that stuff, especially off-road.” (82:47)
• Travel routine? – “If I get upgraded, I work. Otherwise, I watch movies—it's often the only time for TV!” (84:16)

Where to Find Larry Chen's Work

• Book: "Life at Shutter Speed", available via Carrera Books, Amazon, or your local bookstore.
• Prints: larrychenprints.com
• Videos: Hagerty YouTube Channel, including the upcoming Brunei documentary.

Conclusion

A must-listen episode for car enthusiasts and aspiring creatives. Larry Chen’s journey from humble beginnings to global recognition is packed with insight, humor, and jaw-dropping tales. The deeply personal nature of "Life at Shutter Speed" underscores not just how cars are photographed, but why car culture matters, and what it means to those who live it.
The Brunei saga is a monumental “behind-the-scenes” tale—watch for Larry’s full documentary soon.

Summary compiled and structured by Podcast Summarizer AI