Almost every day, photos of future cars pop up and are already subjected to a practical test by car manufacturers. Usually they are still packed in camouflage material, but it is often clearly visible what we can expect later. Those photos come from a ‘spy photographer’, who likes to clarify what his working days look like.
As fans of everything new under the sun, we as news editors are very happy with the photos that we can share with you thanks to photographer Andreas Conradt. Conradt and his colleagues know exactly where to go to spot and capture the most interesting new prototypes. At the moment, a lot of testing is being done in Lapland, Finland, where the Volkswagen Group has a test facility, among other things. Recently, among others, the Audi RS3, the Volkswagen ID.4 and the facelift of the Seat Ateca appeared. The photographer was there like the chickens to capture them.
Conradt explains that he sometimes waits for hours in the wilderness in his four-wheel drive Skoda Yeti before an opportunity arises: “My two biggest weapons are my patience and my cleverly chosen hiding place, behind a huge snow hill. From there I can’t photography, but keep an eye on the road without being seen, “he says. “I jump out of the car at the right time to get the car, if it is worth giving up my spot to the test drivers.” Conradt has to shoot photos in no time and knows that the test drivers will then choose another route. “Most kick in the gas immediately when they see me.”
For Conradt it is a matter of speed and accuracy, because first he has to spot with his binoculars from a great distance whether it is really a car that is interesting for the photo. Once he has determined that, he has to make sure he comes out at the right time. “Then the door flies open and I jump over the snow hill. Grabbing the camera, zooming in and starting to shoot photos, all happens in one smooth movement. My camera comes off like a machine gun; ten photos per second.” After that, the opportunity was lost. Those photos have to be good, because it will probably – at least in that place – stay with that single spot for the whole day. The photos are quickly sent from the Yeti and so they arrive the same day at the editorial staff of Techzle.