CLASSIC CARS & COFFEE – NOVEMBER EDITION

I hate to admit it, but this was my first Classic Cars & Coffee experience since it’s inception here in Perth. With my weekends filled with late nights Djing, it is hard to muster the energy to wake up after a few hours sleep and pick up the camera – soft, I know.

So, this time around, I made the less than sensible decision to pull an ‘all-nighter’. I worked behind the decks, then went fishing in Mosman Bay, before having breakfast and reaching the Number 3 carpark at UWA by 730am. I was early and somehow, still full of beans.

The day looked promising as the cars trickled down the road, which runs parallel with the gorgeous Swan River. The sun was out, the cyclists were chirping more than the birds and a handful of onlookers were trying to figure out why all these cars were out and about. It was a nice morning to be in the sunshine no matter who you were.

The first thing I liked about this low-key gathering was the location – it is a pretty place to look at, no doubt about it. That is half the battle with car meets I think, the backdrops are always second-rate and an afterthought.

I prefer to have somewhere that is interesting to shoot at, and this place has just enough character to be cool. Sure, the trees give some challenging conditions but if you are smart, you shoot around that sort of thing. It is part of the process of being a competent shooter – photograph the good stuff, avoid the shit. It isn’t difficult.

I didn’t take the day too seriously though, instead, I soaked up the peaceful atmosphere and chatted to old and new friends. I picked up the camera when I felt like it and took in what I could from the surroundings. I soon realised that I had been missing out by not coming earlier in the piece. What a mistake.

One of the most enjoyable parts of the event was the lack of dickheads revving motors and there were no heroes leaving like their shit didn’t stink and therefore, not one ounce of drama. It was a pleasant change for a burnout and high-performance enthusiast like myself, and as they say, there is a time and a place for everything. Nedlands at 830am on a Sunday morning isn’t the place and that is glaringly obvious.

The stupidity and dramas aren’t evident due to the strict entry policy and I really respect that. I had the chance to catch up with the event’s organiser, Deryck Graham and he filled me in with what made the event tick.

“We just wanted a place where car enthusiasts could come and enjoy an easy-going motoring event. We offer a huge variety of cars with a completely relaxed atmosphere. We appreciate the passion of every car enthusiast and we welcome all visitors, but the one thing we wanted to achieve was a very distinct class of car here. Anything European is welcome, along with early Japanese stuff and Aussie classics too. We prefer vintage, exotics, luxury and prestige cars and of course, we are happy to have hot rods down for the morning too. The one thing we don’t allow is heavily modified cars, modern everyday cars and recent Australian vehicles. We aren’t being rude with the selection criteria, just strict. The modified stuff is great but there are other events more suited to that sort of thing. We are happy with what we offer and we feel that the people who come to the event love what we deliver. There is always something new and different each Sunday, so if you aren’t here, you are missing out,” said Deryck.

I think I wandered around till 11am as the final stragglers left the car park. I happily went from chat to chat and had a good laugh along the way. With a memory car full, a battery on 2% and an energy level lower than, I took myself home to bed. The effort was worth it though and I will be back in December for sure.