Rise and Shine at Race Service, Venice CA

Rise & Shine is a different kind of car show, and an intimate affair. Wednesday mornings, 9am to 12pm. There is a DJ, there is a barista, and - on the day I visited - eight cars. In Race Service’s Instagram post the night before Rise & Shine, they introduced former Hot Wheels designer Jun Imai as the curator for the show.

Porsche 935

Curation is the process of selecting and organizing. I grew up going to car shows - “cruise ins”. Ones in mall parking lots. There were cars, and there were parking spots. The cars would arrive, and park in the spots. These cruise ins were self-curated - in the sense that Mustangs like to park next to each other - but that was about the extent of the selecting and organizing. Rise & Shine is held at Race Service’s HQ, a stocked garage/creative office, off of Venice Boulevard. Not in a parking lot. Space is limited. Necessity breeds ingenuity, and the limited space at Race Service demands curation. Selection. Organization.

It is also a hang-out, and a networking opportunity. There are more photographers than cars, and Jeff Zwart is there with his dog. The small space and limited number of cars is a breath of fresh air. At large car shows, I feel some pressure to see everything, and as a result, I don’t see anything closely. With eight cars, the pressure is off.

The diversity of shots available at this show is an upside.There are different colorful backdrops available, cacti to shoot through, and each car has its own space to breathe. If you think you will enjoy Rise & Shine, you’re probably right. I’ll be back.