Apex Motorcar Portraits Brings Bespoke Automotive Photography Experience to Monterey Car Week 2026
Monterey Car Week has long stood as one of the world’s most prestigious celebrations of automotive culture, attracting collectors, enthusiasts, luxury brands, and travelers from around the globe. Every August, California’s Monterey Peninsula transforms into a showcase of engineering excellence, automotive artistry, and rare vehicles. In 2026, a new experience is set to add a unique dimension to the annual event, blending automotive passion, fine art photography, and coastal preservation into one memorable offering.
This August, Apex Motorcar Portraits will debut an immersive, editorial-style automotive photography experience during Monterey Car Week 2026, transforming a protected stretch of Pacific coastline adjacent to Asilomar Conference Grounds into a temporary coastal portrait studio. Running from August 7 through August 14, 2026, the activation will offer visitors an opportunity to create professionally curated automotive portraits in one of California’s most scenic coastal settings while supporting a meaningful cause.
Available daily from 9:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., Apex Motorcar Portraits is designed to welcome a broad audience, including seasoned collectors, automotive enthusiasts, local residents, first-time Monterey visitors, and casual guests seeking to participate in the excitement of Car Week. Unlike many exclusive automotive experiences typically reserved for elite collectors or luxury vehicle owners, Apex introduces a more inclusive model that allows participants to step into the iconic Monterey Car Week atmosphere regardless of whether they arrive with their own vehicle.
The concept combines automotive storytelling with premium photography, offering bespoke portrait sessions that capture vehicles and their owners through a polished editorial lens. Participants can either bring their own vehicles to the session or choose from a curated fleet of classic motorcars provided through a partnership with Monterey Touring Vehicles, expanding access to those who may not have a collector car but still want an unforgettable Monterey automotive experience.
Creating a New Kind of Monterey Car Week Memory
Monterey Car Week has built a global reputation around concours events, luxury auctions, driving tours, and high-profile vehicle unveilings. Yet for many visitors, participating fully in the culture can feel out of reach, particularly for those without collector-grade vehicles or insider access.
Apex Motorcar Portraits seeks to bridge that gap by offering a personalized experience rooted in accessibility, creativity, and storytelling. Rather than simply observing automotive excellence from the sidelines, guests can become part of the scene, stepping into professionally composed portraits that celebrate both the car and the person behind it.
Set against dramatic Pacific Ocean backdrops near the historic Asilomar coastline, each photography session will be carefully timed and designed to take advantage of Monterey’s unique natural beauty. Lighting conditions, coastal landscapes, and curated staging will all contribute to a cinematic, editorial-quality experience tailored specifically to each participant.
Organizers say the sessions are intentionally structured around three central elements: light, landscape, and automotive storytelling. The goal is not merely to document a vehicle but to create a visual narrative that reflects personality, passion, and place.
The result extends beyond digital photography. Guests will have opportunities to transform their sessions into lasting keepsakes, including fine art prints, bespoke holiday cards, signature correspondence, and collectible visual memories that preserve the spirit of Monterey Car Week long after the event concludes.
A Female-Founded Collective with Local Roots
One of the defining aspects of Apex Motorcar Portraits is its blend of local knowledge and internationally recognized creative talent.
Created by Monterey County locals and guided by a female-founded collective, the project brings together deep regional understanding with a fresh perspective on automotive culture. By grounding the experience in local expertise, organizers hope to create something authentic to Monterey rather than simply another luxury activation during Car Week.
At the center of the visual storytelling experience is internationally acclaimed automotive photographer Alex Sczudlo, whose portfolio spans some of the most respected names in automotive media and luxury publishing.
Sczudlo’s work has appeared in major outlets and publications including Forbes, Porsche, duPont Registry, and other premium automotive and lifestyle platforms. Her signature approach to automotive photography emphasizes emotion, craftsmanship, and narrative, elevating vehicles into subjects of artistic expression rather than static objects.
That storytelling approach is expected to distinguish Apex Motorcar Portraits from traditional event photography offerings, giving participants a chance to commission editorial-quality images comparable to those seen in leading luxury magazines.
According to project collaborators, Sczudlo possesses a rare ability to capture emotional resonance through automotive imagery.
“Alex has an incredible ability to turn a vehicle into something emotional and enduring,” said Heather Gardner, owner of Monterey Touring Vehicles.
Gardner emphasized that one of the most exciting aspects of the partnership lies in its accessibility. Guests are not required to own a collector vehicle or arrive with a personal car to participate in the experience.
“What excites me most is that guests don’t need to arrive with their own car to participate,” Gardner explained. “By featuring select classics from our collection, we’re opening the door for more people to create an iconic Monterey Car Week moment.”
The partnership with Monterey Touring Vehicles effectively lowers traditional barriers to entry while simultaneously preserving the aspirational quality associated with Monterey Car Week.
For many visitors, the opportunity to pose alongside a carefully selected classic automobile in an iconic coastal setting could become one of the defining memories of their Monterey experience.
Expanding Access to Automotive Culture
The idea of accessibility remains central to the Apex Motorcar Portraits vision.
While Monterey Car Week often attracts affluent collectors and industry insiders, organizers believe the emotional appeal of automobiles extends far beyond ownership status or investment value.
Liana Huth, creator of Apex Motorcar Portraits, said the initiative was designed to make the iconic atmosphere of Monterey Car Week more approachable for a broader audience.
“This is the iconic Monterey Car Week experience people imagine — but made accessible in a new way,” Huth explained.
She emphasized that whether participants arrive in a prized collector vehicle or select one from a curated collection, the focus remains on creating something meaningful and lasting.
“Whether someone arrives in their own vehicle or chooses one of our curated classics, the experience is designed to become more than a photograph,” Huth said. “From fine art prints to bespoke holiday cards and signature correspondence, Apex transforms a Monterey moment into something tangible guests can enjoy forever.”
The approach reflects an emerging shift within automotive culture toward experiential engagement, where memories, storytelling, and emotional connections increasingly complement traditional vehicle ownership and collecting.
Rather than centering solely on exclusivity, Apex aims to democratize participation while preserving a premium feel.
Supporting California’s Coastal Stewardship
In addition to celebrating automotive culture, Apex Motorcar Portraits also carries an environmental and community-focused mission.
A portion of proceeds from every session will support California State Parks, reinforcing the project’s connection to environmental stewardship and preservation of the state’s coastal landscapes.
The decision to contribute directly to park conservation aligns naturally with the event’s setting near protected Pacific coastline and reflects broader efforts to create experiences that give back to local communities.
Regional tourism leaders have praised the initiative for balancing automotive enthusiasm with community benefit.
“This collaboration captures something uniquely Monterey,” said Dawn Mathes-Park, Vice President of Marketing & Community Relations at See Monterey.
Mathes-Park highlighted how the activation appeals both to longtime automotive enthusiasts and visitors seeking approachable ways to participate in Car Week.
“It speaks to the passion of the automotive community while creating an experience that feels approachable and memorable for visitors and locals alike,” she said. “Pairing that with a meaningful contribution to California State Parks makes it an especially thoughtful addition to Car Week.”
By blending automotive storytelling with conservation support, Apex seeks to deliver a more meaningful form of participation that extends beyond entertainment.
Joining Asilomar’s Monterey Car Week Traditions
The temporary coastal studio will be hosted adjacent to the historic Asilomar Conference Grounds, a landmark destination known for its scenic setting and community programming.
Asilomar has long played a role in Monterey Car Week festivities, welcoming automotive gatherings and special events that celebrate the region’s unique connection to car culture.
In 2026, Apex Motorcar Portraits will join a lineup of beloved Monterey traditions hosted at Asilomar, including the popular Woodies in the Woods event scheduled for August 13.
Organizers at Asilomar believe the addition complements the venue’s broader mission of fostering connection, creativity, and appreciation for the natural environment.
“At Asilomar, we’re always looking for experiences that deepen connection to place while celebrating the moments that bring people together,” said Crystal Andon, Marketing and Programs Manager at Asilomar.
Andon noted that Apex Motorcar Portraits aligns closely with Asilomar’s values by emphasizing both artistic expression and environmental stewardship.
“We’re proud to welcome Apex Motorcar Portraits into our Monterey Car Week programming alongside beloved traditions such as Woodies in the Woods and to support an activation that highlights both creativity and stewardship of California’s coastline,” she said.
A New Chapter for Monterey Car Week Experiences
As Monterey Car Week continues to evolve, new experiences like Apex Motorcar Portraits signal a broader transformation in how automotive events engage participants.
For decades, Monterey has represented exclusivity, prestige, and rare automotive excellence. While those qualities remain central to the event’s appeal, there is growing demand for experiences that allow broader participation and personal connection.
Apex appears poised to answer that demand by offering something highly personal: the opportunity to become part of the Monterey Car Week story itself.
With scenic Pacific backdrops, editorial-level photography, curated classic vehicles, and a philanthropic component supporting California’s natural spaces, the initiative blends luxury, accessibility, and purpose into a single experience.
From August 7 to August 14, guests visiting Monterey will have the chance to transform a fleeting Car Week memory into something permanent — a portrait that captures not just a car, but a moment, a place, and a passion that defines one of the automotive world’s most celebrated gatherings.
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