Apex Motorcar Portraits Debuts at Asilomar During Monterey Car Week 2026, Blending Automotive Art, Coastal Landscape, and Philanthropy
This August, Apex Motorcar Portraits will transform a protected stretch of Pacific coastline adjacent to the Asilomar Conference Grounds into a temporary open-air photography studio, offering bespoke automotive portrait sessions during Monterey Car Week 2026. Running from August 7 to August 14, 2026, between 9:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m. daily, the activation invites collectors, enthusiasts, visitors, and local residents to commission editorial-style automotive portraits in one of California’s most visually striking coastal settings.
A portion of proceeds from the experience will be donated to support California State Parks, reinforcing the project’s focus on environmental stewardship alongside creative expression. The initiative is designed not only as a luxury automotive photography experience but also as a cultural and philanthropic engagement with the Monterey coastline.
A Coastal Studio Set Against One of California’s Most Iconic Landscapes
Set beside the rugged Pacific shoreline near the Asilomar Conference Grounds, the Apex Motorcar Portraits studio will temporarily repurpose the natural environment into a curated visual stage. The location was chosen for its dramatic coastal textures, shifting light conditions, and its longstanding association with conservation and public access.
Rather than a conventional studio environment, Apex uses natural light, ocean backdrops, and coastal architecture to create cinematic automotive imagery. The result is a hybrid experience that merges fine art photography with the storytelling traditions of Monterey Car Week.
The sessions are designed to highlight the relationship between vehicle design and environment, capturing cars not simply as machines but as expressive objects framed by nature, motion, and light.
Access for Collectors, Enthusiasts, and First-Time Participants
Apex Motorcar Portraits is structured to be inclusive within the high-profile context of Monterey Car Week, traditionally known for its exclusive collector events and invitation-only showcases. The program opens participation to a wider audience, including first-time attendees and visitors who may not bring a vehicle of their own.
Participants may arrive with their personal vehicles or select from a curated fleet of classic automobiles provided through Monterey Touring Vehicles, a partner specializing in heritage and collector-grade cars. This curated access model allows guests to engage with iconic automotive design even if they are not owners themselves.
According to organizers, this approach is intended to broaden participation in Monterey Car Week’s visual culture while preserving the artistic integrity of the experience.
Collaboration with Monterey Touring Vehicles Expands Creative Possibilities
Monterey Touring Vehicles plays a key role in shaping the visual diversity of the Apex experience by providing a selection of classic and collectible automobiles. These vehicles serve as both subjects and storytelling tools within the portrait sessions.
“Alex Sczudlo has an incredible ability to turn a vehicle into something emotional and enduring,” said Heather Gardner, owner of Monterey Touring Vehicles. “What excites me most is that guests don’t need to arrive with their own car to participate. By featuring select classics from our collection, we’re opening the door for more people to create an iconic Monterey Car Week moment.”
This partnership ensures that the program accommodates a range of automotive aesthetics, from vintage European sports cars to American classics, allowing for varied artistic interpretations depending on the vehicle and environment.
A Female-Founded Creative Collective with International Experience
Apex Motorcar Portraits was created by Monterey County locals and is guided by a female-founded collective focused on expanding access to high-end automotive photography experiences. The project is designed to bridge the gap between professional automotive editorial work and experiential photography for private clients.
At the center of the creative direction is photographer Alex Sczudlo, whose work has appeared in publications such as Forbes, Porsche, and duPont Registry, among others. Sczudlo is known for her ability to combine technical precision with emotional storytelling, particularly in automotive contexts where form, design, and environment intersect.
By applying an editorial approach typically reserved for commercial campaigns or magazine features, Apex aims to give participants a finished product that feels both personal and publication-ready.
Turning Automotive Moments into Tangible Artifacts
Beyond the photography sessions themselves, Apex Motorcar Portraits emphasizes the creation of lasting physical and digital artifacts. Clients can choose from fine art prints, bespoke holiday cards, and signature correspondence pieces derived from their portrait sessions.
“This is the iconic Monterey Car Week experience people imagine — but made accessible in a new way,” said Liana Huth, creator of Apex Motorcar Portraits. “Whether someone arrives in their own vehicle or chooses one of our curated classics, the experience is designed to become more than a photograph. From fine art prints to bespoke holiday cards and signature correspondence, Apex transforms a Monterey moment into something tangible guests can enjoy forever.”
This focus on print and archival quality positions the experience as more than a fleeting photoshoot. Instead, it becomes a personalized artistic commission that participants can preserve, gift, or display.
Community and Cultural Alignment with Monterey Car Week
Local organizations and tourism leaders have also highlighted the project’s alignment with Monterey Car Week’s broader cultural and economic ecosystem. The event is widely recognized not only as a global automotive gathering but also as a driver of tourism and community engagement across Monterey County.
“This collaboration captures something uniquely Monterey,” said Dawn Mathes-Park, Vice President of Marketing & Community Relations at See Monterey. “It speaks to the passion of the automotive community while creating an experience that feels approachable and memorable for visitors and locals alike. Pairing that with a meaningful contribution to California State Parks makes it an especially thoughtful addition to Car Week.”
The inclusion of a charitable component supporting California State Parks adds an environmental dimension to the activation, linking automotive culture with conservation efforts along the same coastline where the experience takes place.
Asilomar’s Role in Blending Nature, Creativity, and Public Programming
The Asilomar Conference Grounds, already known for its historic architecture and coastal ecology, will serve as both host and collaborator in the activation. The site has long balanced public programming with environmental preservation, making it a fitting location for a photography experience centered on landscape and design.
“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. “We’re proud to welcome Apex Motorcar Portraits into our Monterey Car Week programming alongside beloved traditions such as Woodies in the Woods on August 13 and to support an activation that highlights both creativity and stewardship of California’s coastline.”
By integrating into existing Car Week programming, Apex becomes part of a broader calendar of automotive and cultural events that attract global visitors each year.
A Limited-Time Experience Shaped by Light and Landscape
Sessions will be available daily from August 7 through August 14, 2026, and are carefully scheduled around coastal lighting conditions to maximize visual impact. Each portrait session is structured around the interplay of natural light, ocean atmosphere, and automotive design.
The result is a highly curated photographic experience that emphasizes mood, texture, and narrative rather than simple documentation. Vehicles become part of a larger visual composition shaped by wind, water, stone, and sky.
As Monterey Car Week continues to evolve as a global stage for automotive culture, Apex Motorcar Portraits positions itself as a distinctive addition—one that blends artistry, accessibility, and environmental awareness into a single coastal experience.
In doing so, it reframes the traditional car show moment into something more personal, more artistic, and more enduring.
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