If you look back through my blog for last year, it probably looks like not much was going on. In some ways, that’s true. While I wasn’t shooting as much as I have been in years past, I was actually chasing passion projects and networking more with the local community. In short, I started a new project that I can share a different style of work on.

In the summer of 2021, while I was looking for something different to point my camera at, I stumbled upon an idea that sounded like fun. Having switched my focus on shooting more at night, to help diversify my style from other photographers in my area, I began to receive feedback from people online who felt like the vehicles and style of my work had a very “Need for Speed” vibe to it. Since I grew up on NFS: Underground, this was something I found incredibly flattering - and I wanted to expand on it.

Knowing that the world of NFS consists of fictional cities, pulling from a common nickname for my area seemed fitting. The next step was trying to establish an identity of its own, beyond just a location. Because a lot of the vehicles I started working with were often overlooked by bigger, more mainstream media outlets but typically pretty hyped and supported on social media, I liked the idea of a “by the people, for the people” theme. With that, River City Congress had a ring to it that felt strong, exciting and even a bit prestigious.

“So.. what exactly is River City Congress?” - Everyone

It’s a project, really… River City Congress is a brand I’ve created to focus on celebrating the diversity of automotive culture in the Midwest. While I’d initially planned to focus entirely on vehicles/builds within my hometown, I’ve since opted to expand to areas across the Midwest. Why? Because enthusiasts in my area aren’t the only ones underrepresented. Oh, and eventually I’m going to run out of cool stuff to work with here, so why back myself into a corner like that?

The only common factor that will always be in play when creating imagery for RCC is that it will - always - be featured at night or indoors. Don’t get me wrong. The sun is great and I love working with it but this is a stylistic choice that mirrors the look and feel of the very subculture that inspired all of this. It’s forever an important part of what makes RCC the project it is.