METTMANN, Germany (AP) — Martin Meissner is an Associated Press photographer based near Duesseldorf and Cologne, Germany. He’s been with the news agency for 25 years, full-time since 2020. Meissner has covered everything from Olympics and World Cups to Eurovision, elections and a Queen’s funeral. When he has time, he likes to search for feature stories in his region.
Here’s what he had to say about this extraordinary photo.
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Why this photo?
The Cadillac buried in the forest is the perfect illustration for the story of a car collector who returned 50 vintage cars from his birth year to nature in his private forest for his 50th birthday. The vehicles have been exposed to the elements unprotected for 25 years now.
How I made this photo
I made this photo with a 12mm wide angle Sony lens and the Sony Alpha a1, very close to the object, to eliminate distracting surroundings and to focus just on the car front. The car should look out of the autumn leaves, which seem to devour the car.
Why this photo works
It is an unexpected picture that makes people curious. At first, the car and the natural forest don’t seem to fit together. But the more you think about the background, the more philosophical aspects of human transience emerge. Those classic cars symbolize a long-gone era. It works even better now in autumn with the fallen leaves that underline the change in life.
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