At the beginning of these projects, the challenge was to balance visual realism with creative direction. Automotive renders need to accurately represent the design of the vehicle while also elevating it through lighting and composition. Early work focused on understanding how materials behaved—particularly paint finishes, metallic surfaces, glass, and interior textures—and how these elements responded to different lighting conditions.

Commercial projects required a clear alignment with brand identity. For vehicles like the Audi RS3, the imagery needed to communicate performance, precision, and modern design. This meant using controlled lighting setups, strong contrasts, and clean environments that emphasised the sharp lines and aggressive stance of the vehicle.

For Volvo and Land Rover, the approach shifted toward a more refined and lifestyle-oriented aesthetic. These vehicles required imagery that communicated luxury, reliability, and environmental context, often placing greater emphasis on natural lighting and surrounding environments.

Alongside commercial work, personal studies became an important part of the process. These projects allowed for experimentation with more dramatic lighting, exaggerated reflections, and dynamic compositions, helping push beyond the constraints of client work.

A key area of development during this phase was understanding how lighting environments influenced the perception of form. Small changes in light direction or intensity could dramatically alter how surfaces were read, making lighting one of the most critical aspects of the process.