June 03, 2025

Larry Chen on Ken Block, Formula D, BMW E30 Racecar and New Book

1 hour 16 minutes

In this episode of The Creative Drive, host Taro Koki sits down with the one and only Larry Chen. Larry is one of the most iconic and influential automotive photographers and content creators in the world today. Known for his unmistakable style, relentless work ethic, and deep love for car culture, Larry has become the go-to visual storyteller for some of the biggest names in motorsports and the aftermarket world.

Starting from humble beginnings shooting cars on the streets of Los Angeles, Larry turned his passion into a career by mastering the craft of automotive photography — capturing not just cars, but the spirit behind them. His work spans every corner of the car world: from grassroots drift events to the global stage of Formula Drift, from SEMA builds to Pikes Peak, from classic JDM icons to electric hypercars.

He is the official photographer for Formula Drift, a Canon Explorer of Light (one of the most prestigious honors in the photography world), and a creative force behind brands and countless OEM and aftermarket brands.

If you’ve seen a jaw-dropping rolling shot, an epic drift angle frozen in time, or a SEMA build immortalized before it hit the floor — chances are, Larry Chen was behind the lens.

This episode of The Creative Drive is sponsored by Honda, click to learn more: https://bit.ly/4dSgEMK

0:00 Intro

01:12 Taro Koki intro to Larry Chen on the Creative Drive

02:15 Larry Chen on Air Water Luftgekuhlt and Jeff Zwart

05:02 Sponsor message

06:45 Larry Chen on how to shoot Air Water Luftgekuhlt

08:11 Larry Chen on being inducted to the Formula Drift Hall of Fame

14:45 Larry Chen wishes Jeff Zwart was his dad

16:35 Larry Chen on his new book Life At Shutter Speed by Carrara Media carrarabooks.com

22:35 Larry Chen on being in front of the camera and 1M followers on Instagram

25:30 Larry Chen on Asian representation

30:00 BMW E3 M3 7 Eleven race car

31:15 Larry Chen on Pikes Peak International Hill Climb

28:10 Larry Chen on Ken Block

42:30 Getting stopped by cops during a shoot

48:50 Larry Chen on video projects like Hagerty's

51:10 Larry Chen on legacy automotive media and

54:59 Formula 1 Drive to Survive spawning racecar drivers and car enthusiasts

58:00 Driving at Ebisu Circuit Spring Matsuri

01:00:00 Larry Chen on running a media business

01:01:45 Larry Chen on working with brands

01:06:00 Creative Drive Rapid Fire with Larry Chen

01:11:17 Who's Boosting It? with Larry Chen

01:15:00 Larry Chen's Creative Drive is Life Fulfillment

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By Racer Media and Marketing, Inc.

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