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As
with architecture, the form and detail of a car as perceived by onlookers is closely tied to the quality of light falling on it. Because color temperature and the angle of the sun change with latitude, the perception of how a car looks in a particular shade is altered too.
White cars are not popular in Northern Europe, where the mostly dull weather and flat light create a monochromatic experience. But in the Middle East and some parts of the USA where sunshine and blue skies predominate, white really comes alive.
In this hard, clear light, the form of a car or building is thrown into stark relief against the deep blue sky, while the hard shadows cast increase the contrast between an object and its surroundings.
Eyeballing the small group of Maybach 62S limousines parked neatly outside the five-star Al Qasr Madinat Hotel in Dubai, I dismissed the black and silver examples instantly.
Instead, my gaze locked on to the single white 62S in the line-up like a heat-seeking missile hunting down a flare. Even as my chauffeur for the day started to reposition the car in front of the courtyard for a photograph, I knew that my gut reaction was right.
Please note that most of the photographs used in this article can be
downloaded at the Media Gallery on the last page.
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