For this year’s Players Show at the North Weald airfield in the UK, Speedhunters brought a special production to the table. As special guests of the show and with an entire hangar to play with, our problem was never going to be one of space – just the more pleasing situation of trying to decide on how to curate a very special set-up.

The Speedhunters hangar was to comprise three main elements: live car feature shoots, the Joy Of Machine photo exhibition and a merch stall showing off all the latest Speedhunters apparel.

The evening prior to the show, with an acreage of empty hardstand to play with and a hangar full of old military jets and spare parts for Spitfires, it seemed difficult to imagine the thousands of cars and even more people who would be arriving early the next morning.

But arrive they did, and soon the area outside the Speedhunters hangar was lined with a hand-picked selection of some of the most impressive cars on the UK scene.

A show like Players may be about cars, but it’s nothing without people.

In true Speedhunters tradition – and just like the show itself – our pick of Players best included an eclectic mix of drives, engines and styles.

In the midst of the crowd that ebbed and flowed around the hangar, Paddy worked through his list of cars to shoot. A short length of barrier was never going to be adequate demarcation…

Whilst Suzy and I soaked up the festival atmosphere outside, Paddy cranked out the shots: you’ll be able to see the fruits of his labour in the near future here on Speedhunters.

The hangar itself provided not just a great backdrop, but also helpful aiming points…

…and a stack of Peli hard cases provided a precarious Paddy perch for added height.

Whilst Paddy was shooting, so were many other people – with some great results. We were all impressed with Jason Laroza’s slick work in the crowded hangar.

Drawing people through to the rear of the hangar was the Joy Of Machine photo exhibition, previewing imagery from the next limited edition book that we’re about to send to press.

We’re super proud of it, and just as at the DUMPd show over in the Netherlands the exhibition seemed to prove a hit with everyone who looked round.

Especially the comments panel, which was surrounded by a sea of people all day.

So much so that by the end of the day all but a few photo cards were gone, replaced by comments. Alongside remarks relating to the exhibition, we also now have intimate knowledge of the relationships between several family members, an improved understanding of anatomy and the numbers for several places where we can ‘find a good time’. Bravo England!

All too soon it was time to pack up, leaving glum looks on everyone’s faces as we began to break down the exhibition and load all the parts onto this rather fabulous classic Transit.

We rounded off the event with people taking advantage of the sale of the ultra-limited edition large format prints shown off during the day, one taken from each chapter of the Joy Of Machine book. I’d had my eye on this print from DP Motorsports myself… So close!

Will we do it again? You betcha. Stay tuned for the next special appearance of the Speedhunters exhibition, coming up early in 2014.