Cars, Cameras&Clovis: An Unexpected Celebration of Car Culture

When our sister company KW Automotive invited BBS to join them in Clovis, California, for Cars, Cameras & Clovis, an event organized in collaboration with automotive photographer Larry Chen, we were intrigued. We accepted the invitation, packed our show materials, loaded our crate, and headed west.

To be honest, we weren’t quite sure what to expect.

Most of our event activity in California tends to be concentrated in Southern California, so the Central Valley was relatively unfamiliar territory for the BBS team. Clovis wasn’t a market we had spent much time exploring, and we wondered how deeply the local automotive community would embrace an event like this.

As it turned out, we had absolutely nothing to worry about.

From the moment we arrived, it was clear that the passion for cars and automotive culture runs deep in this part of California. Cars, Cameras & Clovis exceeded our expectations in every way, introducing us to an incredibly enthusiastic community and a collection of people who are genuinely passionate about everything automotive.

And this wasn’t simply a car show.

The event brought together an incredible cross-section of automotive culture. There were cars spanning multiple generations and continents, from modern performance machines to classics that have become icons in their own right. The lineup included JDM legends, European performance cars, hot rods, lowriders, lifted trucks, lowered trucks and motorcycles—all sharing the same space and the same enthusiasm.

One of the biggest highlights was the impressive collection of JDM machinery, led by an outstanding gathering of Nissan GT-Rs representing multiple generations. Alongside them were an impressive assortment of Porsche, BMW and Audi models, as well as American classics and custom builds.

The variety was what made the event so special. There was something for virtually every enthusiast.

The event also brought together two cultures that naturally go hand in hand: cars and photography.

KW Automotive, Belltech, ST Suspensions and BBS represented the automotive side, while camera manufacturers including Minolta, Canon, Fujifilm and Nikon were on hand representing the local photography community and supporting Horn Photo, the Clovis-based camera store.

The combination made perfect sense. Great cars inspire great photography, and great photographers know how to capture the details, personalities, and stories that make those cars special.

Another element that made Cars, Cameras & Clovis unique was the combination of indoor and outdoor displays. Featured vehicles were positioned throughout the venue, creating an environment that encouraged attendees to explore rather than simply walk through a traditional car-show layout.

Some attendees also had the opportunity to tour the facilities and get a closer look at the automotive businesses and craftsmanship happening behind the scenes.

For BBS, the event was about much more than displaying wheels. It was an opportunity to meet new enthusiasts, connect with potential customers, strengthen relationships with industry partners, and experience a part of California’s automotive culture that was largely new to us.

And perhaps that was the biggest takeaway from the weekend.

We arrived in Clovis not knowing exactly what to expect. We left with a much greater appreciation for the people, cars, and businesses that make this community special.

Cars, Cameras & Clovis reminded us that great automotive communities aren’t limited to the places we already know. Sometimes, you just have to take the invitation, load the truck, and see what’s waiting on the other side.