A few weeks ago, Porsche celebrated a milestone here in Austria. It has been 60 years since the now iconic 911 hit the Austrian market, and to commemorate this occasion, Porsche Austria decided to do something rather special. All eight generations of 911 (from 901 to 992) were pulled out of the Porsche Museum in Stuttgart and cautiously couriered over to Salzburg for a driving experience that a select group of journalists were sure to cherish for the rest of their lives.

The proceedings began at Porsche Alpenstraße in Salzburg, with the journalists checking themselves in and taking part in a small presentation before being handed the keys to a few really rather rare pieces of history. Once the child-like giddiness had been overcome and the perfect seating positions had been found, things got underway. The cars took off in two smaller groups (generations 1-4, and 5-8) each with its own lead car.

Over the course of two days, two sets of journalists spent two days each, bouncing their ways from seat to seat through all 8 vehicles, all while sweeping their way through some of the most scenic landscapes Austria has to offer. The drive started off fairly mildly, first working our way out of the city, but soon the scenery, and accompanying roads, turned into something rather spectacular. I spent most of that time hanging out the back of a car, shooting the car-to-car photos. As a post-drive highlight, the entire entourage was given a tour of the Porsche Museum in Gmünd, as well as a private viewing of the museum owner’s private collection. Possibly the coolest garage I’ve ever seen. After all the day’s activities came to a close, the journos were shuttled to the properly beautiful Millstätter See, where they spent their evening dining and chatting with the Porsche media team.

Day 2 was where each group of journalists got to really experience these cars in what could be considered their most natural habitat. Tanked up on coffee and breakfast, the lucky sods were about to experience the driving highlight of their lives. The reason: The second day’s driving activities took the journalists in their convoy of Porsches up and over the legendary Grossglockner Hochalpenstrasse (Alpine Road). Aside from the breathtaking views and perfect tarmac, the place is also the historical proving ground where Ferry Porsche tested many of his early cars. Words and photos, as good as they may or may not be, cannot and will not do this place justice. It simply has to be seen. After a leisurely lunch at the F.A.T. Mankei (the very cool, Porsche owned bistro at the top of the pass), the journalists took their finals seats in the cars for the drive home.

Once the cars had all been safely returned to Porsche Alpenstraße, all the requisite hands had been shook, and all the bags and belongings made their way back to the proper owners, we headed back to the hotel for some late night editing, dinner and some sleep, in order to do it all over again the next day.

In all, 2 groups of 16 journalists each spent two days driving the cars and creating great memories. For me and the others that made up the photo and video team, we got to do it all twice. What a dream.

I celebrated a bit of a milestone myself with this job, because it was the first time I have had Porsche as a client. Beyond the fact that I was shooting for Porsche was the fact that I was shooting these insane vehicles on these Alpine roads. On the last day, I was once again lucky enough to take on the roll of car-to-car photographer, but this time not while leaving Salzburg, but while leaving Millstatt. What that meant was that I would be shooting the cars on their way up the Grossglockner. Once we had passed through the toll gate and started shooting in earnest, it really moved me, because it was a t that moment, as I was shooting these cars, seeing them through the viewfinder of my camera, that it dawned on me that I was now shooting these cars on these roads, as I had so often seen it done in the European motoring magazines that served as inspiration in my earlier years as a car photographer.

I could not have asked for a better introduction into my world of photographing Porsches.