Alexandria, VA – I had been following Ted Hovis on social media for some time before I reached out to see if he had a photo from a past Old Town Festival of Speed & Style we could use for this month’s Zebra cover. That simple ask led us to a meet-up at a park bench overlooking the Potomac—and an easy, wide-ranging conversation about cars, photography, and what comes next.
Ted—relaxed, thoughtful, and quietly enthusiastic—talks about cars the way some people talk about old friends. Not horsepower stats or resale values, though he knows those, too. For Ted, it’s about something else.
“It didn’t start as my career,” he said with a smile. “But it’s my passion and where I’m headed.”
Newly retired, Ted, 52, is leaning all the way in on automotive photography—blending a lifelong love of cars with a photographer’s eye shaped across five continents. His mission is simple: to create striking, gallery-worthy portraits of people’s cars—whether framed by Old Town’s cobblestones or out on the open road, wherever the setting tells the story best.
Ted didn’t start out shooting cars. In 2014, he inherited his late father’s Canon 60D—a gift that became something more. What began as travel photography evolved into a serious pursuit, capturing architecture, landscapes, and wildlife around the world, with work recognized in print, online, and in competitions.
But like many artists, he found himself drawn back home. “Say what you will about Washington,” he said, glancing upriver, “but it’s a looker of a town.”
And so is Alexandria.
A lifelong car enthusiast and Porsche Club of America member, Ted owns a 2016 Porsche Targa GTS—but he’s far more interested in what’s in your garage.
“You love your car,” he said. “It probably wasn’t cheap, and you may not own it forever. Don’t let your only memories of it be a bunch of average photos.”
Cars mark moments—first big purchases, weekend escapes, chapters of life. Ted sees that, and he captures it. Whether it’s a vintage classic or a modern performance car, he approaches each shoot as both craftsman and collaborator. “I help people turn their automotive obsession into art,” he said.
Before photography, Ted dabbled seriously in music—recording albums and performing around the DC area, from dive bars to the 9:30 Club. That sense of timing still shows up, now in light and composition.
He credits his wife, Jen, as his partner in all of it—and “for putting up with all this car stuff.” The two live in Old Town North with their two cats—no kids, just a shared appreciation for a life that feels both grounded and creatively alive.
Spending time with Ted, what stands out isn’t just his talent—it’s his perspective. He’s not rushing. He’s paying attention. So if you’ve got a car you love, you might want to take a look at his work at oldtowncarphoto.com.
Because one day, that car might be gone—and wouldn’t it be nice to remember it the way it felt?
