A few people have asked me to share images and details of my van, newly customized for shoots.  The goal behind this van was to have something that could serve each of the following requirements:

• Carry more gear than the old minivan
• Be tall enough inside to stand and work, or for people to change
• Create a dressing room with curtains in the back
• Have a table/bench to stow a small set of gear
• Clothing rack in the ceiling
• Enough seating for a crew or a few clients + art directors
• A small table for editing on the road, or for an AD to work at
• Black out shades for privacy and computer screen reading

The Sprinter van fit the size requirements, and with a diesel engine that gets about the same mileage as a minivan, it’s a solid workhorse.

So here’s what I added:

• Second chair to make the seating total 8
• Rear step
• Rear speakers
• small table in front of second seat for editing
• Carpeted table, equipment storage in the back
• Shades and curtains
• Lots of hooks and cleats (boat tie downs)
• Changing room in the back thanks to two sets of curtains
• Installed a large shower handle in the ceiling to use as clothing rack
• Carpeting everywhere

Believe it or not the second seat was the most expensive.

Things I’d do differently:

• The whole back step rather than a trailer hitch version (this will come soon).
• Rather than buy a 3000 Watt Honda generator for shoots, I would have installed marine batteries and an external outlet to get plenty of juice for about 3 hours with the engine not running – more with it running (Someday I’ll add these).
• Probably should have found my own curtain material.

Rear view of custom photography van

Gear storage, work table, clothing bar overhead

Carpeted 2×4 with hooks and cleats for storage

Editing table – folds down between two rows of bench seats

Curtains for changing room and work table from inside

Sprinter’s fold back doors and hitch step

Does it count as a mid life crisis car if it’s not red?