Light Painting a 2019 Corvette Grand Sport (In a Cave!)
Here’s the story behind the creation of a cool light-painted photograph of a 2019 Corvette Grand Sport! This unique light painting project was created for Darin and Krista in Missouri during my 3rd annual trip to the Lake of the Ozarks Corvette Club Show!
Here’s the pre-light painting image of the 2019 Corvette Grand Sport at the cave.
This ended up being a light painting photography trip that had me driving through 11 different states! In just eight days, I covered over 2300 miles! Starting in Minnesota, I headed for Iowa, with a stop for a tour at one of our labs, and then it was on to Missouri for the Corvette Show.
From there, I headed to another cool light painting project in Alabama (coming soon). That project had me driving through Arkansas, Tennessee, and my first-ever visit to Mississippi. The return trip took me back through Tennessee, then into Kentucky, with a stop to visit the National Corvette Museum in Bowling Green, Kentucky. If you’re a Corvette fan, I would highly recommend a visit there.
My first visit to the National Corvette Museum. It’s a pretty cool place full of Corvette’s and their history. I highly recommend a visit there!
A third light painting project near Indianapolis got rained out and will have to be created down the road. Then it was back home via Indiana, Illinois, and Wisconsin!
The Amazing Lake of the Ozarks Corvette Club’s Members
As mentioned, this was my third trip to exhibit our light painting photography at the annual Lake of the Ozarks Corvette Club Show. These guys and gals put on such a wonderful show!
To give you an idea of the generosity of the club’s members, once again, for the third year in a row, I was a “roommate” at a member’s house! In 2023 and 2024, I stayed with Brian and Barb in their beautiful home. They’re the reason I’m involved with the LOCC in the first place! That backstory, along with their two beautiful light painting projects can be found at these two links:
2017 Corvette Grand Sport
Light Painting a 1927 Spirit T Roadster
This year, I stayed with Mike and Sandy, and their adorable “Guard Dog”, Dexter, in Dexter’s lovely home! I light-painted their stunning 2023 70th Anniversary Z06 after the 2024 show. You might remember those incredible light painting projects because one of them also featured the flying saucer from the Hollywood blockbuster movie “Men In Black”! Here are the links to both of those beautiful light painting projects:
Light Painting a 2023 Corvette Z06
Light Painting a 2023 70th Anniversary Z06
The 25th Anniversary Lake of the Ozarks Corvette Club Show
2025 marks the 25th Anniversary of the Lake of the Ozarks Corvette Show! With nearly 150 amazing Corvettes (and their wonderful owners) from all over the country, dozens of fantastic club members, and a great all-in-one location at Margaritaville Lake Resort, this is one of my favorite car shows in the country!
Hopefully, Joannie will be able to make the trip in 2026. I know she will love it too!
Our light painting photography booth set up for the 2025 LOCC Show.
It’s Not Just About the Corvettes – It’s About Giving Back
One of the things that I love about this show is the wonderful generosity of the club. The show generated $33,000 for local charities in 2024 alone! The following charities benefitted from the Lake of the Ozarks Corvette Club in 2024:
- Share the Harvest in Greenview. They serve an average of 800 local families a month with food insecurities.
- Citizens Against Domestic Violence. CADV recently opened a shelter with beds for 20 women and their children as well as 6 male beds, donations will be used to directly help those affected by domestic violence.
- Survivors of Blue Suicide. They directly assist those survivors of law enforcement individuals who have committed suicide.
- Kids Cove Respite House: They provide respite to foster parents for the opportunity to rest and rejuvenate, so they can better meet the needs of the children in their care.
- Kids Harbor Inc. provides a coordinated response, healing, and prevention of child abuse. They serve the Lake of the Ozarks, Fort Leonard Wood, and Surrounding Areas.
- Missouri Forget Me Not Horse Rescue and Sanctuary in Linn Creek. With 170 rescued horses on 130 acres.
- Meow Town Animal Rescue: With vet bills, food, and other costs entailed in rescuing animals, the shelter was relieved to receive help from LOCC.
- Dogwood Animal Shelter: The shelter houses 250 to 300 animals consistently, including medical treatment, food, and other costs.
- Wonderland Camp: They’ve given children and adults with disabilities the opportunity to come to camp for over 50 years! All activities are adapted so that everyone can participate.
- Community Bed Building through the Potter’s House Church.
As I said, the Lake of the Ozarks Corvette Club is amazing!
Ronnie & Becky’s stunning 2023 Corvette Z06 on display in the place of honor at the 2025 show. This car was the 2024 “Best of Show” winner. I had the opportunity to light paint this fine Corvette in Texas last year, along with 4 others!
If you’ll like to see the amazing light painting that we created of this stunning Corvette, and four of its cousins, please click on the link: Light Painting Five Corvettes at the Lodge.
The 5-Corvette light painting that we created last year, wrapped around Ronnie & Becky’s transport trailer. The 2024 Lake of the Ozarks “Best of Show” winner (shown above) is on the far left side of the trailer.
LO Profile Magazine
As if all that wasn’t enough, for the third year in a row, I had the opportunity to create the photographs for the show’s “Distinguished Commitment and Character Award” winner! Each year at the show, LO PROFILE Magazine selects one Corvette owner to receive this prestigious award. In 2025, the award’s recipient is Marcus Brown, and his beautiful 2005 C6 Corvette that you see below!
Marcus’ cool 2005 Corvette. He and his Corvette were LO Profile Magazine’s “Distinguished Commitment and Character Award” winner for 2025!
On Monday, following the show, I was with Marcus, and his Corvette, in the beautiful Lake of the Ozarks State Park for his photoshoot. Those images, as well as Marcus’ story, will be featured in the 2026 May/June Edition of LO PROFILE Magazine. I’m not allowed to share any of the images from the photoshoot until after publication next year. But I can tell you that between Marcus, his Corvette, and the location, they’re really cool!
However, coming soon, I will be sharing the images and the magazine’s story of Tom Messina, the 2024 “Distinguished Commitment and Character Award” recipient. That issue of LO Profile Magazine was just released, so now I can share my story and the images!
Now, Back to Light Painting a 2019 Grand Sport
On the night after her birthday, Krista and her husband Darin, along with their friends, Randy and Pam, led me to a remote location in southern Missouri. It was there we would create a light painting of their Corvette that I certainly didn’t see coming when I headed to Missouri!
Their 2019 Corvette Grand Sport would be light-painted in a cave!
Darin told me that he thinks of their Corvette Grand Sport as his “Batmobile”. And, when you look at it, it kind of does resemble the Batmobile a little bit. Even more so, when you place it in front of a huge cave!
This beautiful Watkins Glen Grey 2019 Grand Sport, with its 455 horsepower Chevrolet LT1 Small Block Engine, is a stunning-looking automobile! Batman would look great behind the wheel of this beauty!
Darin & Krista’s light painted 2019 Corvette Grand Sport at the “Bat Cave” – and yes, there were bats!
Light Painting a 2019 Grand Sport – The Movie
As always, I’ve created a short “Build Video” of this cool light painting project. We took 234 images that night, and more than 100 layers were used in Photoshop to create the final artwork for Darin and Krista. Their 2019 Corvette Grand Sport Build Video is below from our YouTube channel.
A big thanks to them for this cool opportunity to showcase their Corvette, and to the Lake of the Ozarks Corvette Club for their friendship and hospitality! We’re already looking forward to next year! – M&J