To learn how I leveraged social media and my interpersonal skills to introduce the Mitsubishi i to Los Angeles and my Twitter followers, click on the “Mitsubishi i Photoshoot” link to the right and browse through the thumbnail grid.

Sheetmetal surface language and detailed design cues are important endcaps, but size and proportion are the basis of any iconic design. America’s acceptance of smaller vehicles can be accelerated by giving the public an opportunity to pore through an internationally successful foreign-market vehicle like the Mitsubishi i. I asked photographer Chris Ness to accompany me on a tour of Los Angeles landmarks, and invited several passers-by to sit inside the car. We streamed our photos to Twitter to engage the digital realm, as well.

If you were gifted the opportunity to drive a foreign-spec space capsule, why would you cruise with your windows up? I dropped all four windows as soon as I took the keys, and the questions flowed freely at every stoplight.

I met up with Michelle “MissMotorMouth” Naranjo and Rex Roy of AOL Autos to get their snap impressions of the i. One quick snapshot of the duo inside the i ensured exposure to my Twitter followers — as well as theirs.

This little guy’s curiosity helped stage the best photo of the entire shoot. His dad generously offered to lead me to a photogenic neighborhood with a scenic bayside lookout. In that moment, my faith in car enthusiasts’ exceptional kindness was renewed.

The Mitsubishi i’s proportions make it a great springboard for photographic perspective experiments. Not many professionals possess social media skills, product knowledge, an ability to write, photographic acumen and a genuine eagerness to interact with the car-conscious public. I’m lucky to say that I continue to hone these skills in the field every day.

Chris Ness’s diverse photographic interests lend an exceptional perspective when he turns his lens to cars. Chris and the Mitsubishi i starred in one edition of my Twitter-based #SeatbeltSunday PSA campaign, which encourages readers to remind their loved ones to take one simple safety step when riding in a vehicle.

I invited Charlie Brumfield of BurnoutRadio to film a short video introduction for his Twitter readers, YouTube viewers and podcast listeners. Charlie’s casual analysis ensured the i’s exposure to a variety of diverse audiences — and I was the catalyst.

My Mitsubishi i photoshoot gave two entirely different audiences a close-up look at the car. Dedicated automotive enthusiasts followed the i’s journey online via Twitter and Facebook, while Californians with diverse interests pored through the car in person.