ghosts

what is it with the ghost flames/color on color i see too often? they're there, but they're not, which is the whole point, i guess, but what a pita they are to photograph. even with a little bit of sparkle thrown in the mix, it's difficult to catch the light on them just right. the glitter throws the light all around and messes with my camera focus.

found this one in cypress. first time i made it there this year. i have pictures from last year, but i didn't remember it quite this flamey. gotta be the sunlight hitting it. i need to start carrying a little step ladder, not only to get the details here, but i'm seeing highly designed and airbrushed roof tops, that are just a shame to not be able to see from my height. i'm gonna take to leaping small buildings or standing on top of other cars or something. so aggravating when i see those and am too short to aim the camera, should i attempt to fully extend the tripod legs. guess i could just wing it and see what i get.

driving ms dsy

almost called this one up the tail pipe, but changed my mind since i wasn't close enough, and didn't want the owner to be razzed about the connotations. it's late and i don't feel like my usual smart ass self, or so my better half describes me.

anyway, on this overcast day in riverside, this sunny yellow chevy made me happy. love the back end of these babies. the fins make me happy, though on this model, they're a little stubby.

some dude asked if this was my car, i suppose because i was taking a picture of it. infrequent question, but my typical answer, "nope, but i wish."

its1956

yes, yes it is. 1956. says so on the plate.

this is gary's car. i've only met him a couple of times. he's a funny guy.

this shot was from the first time i ran into him, where he made some typical remark, when i was shooting the back end of his car and another bel air next to it (not shown, except for the reflection on gary's car) — can't remember the exact phrasing, but i'm sure you can guess how it went. everyone has to make those kind of comments to a girl on her knees shooting up at the tail lights i suppose.

he happened to have closed the hood for some other photographer, so i went around to the front for this shot, though the back end wasn't bad either. notice i didn't say his back end...

ran into him again last week, where he mislead me on the ownership of another car and knew about my predilection for closed hoods. they do look better closed, don't you think, gary?

PNS car

i'm feeling fiesty tonight...quick post and then to bedski...

this is a mid-life crisis in action. i'm thinking it belonged to the doctor guy in scrubs with too many gold chains around his neck. but that's just me making up a story. fun to imagine.

this cars says, "i gots too much money and i'm insecure and/or compensating" or "i gots too much money and i'm full of myself." or i could be nice and think, "i've worked hard and can afford it, so why not treat myself?" nahh, too few of those guys driving this type of car.

anyway, it wasn't really in the show, just outside of the designated area. to the effect of "look at me, look at me," it did make me stop and shoot it. but only because i've never seen one before and it got me thinking wtf?

i think its a new-fangled corvette, though there is absolutely no insignia on it, except for the checkered flags on the center of the wheels. maybe its just a fiberglass body on an old vw bug chassis, a kit car...lol.

hey doc, if it is yours, i don't mean nuthin about you in particular, just what goes through a girl's head when you see this kind of thing. i'm not going to judge the guy by his car... good luck to you.

keep on...

yay for ruby's in whittier. first night of the season was as busy as i'd ever heard it was. saw wonderful cars driving away...though i don't think they were turning them away. designated spaces were full, so there were several parked in the middle of the aisle and on the ends of the islands. i think a handfull parked in the next row over; 24 hour fitness probably doesn't appreciate that.

i had to go home first to get out of my work clothes and get my camera gear. threw it all in the trunk and started driving. i was probably about 5 blocks from the show when i realized my tripod was still at home, and had to turn around and go all the way back. it usually stays in the trunk, but i've used it so much the past year, the legs had become too loose—actually starting to slowly slip down as i used it. i'd taken it into the house so my better half could adjust it. he'd tightened it up the week before, then had to do an unexpected business trip to san fran. one of the legs was so tight, i couldn't do the low down shots.

he'd had to use some special wrench and it was too tight for me to fix. had to wait for him to get home and do it. blah blah blah, anyway, i'd forgotten to get it from the corner of the room where he'd left it.

like i said, i was not disappointed in the turn out. just a little bummed about there being so many people, and of course getting there late, more open hoods.

i've seen this truck several times in various places. never very satisfied with the shot or location. here it was again. earlier i'd walked by it, as it was too crowded with people and the car next to it. but  when i went by this time, the car next to it had gone, so i had more room to play with.

sun was starting to set, cars were getting that glow. really the picture i got from the camera was pretty good on it's own, but i did  tweak it slightly to play up the details. i like it anyway.

return of dragon master

i've done this one before. almost the same angle, and same parking spot. but the owner is a friendly sort of guy, and came right over to mention that his baby was freshly cleaned and polished, and that nasty chair in the former post was not parked up front (though he forgot about that one at the back).

that's him in the reflection of the fender with me, and the owner of said nasty chair as well (wearing the hat). lol. nasty chair owner always likes to tell me how i should shoot a car — i'm not quite clear on whether he was a photographer of some sort in a past life.

he (mr. nasty chair) wanted me to shoot from the other side, which i did, but i liked the background stuff (a light pole impaling the car and traffic lights) less than from this side. of course, his car was on that side, and is reflected in the door of this car. kept saying he painted it the color of his girlfriend's fingernail polish. great, but here it's just an obnoxious hot pink reflection.

the owner of this car told the other guy to pipe down and let me do it my way, which is what i always do anyway.

swee’pea

between work (12 hours yesterday) and computer problems (internet connection and a backup drive that misbehaves and locks up my system), i am surprised i can post at all.

and i finally got out to a few car shows after not going for a few weeks. yippee. checked out foothill ranch briefly. not much going on for the first show. took a few shots, ignored the cars with their hoods up, watched a couple good ones get away.

tonight i stopped over at peris off alondra. first time i've been since it started up earlier this month. fairly good turnout, too many hoods up. did see a few of the guys that i met last year, and a couple of them that like to give me a hassle, but in a good way. you know who you are...thanks guys. lol.

then over to the broiler - haven't been there in several weeks. what the hell is with all the cop cars in the lot? had to have been at least one in the street and 3 or 4 in the lot - one in the back, a couple up front in the show spaces. something happen while i was gone? anyway, they seemed to have scared off the good cars. still a few there, but not much going on. didn't even take one picture there.

i've had a couple of inquiries by owners about pictures i might have of their cars. patience grasshoppa. to those that have asked, i'm slowly getting around to them. ordinarily, i pick a picture at my whim, whatever my mood happens to be, or if a picture strikes me somehow on any particular night i'm flipping through my files. so many to choose from, it gets difficult sometimes.

anyway, these chevys belong to the showlows car club, which includes this truck. they were along the back fence. hey ronnie, what do you think? i also have one of the mercury monterey and the impala – are they in your club too?

not sure what i liked more that evening—the cars or the sunset sky full of clouds.

pale rider

so a quick post, then off to bedski. been traveling on business, and off on the second half tomorrow to florida. unfortunately, my better half has to stay home and hold down the fort, but has kindly offered to take me the airport at some ungodly hour. thanky boy.

this chevy pulled in to the back of the broiler on this particular evening, a few weeks ago now. owner got out and walked up to the front of the lot, i suppose to check out the other cars. all i know for sure is that i got this one shot in before too many people came over to peek at it, so i moved on to those others along the back fence.

by the time i came back for more, the car had gone–maybe he just moved up to the front; maybe aliens had beamed it up; maybe the crack in the time continuum closed back up–i don't know fer shure, since i left after that without taking another lap to the front of the lot myself. oh well.

see you all again soon.

siblings

these two could be brother and sister, so different, yet so similar. i suppose the truck would be big bro, watching over his little sister. and she's so hot. party in the front, no junk in the trunk...ehh, no trunk. lol.

i know i talked to the owner of the hot rod at this show; gave him my card and he commented that he had the same last name. i think he was one of the vendors, so probably the truck belongs to the company or partner. too much of a coincidence otherwise.

of course, i wished the hood was down, but couldn't resist the hot rod, so what the hell.

i get off on...

ha, made you look.

...and screaming guitars, like the way it hits me everytime it hits me...

this one is often at the fuddrucker's show in el toro, though it is usually facing the other way when the sunset hits it. he likes to park at the end of the parking island, so is generally pretty good for getting a decent shot without a lot of other cars smashed up next to it. different spot this time, but i liked the light on it, and of course, those wonderful fins.

------------

busy time at work, so probably will not be posting as frequently as i like for the next couple of weeks. didn't even have time for a show at all this week... :(  but looking forward to checking out a new one on sunday, if it doesn't rain. :)