feel the power

really liked the color on this chevy. so polished, the sky reflected and it seemed to really glow. that tower of power behind it almost seems to be frankensteining it, amping up the color from a dingy brown, to a more vibrant sienna with copper undertones. maybe it's just my eyes.

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turkey day. family. no kids. they've grown up and have other plans. better half at home with his mom, i'm here with mine. his sister was supposed to come down from northern cali, but weather and other drama changed those plans.

my sister and her daughter coming for dinner here later. her daughter just got a new job and will be moving to japan soon, to teach engrish or some such thing. languages are easy for her--she can read, write, and speak japanese and spanish--so yay for her.

my son missed passing the bar by about forty points. he was really bummed for a few days, then got the written results. he knows what he needs to really study now, and feels positive he can pass next time. at least he scored better than his friends. he'll be having dinner with his fiance at his dad's, along with a zillion relatives. not really missing that part anymore...long ago, and lost in memory.

took a long walk at lunchtime. stopped at the atm, pulled some cash. was intending to not exactly feast at taco bell, but nope, closed. so, walked even farther, thinking maybe weinerschnitzel, since usually there's crap food open for half a day on thanksgiving somewhere, but nope, closed. carwash on the corner was open for business, with the guys waving their towels when finished. the mickey d's next door was open, and starting to get faint, settled for that.

have not been in one in a very long time. this one has been remodeled a few times since i was a kid, and since my kids were little. drive thru was hopping, but no line inside. big mac sucked, same as always, but at least you know that going in. filled that grumbly rumbly space in my belly anyway...take that stop growling.

thought about taking a really long way back, but the clouds overhead are really awesome, and when they blocked the sun, totally looked like rain coming.

so here i sit, all downhearted...

no computer, already read all the magazines, guess i'll watch youtube stuff or netflix on my ipad, and wait for turkey.

going home tonight, drive safe everyone!

false alarm

i've been staying at my parents' house the last couple of days, because it's closer to where i work, and i just didn't want to sit in holiday traffic, and enjoy everyone's holiday "cheer" on the freeway.

plus it rained in the middle of the night, last night. and it got slightly weird.

i get up for work before sunrise on weekdays. i had my alarm set for four-forty a.m.

so the alarm goes off. i do my usual inner argument about how nice and comfy the bed is, versus how cold and dark it is outside, so i would probably be better off staying under the covers, and hiding from state taxes. that took five minutes to convince myself to get up, i checked the time again.

into the shower, scrub, scrub, wash everwhere, and rinse off. thought i heard someone outside the door. my dad is a bit of an insomniac, so i am not too worried.

wrapping the towel around me, i peek down the hall. the light is on in my parents' room, which is unusual, since my mom is not an insomniac, goes to bed around midnight, and doesn't wake up until eight or nine most days.

i hear my dad downstairs. he had been installing a new kitchen faucet when i went to bed last night. i hear drilling and the sound of metal wrenches being rifled through in the toolbox.

i go into my parents' room, to find my mom, in curlers, fiddling with her hair. i asked her why she was up so early.

she looks at me strangely, and asks me why i'm awake so early. she'd been helping my dad with the sink, and putting everything away, and was just getting ready for bed. she says it's only almost two a.m.

what the actual fuck. i go back to my room and check my phone. yup two in the morning, and i've just taken my morning shower.

was i dreaming that i'd heard the alarm, had my inner argument, and checked the time again?

fuck.

so, i dry my hair, and go back to bed. change the alarm to five-forty...already took care of shower time. then, i can't go back to sleep. rolled around for an hour or so, and just drifted off to sleep, when the real alarm did go off.

at least it was a short day at work. at least i hadn't gotten fully dressed, had bfast, and driven to the office way too early.

still, what the hell? so, so weird.

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i liked this car. a little difficult with it half in shade and half in sun. not really sure why the shoes are sitting there. i'm going to say they're more stylish and subtle than your typical chock block.

ah, space.

wandering through a car show presents some challenges, at least as far as seeing a good picture. cars packed in closely, people wandering between the cars, overhead wires, open hoods—all things that bother me, and sometimes distract from the focal point of a picture.

so, when i see a car off by itself, i take advantage of the opportunity. open space. room to look around, see the car from all angles.

spotted this truck from the entry alley. shot those first, and hoped it would still be sitting by it's lonesome by the time i got to it. it was.

behind me, a parking lot with a few cars, and the raffle desk. from here, overhead wires, and a pop up. decided this was better.

only took this one shot. felt like i got the one angle worth getting of it.

as i was walking out, a guy stopped me to ask who i shoot for. i asked which car was his...none. he had driven in as a passenger in this truck. lucky you.

big toys for big boys

went to la habra today, to get lunch. well, first to stop by the classic oldies toy drive, then to lunch.

found them hiding back behind the businesses, with the entrance lined with the members' cars...fleetmaster, master deluxes, deluxes...all chevys. knew i made the right decision to drive out.

and it didn't seem to be like some other toy drives i've been to, where cars were just passing through, dropping off a toy; it really was a show, with raffles. it is a bit early in the season, so maybe there wasn't another show they needed to make an appearance at either.

overall, i liked it a lot. mostly cars i love, lots of representation from many car clubs. my only issue was that it turned out to be a hot day, not windy, like they (the weather dudes) promised. good for a show, not great for me.

after a couple of hours in the sun, hauling the bag around, i had to leave. remember, i said i was going to lunch...ya, so i was getting a little wobbly, and my side was bothering me, so i had to leave, even as more cars were showing up. :(

probably should have brought the water my better half told me to, as i walked out the door, but, i just don't have anywhere to put it in this bag. maybe i'll go back to the old roller bag. liked it better anyway.

feeling dizzy

still have more from this show to work on. only stayed three or four hours, but still took over thirty gigs of pictures; pretty typical. stayed until my side started hurting more than i could ignore it. doctors don't know what it is; i'm thinking i've pulled some muscles walking my kid's dog, or is it him walking me? i can think of no other reason. took some follow up xrays, and the cracked rib seems to be healed.

anyway, was out and about today, side still hurting. stopped by the classic oldies toy drive show, so i'll stop with this one for a few days, and post some of those up.

walked up to the post office and took a longer way, several blocks out of the way home, and just started feeling dizzy. no reason. made it home, and still feeling wobbly and overheated. maybe too much sun today?

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i do like the rainbow building in the background, so i may be over posting it too much lately. lots of color and texture of the building playing off the silkiness of the cars is just enticing to me.

parking a fleetline in front of it, just makes it better. love me a fleetline...

pop’s car

i'm getting a little lazy recording which car belongs to which club. i jumped around from one side of the street to another, from car to car, so even if they are parked in groups, i don't necessarily remember which. and then some cars don't have a plaque anyway.

i'm not seeing who this car might belong to, but i do remember a guy asking where he could see the pictures, because it is his "pop’s" car.

i shot the back end too, but i'm not too jazzed about it.

still need to decide if i like any of the pictures i shot of armando's bel air...

under the rainbow

another from this past weekend. i've had a request for more, so i'll put them up as i can. took me more than an hour and half to get home today, and i had to get some other stuff taken care of before sitting at my computer.

got a few shots of cars lined up parallel to the sidewalk early, before they started moving them into the final locations, crammed in together. just another reason to be there early. and usually, the guys are out and about chatting with others they haven't seen for a while, so the cars are all mine. they watch, but mostly are out of the shot.

this impala is beautiful. i'd drive it. love the back of these.

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the sideview above was selected to show at the twenty sixteen orange county fair.

og cruzn

i haven't pulled my cameras out of the bag in a few weeks. been resting my side, like the doctor said. still hurts, so waiting on results of xrays. maybe monday.

got the batteries charged, getting up early for a show tomorrow. always somewhat nervous about going out after not shooting in a while. shouldn't be; it is sort of like riding a bike, and it doesn't take long to get back into a groove.

at least it will be cooler than the last few shows i went to, now that winter is moving in. weather people keep flip flopping on whether it will rain or not. now they've settled on a ten percent chance, so very doubtful.

so, old memories, we will be there early early. hoping for a decent parking place again.

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saw this impala at the uptown show back in august. i like the back ends, with the wingspan out to there. didn't care much for the color and glitter, but it isn't my car to stare at all day, every day. 

shot early, still in the staging area...can tell because of location and how they are not parked in the spaces; just sitting in the middle of the street.

for all i know

another busy week, though unusually, not so much at work. as in enough to keep me busy for a full day, but not work overload with multiple deadlines. i actually caught up with everything before the end of the day, which happens about three times a year. then i don't know what to do with the time.

nothing has come to pass with taking executive portraits since they asked a couple of months ago, so i guess everything i've read up on it will fade from my noggin. i could practice shooting family members, but aside from my better half, around here, no one likes to be in front of the glass. i think i'll stick with cars, and call it a day.

looking forward to a veterans day car show this weekend, but for all i know, it will rain. it's been sprinkling around work and in random cities on my commute, but it seems to be missing whittier and los angeles for the most part. does seem to follow a pattern of warming up the weekend then getting overcast for back to work monday.

i do love the overcast and clouds for pictures, though. this chevy pic turned out ok. even managed to get an angle that hides most of the other cars around it, and in between all the people admiring the cars.

let the sunshine in

i've had a completely unambitious weekend so far. mostly catching up on sleep. did a little laundry.

still need to make some travel plans for next month. kid getting married out of town. those plans are done. also making a road trip out of it, so need to decide how much in debt i want to go, since it would just be me, out and about, during the holiday season. i could hole up in a random hotel somewhere, and hide out until xmas passes.

or i can just head straight home, and spend time with my better half and his mom, then head to my parents' for what is, lately, quiet xmas dinner. my brothers have moved out of state, so it's just my sister and me now.

some years, i just don't want to deal with holiday cheer; some i'll reluctantly participate. this year, i'm feeling a bit indifferent about it. no little kids around for the time being, so i can still choose not to deal with it.

i'm sure the closer to xmas it gets, the likelihood of me just saying 'fuck it' will go up.

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getting to car shows early, and catching pictures like this one, cheer me up just fine. 

oldies' san fernando high school car show in july—hasn't disappointed me yet. even if it is hotter than hell there, i try to do my best to at least have a look at every car there. except those extreme machines. hate those cars. really, i do.