i have a hard time passing by the back end of impalas, with their sweeping fins. so i found this version in the form of a wagon unusual, but still enough to make me stop.
turns out to also be a viejitos member, only this one for the inland empire. nice and low. which is exactly how i was to get this shot, which if i remember right, had the owner wondering what the heck i was doing behind his car. for all i know, that's his kid sitting there, wondering the same thing.
i went to a couple of shows on friday, which i have not been to in at least a year. because frankly, they were sucking donkey balls. i'll give a show a couple of trys before i decide it ain't worth the drive for either the number or variety of cars, or else just the people and/or vibe. and with the price of gas spiking thirty cents in a day, i guess i should get more picky.
on fridays, there are at least three shows i used to hit up when i got started. and all are basically on my way home, so it worked out. the one in garden grove used to be pretty huge for a main street show, until the local businesses, the show organizers and cops squeezed out the bad boys, and then pissed off a lot of the car owners.
that was the first one i stopped at. not much has changed in a year. pretty much the same diehards there. not as many cars as before. the latin gents were there, and i did take time to shoot their cars, because they're pretty sweet. i'll post some of them eventually.
then, for whatever reason, i decided to give the elks club in buena park another shot. i'd been there a couple of times a year ago. where i found quite a few of the deserters from garden grove. i also shared the story, here somewhere, of my parking in one of the grand poobah's spaces, getting told to move it, and how that wasn't very welcoming at the time. that, and the fact that there warnt much there.
forward to yesterday: the lot was packed, lots of hoods down, no one really bothered me, and surprise, surprise, several of the viejitos were parked out in the back along the wall. mind you, i had just spent the previous sunday at their show in fullerton, but i'm always happy to see the cars in new locations, at a different time of day.
ok, it's getting late, almost midnight, so i gotta wrap this up.
i took a bunch of shots of their cars, then went off to take others up by the entrance. as it was getting later, and closer to raffle time, everyone gathers in the middle of the lot. so i went back over to the best cars, as the sun was starting to go down. it was awesome, because, no one was around to get in the shots, and i could pretty much do what i wanted.
there was one old guy (it's an elks lodge after all) who walked slowly by, who remarked on how i was losing the light. i told him, i certainly wasn't, and i was going to be getting my best shots right about now. wonder if he'll see them when i post them.
thinking i should have stayed a bit later, but this will do. and i came thisclose to going to ruby's as well, but i had to eat, and figured they'd be about done when i got there. so now i probably won't make it there until their last show of the season at the end of this month.
this car was/is for sale. i know how to get hold of him, if you're interested.
sorry i can't chat tonight. gotta get to bed, but wanted to at least post a purty picture. this one belongs to one of the ladies at the viejitos show. she came over and chatted for a minute. beautiful car...so jealous.
ttfn.
i was going to upload a different picture, and then noticed this one. wonder what i was doing the day i intended to post it, then completely forgot about it. huh.
whatever. this one was at the viejitos show in fullerton. lot wasn't too crowded that day. my better half chatted up the club and took a group picture, that he is a couple months behind in posting for them <hint hint d>. he said that the restaurant was thinking of cancelling their shows due to lack of participation. that would be a shame now, wouldn't it?
this seems to be the kodak moment spot in this lot. if you're in this club. here's your car, there's your banner. don't remember seeing this one here last time.
you know, when you go to a lot of shows, you start remembering the cars, which ones you've seen, which ones you've shot and where, and would this be a better picture than the last one... i walk past many very nice cars, even with the hoods down, if i don't think it would make a better shot than the last one i took of it. or if it's very similar to one i've already taken.
i really should start finding the owners of cars, and get them to pose in the reflections of their cars, much like my nephew there on the door.
so i did get out to a couple of shows today. stayed at this one in fullerton for a couple of hours, and ran out of time for another in santa ana. i'd been to this one back in december, when they had a toy drive. that was crazy packed; this one, not so much. but to make up for that, all chevys, in years i love.
most belonged to the orange county viejitos, especially since they sponsor it. my better half came along for the afternoon, with his nephew. i'd told him about this show for several months, but hadn't been able to get back to it until today.
he missed a bunch of cars out in the back of the lot, because he was shooting a lot of cars up front. also chatting with the club members. i guess one of them asked if he could take a picture of the group, so before we left, they were called out to pose.here's my shot of them setting up.
there were so many nice cars, as always, i have to just pick one to start with, and run with it. this one was parked up by the entrance. i like it a lot. not sure if it was the color or the model or what, but here it is. maybe i can talk my better half to go back again next month.
after this one, we drove over to lakewood, arrived before official starting time, and parked in the shade. we checked out what was already there, and waited for about half an hour to see if anything else interesting would drive in. knowing that there are several other bigger shows going on, didn't expect a whole lot more to show up, so we just left without shooting a thing. it happens.
ah yes. eventually, i'll think of an appropriate (or inappropriate) title for this post. inevitably, i need to get some sleep. someday, i'll finally sort through my to do list at home. soon, i'll order the blinds for my windows...the list goes on and on. things that always get put off. i suppose in the end, it will all catch up with me.
for now, i'm still choosing to distract myself with my pictures. but today, i think i've had enough of sitting: driving to work for 50 minutes; in front of a computer for 8 hours at work, driving home for another 50 minutes; eating dinner and chatting with my better half for another hour before he has to go back to the office for the evening...then sitting a bit longer to play with my pictures. enough already. i'm off to bounce on my trampoline, and then finally a chance to lay down for a few hours before starting all over again.
the clock is ticking. i doubt any of us will look as good as this car when we reach the same age.
i saw this car originally a month ago, at the viejitos fullerton show. this picture was from the xmas show in santa ana, the following week.
the owner had it parked up at the entrance in fullerton, and asked me to take a picture of it. it was parked in the shade next to a tent, next to the restaurant. in that light it looked blackish. those shots really didn't turn out that bad, but when i saw it again here, wayyyyy better. with the sun hitting it, you can see the glitter in the paint.
but the point of the title of this post, was that when he first asked that i shoot the car, he also asked if i wanted to sit in it, and see how nice it is inside. had to turn him down, as i'd already been shooting other cars and sitting on the ground and such, so i was afraid i'd get his upholstery dirty. had to say no, unfortunately for me. nice of him to ask. maybe some other time, before i start shooting.
today, my former brother-in-law died...that's all i want to say about that.
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yet another car from the viejitos show; i've got a few more to share before i let it go. this car's not perfect, but i like it anyway—a bit of character. found it hiding at the back of the lot.
this belongs to the president of the viejitos club. he seemed like a nice guy, welcomed me right away, but that's what you'd expect from the host of the party. he asked if i'd taken a shot of his car, "the brown convertible up at the front." at the time, no, i'd just arrived, but i did go back up to the entrance and take a couple of shots.
i can't recall that i've seen another convertible like this one. i haven't decided if i would have rather shot it with the top down, or just as i found it.