Art & Inspiration Analog Hot Rod Photograpghy

Awesome thread thanks for adding the black and white gnrs photos!

that’s a great example of why a lot of little book feature cars had white interiors!

@BigJoeArt don’t know if you ever noticed the photos of the T from this last summer

 

After the show Friday, buddy Erik and I went to the open house at Lucky Burtons shop and on the way we stopped at Big Boy. Didn't eat there because it was an hour wait. Saw that *****in Cobra thats always theres and Luckys shop is so good! Unfortunately the lighting was TOO low but it was worth a shot lol

 

On the following Monday morning, before we got on our flight, we went down to Seal Beach because I had to get a breakfast burrito from Nick's Deli (again lol) and after we walked back from the pier we saw this *****IN 57 Ford parked on the street. Standard beach rust but pretty straight and perfect stance. Frenched antenna, shaved handles, striped dash As we were leaving the owner came up and gave us the scoop. He had owned it for the last 27 years and bought it from the 2nd owner I think (some kid who didnt own it very longer IIRC) who had painted it a dark maroon color and did the customizing (currently same color but faded). It was a police car but not a patrol car, just a run-a-round car with a 223 and 2-speed Fordomatic. Built in Long Beach and (although I didn't verify) apparently it was the 3rd car off the ***embly line for 1957. Pretty incredible. And it was for sale for $6500. Thankfully I couldn't afford it. Although I did give him my card....you know....just in case

 

Thanks for taking the time to post. 'Makes me want to dig out my old Nikon F2.

 

cool as usual Tim. can't wait for the next installment.

 

Summer 2025. Some pics of the boys leaving for Bonneville and Big Joes open house with some very expired Walgreens ISO400.

Enjoy

 

WagTag Open house 2025

 

I still have 2 rolls of film in the camera bag where my Cannon EOS 650 has been since 1995.

 

what is that strange intake??

 

Mmmm....krispy

 

Crusader Marine intake

 

I used to do a good bit of color 35mm and 120. I think the below shots were all on a Canon Elan 7N using Portra 400, developed and scanned by The Find Lab. Some 120 from a Mamiya 645J with the same stock.

 

Trusty side kick since 1966 35mm film camera...
Hello,

It must be your camera/lens combo that makes all of your photos slightly foggy. Some are not in focus, but that is another story. The subjects are nice as the old hot rods are stationary. The lens has something inside that needs to be cleaned out. Over time, “stuff” gets into most old lenses. It causes further photos a slight foggy effect, not by choice, but, it just happens.

Maintaining any old camera has its advantages. Clarity of the lens makes for a better photograph, B/W or color transparencies. Also, cleaning the open back of the camera when loading film is also important. Do this in a dust free area and use only a small rubber squeeze air blower to get the crud out, before loading in new film.

I had to use a two handed black photo bag to change a film roll in very dusty, windy weather. The bag was dust free and so was my 35mm camera to load the new film strip without any dust particles inside. Your camera may need a good cleaning or check out the lens for cloudiness. I covered all of my lenses (5) from a 50mm fast lens to a telephoto lens with skylight filters. Not only does it keep away dirt from the lens face, but it gave the light a clear effect on the developing photo.

But, comparing your camera set up and film choice… not all ****og camera photography is that way.

Pacific Coast Highway in Surfside California, near the U.S. Navy Base and ammunition loading harbor. The photo was taken out of my front window of the 1965 El Camino in 1968. (red hood appearance in the bottom of the photo) For as old as it is, the photo is clear and concise. Enlargements can be made without making anything blurry… to a size point.

50 yards out from the shoreline in Baja, Mexico with a 35mm b/w film shoot day. Hand held, pick up and take the photo while I was riding my longboard and my brother took the photo. No tripod and support, just elbows in the chest for support and focus on distance.

Jnaki

There are some of us old guys that still have our 59 year old 35mm cameras from the way back times in the early hot rod days. The photographs taken with the Pentax Camera, whether labeled Honeywell or Asahi come out the same. Crystal clear and sharp colors. Even the black and white photos are crystal clear.

When a local sports action magazine wanted photos of my invention of Sidewalk Scooters, they did not want the color Ektachrome slides that were perfect with great color.

So I had to use my other camera that already had B/W film in it. Plus X was perfect

Note:
The actual photo A 35mm Kodak Ektachrome slide, one of many in the same position.
But, the 2.25 x 2.25 color slide made the grade. (A twin lens reflex camera was used) A perfect 3 inch photo from a larger, color Ektachrome color slide for the cover shot… YRMV

Note 2:

We almost gave it to our granddaughter for a 35mm film camera when she needed one for a photography cl***. Luckily, I had purchased a new Canon A2 Automatic 35mm camera and accessories for my foray into surf photography and sailing photography.

The camera, lenses, 300-600mm telephotos and film were all new and ready for some action. We bought the set up, but never used it as the digital age hit all of us like a brick and made things much easier. So, the "new" equipment got some use by our granddaughter in her high school photo cl*** and college film cl***es.
A 59 year old camera still functioning as well as it did in its daily use hey day. And, is able to be used anytime with old or new 35mm film, Ektachrome slides or negatives.
Note:

"Wait a minute... Your Pentax Camera does not look like my Pentax Camera..." In the USA, the company, Honeywell had the rights to the Pentax name and called all cameras Honeywell Pentax brand in the publications and in camera shops across the USA. In the old days, traveling people from the USA with an Asahi Pentax camera were required to hand them over to customs to get a tax and change the prism top to Honeywell Pentax. So much for trademark brand name security. Yikes ! Everywhere else, the 35mm camera was labeled Asahi Pentax, the original camera company name.


After years of film cameras and developing dark room techniques, the feeling of creating a B/W image in the darkroom is enlightening. Something blank becomes a photo in front of your eyes and now, it is up to you to save it. Enduring the “aroma” of the chemicals, the constant dipping in one tray and then another, pouring the final solution to stop the developing… all part of the processing game, working in a red light room. YRMV

 

I just had a convo with Ryan about this sorta thing recently, so kinda funny it came up here. For me, the tactile nature of ****og photography just cannot be replicated by modern digital gear - although I shoot largely digital stuff for cost reasons. I adore the Olympus OM2n, OM2SP, Nikon FAs I use for 35mm car photography, and generally use my H***elblad 503CW, a 50mm F4 lens, and a rotation of films for most of my car-related medium format stuff, although I have a Fuji "Texas Leica" GSW690III I use sometimes too. I have a '54 Rolleiflex Automat k4a I shoot a ton and adore, but I find the standard-length lenses don't work well for my shooting style with cars.

That all said, I think your Ilford 3200 shots look great. Super hard to beat the look of Kodak Ektar when shooting anything with chrome on it on a sunny day too.