love those pictures, old camera, old film whatever you are an artist. The old buildings and cool cars are perfect. love the images, reflections and everything about them.
Y’all are getting seduced by the novelty of film. I was running a 40mm lens when my eye is calibrated for 35mm, and if I am being honest I should have gone wider still, probably 28mm. Because of that, every frame is cramped. No breathing room. No negative space. No atmosphere. It all feels a half step too close, like I crowded the scene instead of letting it unfold. And the sky? Blown to hell in half of them. Just scorched white where there should be tone, depth, detail. That is not mood. That is operator error. And let’s not pretend otherwise. A disciplined photographer would have do***ented the show. The cars. The people. The energy. He would have communicated what was actually happening instead of slipping into some self conscious exercise about “the art” of making images. That kind of navel gazing is narcissistic nonsense. The camera is a tool. If the photographer becomes the story, something has drifted off course. But here is the inconvenient truth - I do not particularly care. I had an excuse to go shoot. I had an excuse to develop old film. I had a good time. And I’ll get em next time…
Like most "photographers", you are too hard on yourself. But that's ok in a way. You strive to improve. I like them.
Thank god you posted this, I was about to say how terrible they were… (says a guy that can’t get a car in frame with an I phone) Seduced by film? Hell yes I am. Even “bad” pictures on film speak more than crisp digital pictures in my mind. Harkens to a different time. Hard on yourself yes. That’s how we improve.
I totally get the concept of just **** it, go to the event, shoot the subjects, and leave! This particular offering from you, as ever, is pure eye candy, via the "give a **** less" commando style, sniper photography. This particular shot, is what really caught my eye, all of the elements of the various components, I have never seen put together like that! There is no need for me to dissect this shot, to point out the rare pieces that the owner of the car ***embled! Great capture! @Ryan. Thanks from Dennis.
I love the concept. Like a mission spe******t its surgical. Get in, accomplish, exit... Really enjoyed the write-up and its always nice to see photos of the machinery that shows up for this event!
This!!!! That's why this was fun and why the photos don't really matter. And this shot is a great example of why I should have used a 28mm. I think it would have been better if there was more context. The edge of the firewall should be in frame along with a touch of the radiator. As it stands, the motor isn't really framed nicely. But that motor is really neat... I like the heads more than anything. Another shot: This shot could have been something special if I had taken two more steps back or, better yet, had a 28mm bolted on instead of what I was running. The Lee Pratt ’40 is iconic enough that the real sickos, the guys who eat this **** for breakfast, can identify it just by the greenhouse alone. That silhouette is a fingerprint of sorts... If I had managed to get the entire car above the beltline in the frame, it would have sealed the deal. The kind of shot where half the room nods knowingly and the other half stares at it wondering what the hell they are looking at. I love that tension. The insiders get it. The outsiders think it is just odd geometry. But I blew the framing.
you must have had fun and still are...I have to regularly do things to reinforce why I need to fall back on what works for the best outcome hit and run
ok, so you did frame it oddly. But, you know the difference. Shooting more to learn the craft and the art. Batting averages are just this.
Old buildings, old cars and hot rods, old camera, old lens, old film, No tripod, no cable release, strictly handheld, pure Russian roulette with 24 vintage bullets ( exposure’s ) = magnificent results!
I love the first photo, from how the car blends into the cabin and the bush, like it's part of the landscape, to the cool reflections in the grille shell. The cropped version of the louvers is also really cool, with all the different highlights and shadows. I also like the shot of the roadster with the flames, how you focused on the bullet holes. You can tell that body spent some time in a farmer's field.
Love it. first thing to come to mind was a photo on the jalopy journal, possibly before the hamb? I recall a rear 3/4 from above of a 60’s impala maybe? White with sea weed flames on the side of the road. maybe a Mcphail road trip story? either way I guess it goes to show the tie of film and nostalgia
Welcome to the idea of strategically cruising shows! I have been doing this for about 10yrs and it started when I had been to my umpteenth show with my buddy who had to stop and lollygag at every single display! I now go by myself and cruise up and down every aisle quickly and stopping at just whatever I decide is unique or interesting enough to spend my time on. Your photos are just fine for the get in and out and not get bogged down with the finer composition details, run and gun and go! I specifically like the composition of just the slope of the roof above the belt line, it's about the form of the line and not about the rest of the car that everyone already knows!!! Prospective views need to change, remember to use ladder, sit on your a** and crouch as needed to get the variety! You decide what the composition is for, you and/or your audience!
Great pics! I heard you were there but I chalked it up to a bigfoot sighting and took it with a grain of salt...
You sound like the old ****head in MI that does woodgrain. Gets about a 3rd of the way across the dash panel and says "Well this ****s..." and it gets washed off. Try again. Nope. Funny thing is, and I know this to be true, it's probably better than most out there. Not to me though. Gummies be damned, I go for more immediate and organic. Walk it off for a few minutes, the entire world ignores, grab the brush. Now I can "see" it. It almost just falls off the bristles. Still, all I see is how I did it and not the grain I intended to represent. I have to take a pic with my phone and look at it later. The next day I can see what I made...in the picture! Even seeing the real the next day all I see are ½" x ½" mistakes in the actual flow of grain here and there. Everyone that has witnessed the struggle doesn't get it. My bro actually said, "Jocko! WTF is wrong with you?" Is it therapy or self abuse? Why the terminal self depreciation? Perfectionist? Don't know. Can't say. Not at all, in order of the questions. I can raise a right hand to 100% customer satisfaction for that work since the early days of the craft back in the 70s. Is that not enough? Art has no standard in a manner of saying. Totally subjective and at the mercy of the observers. Body work, engine building, fabrication, there's standards. A mark to hit. This ****? It's our mark alone, in spite of the accolades that follow. So all that said @Ryan, they look great from here. Love the 40 roof picture even though I get the framing reference. It's a 40 coupe roof. It could be sticking up from a dirt pile and it still moves the senses. I'm close to totally happy with this one, hope to see it in the car; See what I mean? It's like this photographer in TX. He says that he...
Great shots! I have 6 rolls of Ilford PanF 50 Pro sitting in the fridge for ten years, I now feel inspired to break out the M7 with the Apo Summicron 50 lens soon.
I shoot HP5 religiously and had never shot Pan 100. The roll I had expired in 2009 and I expected it to have lost some sensitivity, so I metered for 50 (hence the blown highlights in a lot of these shots). I was really surprised by how fine the grain is... and the contrast was pretty solid too. For expired film, man... it was pretty great. I still prefer HP5, I think? In any regard, I guess you can still get Pan 100, but it's been rebranded as Kentmere Pan 100.
Really dig the set, I can understand the point of view as well on framing and sky (though I've always liked the in close shots unless its a big vista but that's just my personal pref.) Great tone though I've always loved pan 100 though I never really used it (been a long time since I shot anything tbh) I think because it reminds me of plusX 125 which was always my go to favorite stock, shame its not in production anymore. Still really dig work especially the close up ones.
The Jalopy Journal
