magic bus

nothing frames a picture like a city bus, right? right? so awesome. not. lol. really it was just parked in the middle of the street behind this puppy, and i got tired of waiting for it to move, so you takes what you gets.

before this shot, there was some "professional" photographer with "people" shooting pictures of it, with models in '30s and '40s garb draped upon the vehicle. at least two side lights for the model, even on this sunny day, almost straight up noon. maybe because the models already looked a bit harsh, the side lights would soften them up?

whatever. i waited and squeezed in a few shots between their takes, and then they moved on to a car off to the left of this one, so i took a few more. i dunno if i owned a car like this, if i'd let models sit their asses on the bumpers and such. i do assume there was some sort of arrangement with the photographer and the owner to do so.

anyway, there's a car club sign in the back window, but i can't read all of it. the smaller type i think says PHX AZ. i liked the car, but the bus...not so much.

mercury rising

i've seen more than a few flamey mercurys (mercuries?) lately. why is that? i suppose because they're awesome that way.

it was hot and extremely windy when i took this shot a few weeks ago in riverside. it was the glitter painted flames that stopped me first, and that it had a hood ornament – bonus. almost gave up trying to get a shot of it, there were too many people around.

i am at the point where, i figure, screw the people milling about if they're not in focus, just get the car. otherwise, the best cars just can't be captured. i hate the ones that i let get away in the past because people wouldn't move. fortunately, the majority of the time, if you whip out a tripod, people will move, same way i try to stay out of someone else's shots. i have some patience, and i can wait.

anyway, i think i'll hit you all up with a short series of mercs. why the hell not. i keep seeing them, so why shouldn't you?

double whammy day

this one is the second post for the day. posting tomorrow's picture early, since it's my own personal double whammy...mother's day and my birthday. no big, but i know i'll be out and about, and most likely won't post by the evening.

i've never seen one of these. and no, it "ain't pink," it's more of a salmon color, but the hot sun really warmed it up. i don't know why this was off by itself on a side street, near the bus stops. seems a shame; it really was a beautiful car. great for me, as i could shoot from any angle, though out here at the back, i was in the path of the cars cruising by.

kudos to the dude in the muscle car brilliant enough to really rev his engine while stopped in front of that police station behind the bus stop...the show people made him leave. better them than mr. CHiPs, i suppose.

only one that asked

taking a break from work and from the showlows cars...i'll get back to you guys tomorrow, probably.

busy weekend. spent many hours in riverside. i had a few hours to kill on saturday, and it just so happened they were having one of those 3-day car shows in downtown riverside. the type of show that i normally would skip as being to crowded and busy. but it was late afternoon on the second day, after the awards for the day supposedly were given, and i figured most of the mess would be gone.

that may be so, but there were still lots and lots of cars to see, and many that i would have like to have shot busy cruising and never stopping. several blocks were closed to traffic, except for cars in the show, which were allowed to cruise along several blocks in a circuitous route.

and damn was it windy there. had to hold onto the tripod to minimize the shakes, and it did nothing for my hair, but really it was more annoying than anything. my hair blew across the camera as i was trying to frame up the shot. it flew all around my head as i walked down the street. it took on a life of its own, until i just really didn't care what it was doing, which is what it does best anyway. i probably looked a fright. i probably should just cut it short again and be done with it. i digress...

while there were many people, they mostly stayed out of my way once i set up my tripod. i never did see anyone else with one, so i'm sure they didn't know what to think of me. couple of owners inquired if i was a professional, but only the owner of this hot rod bothered to really ask about what i was doing, looked at some of my pictures, and took a card. this one was off the street in a parking lot of a business, thus no one really getting in the way. not the best location, judging by the background, but the other angle just was going to be some garage doors and building frontage, so...imagine those are time capsules on the right side.

i took lots of shots, so i will post a few more soon.