I shot Von Dutch
02-10-2008, 05:51 PM
Sorry, but I am not a hot rodder or custom guy. I have an interest based originally on my four-Sunday-long adventure with Kenny Howard - "Von Dutch." As a freelance photographer who had built up a small portfolio of painted cars and dragsters since arriving in LA in 1966, I was asked by the Los Angeles Times to shoot a story about Dutch. I spent four consecutive Sundays with him and his family in Calabasas producing the West Magazine cover story that came out on May 24, 1970. I am happy every time I talk to someone who still has that issue, and there are many.
In Issue Number 36 of Rodders Journal, a selection of those photos was published with a story by Thom Taylor. And in April of 2007, Motorbooks released the book of most of the photos I shot back in 1970, titled "Sundays With Von Dutch." With text by Tony Thacker, and a little by me.
So I am not a hot rodder, much as I regret not having become one when I was younger and healthier. If any of you attended the auction of many of Dutch’s things in 2007 at the Petersen Museum, you probably saw me there. I was invited by the auction company to come and display the globe of the Moon that I had purchased from Rand McNally and brought with me one of those Sundays for Dutch to do something with. What he did was a spectacular tour de force of perfectly symmetrical freehand arcs. I have had it all these years and really enjoyed my time with it. Alas, my time is getting to the short end of the stick, and I need to find a home for it, as I have no heirs. So I saw your bulletin board and thought maybe someone might have an interest or a suggestion of where I could find someone with an interest. I am thinking about putting it on Ebay. I'd like it to go to someone who will be sure to let others easily see it. But before I put it on the market I'd like to make its existence known. I am not sure how to post photos on your site, so if anyone wants to see some, I will need advice on how to do it. It is shown in great detail in the book, from the unopened box sitting on a table thru him opening the box, examining the Moon, putting it on a steel rod and the first brush stroke clear thru to the last. It is also on the cover. There is also a close-up of the logo, painted with the striping dagger and according to everyone I talked to at the auction, most likely the smallest logo he ever painted.
You can Google either my name or the book title to see the cover and read a bit about it and about me (on the Amazon.com site). I hope I am not out of line by posting this, and I am presuming that if I am, your Webmaster will delete it.
Thanks,
My name is Richard Karl Koch and I shot Von Dutch - hundreds of times!
P.S. the day that West story came out he called me at home and told me he was very very happy with it. That was my best birthday present ever!
In Issue Number 36 of Rodders Journal, a selection of those photos was published with a story by Thom Taylor. And in April of 2007, Motorbooks released the book of most of the photos I shot back in 1970, titled "Sundays With Von Dutch." With text by Tony Thacker, and a little by me.
So I am not a hot rodder, much as I regret not having become one when I was younger and healthier. If any of you attended the auction of many of Dutch’s things in 2007 at the Petersen Museum, you probably saw me there. I was invited by the auction company to come and display the globe of the Moon that I had purchased from Rand McNally and brought with me one of those Sundays for Dutch to do something with. What he did was a spectacular tour de force of perfectly symmetrical freehand arcs. I have had it all these years and really enjoyed my time with it. Alas, my time is getting to the short end of the stick, and I need to find a home for it, as I have no heirs. So I saw your bulletin board and thought maybe someone might have an interest or a suggestion of where I could find someone with an interest. I am thinking about putting it on Ebay. I'd like it to go to someone who will be sure to let others easily see it. But before I put it on the market I'd like to make its existence known. I am not sure how to post photos on your site, so if anyone wants to see some, I will need advice on how to do it. It is shown in great detail in the book, from the unopened box sitting on a table thru him opening the box, examining the Moon, putting it on a steel rod and the first brush stroke clear thru to the last. It is also on the cover. There is also a close-up of the logo, painted with the striping dagger and according to everyone I talked to at the auction, most likely the smallest logo he ever painted.
You can Google either my name or the book title to see the cover and read a bit about it and about me (on the Amazon.com site). I hope I am not out of line by posting this, and I am presuming that if I am, your Webmaster will delete it.
Thanks,
My name is Richard Karl Koch and I shot Von Dutch - hundreds of times!
P.S. the day that West story came out he called me at home and told me he was very very happy with it. That was my best birthday present ever!