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Art & Inspiration Cool photos, for photographers

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by Gary Reynolds, Mar 17, 2017.

  1. Jalopy Joker
    Joined: Sep 3, 2006
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    Jalopy Joker
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  2. mkebaird
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  3. jnaki
    Joined: Jan 1, 2015
    Posts: 9,291

    jnaki

    Hello,
    In the years of taking color movies at Lions Dragstrip, there was always the battle to make sure the film was taken without any intrusions or blockages. (like someone leaning over to get a better view of the racers, etc.) Luckily, the designated dragstrip had plenty of seating on both the spectator side and as the years went by, the tower side bleachers grew to capacity. In the early days, there were only spectator’s seating bleachers, but to expand and keep the paying customers happy, more bleachers were added to the orange tower side for a different view of the action.

    If I sat in the bleachers, I had to make sure I was not blocking someone’s view as the race cars moved away from the starting line. Even though my movie camera was “smallish” in size, I still had to hold it up to my eye and move with the action. So, as the crowds grew, I had to seek out alternatives to get the best shot.

    I even moved down and away from the spectator’s bleachers to get a panorama view of the action. That was the easiest and most fun as there was no one to bother me when taking the films. I even used my dad’s tripod to get the shake free filming as the racers came down the track.
    Pick Koenig FED

    The only problem, besides being silent films was that the lens was fixed and not very powerful. This caused the action to be far away and the race cars obviously were smaller than if I were up in the spectator’s bleachers near the starting line. There are trade-offs to everything.
    upload_2020-3-1_3-59-21.png upload_2020-3-1_3-59-35.png

    Jnaki

    upload_2020-3-1_4-3-34.png

    What was the most exciting spot for taking my drag racing films? Across the dragstrip from the spectator’s side bleachers and not having a chain link fence in front of me. But, wait, that puts me on the other side of the orange tower where the white Pontiac ambulance was always parked. Yes, that was the secret spot that would be good for maybe 15-20 minutes.

    The shots were easier as it was a good background and closer to the action. (I did this enough, to time when the security guard would come by and yell at me to get back to the bleachers.) I went over there plenty of times and actually struck up a friendship with Mr. Childers, the ambulance driver from Dilday Mortuary. We became friends from the talks during the break in the action.

    Note: When my brother was in the accident and the ambulance took him to the hospital, Mr. Childers told me that he would stay at the hospital to keep tabs, until my parents and I came back to the emergency department.

    The action filming from that tower side was not always available, as 90% of the professional photographers were in front of the spectators next to the actual dragstrip. Their camera equipment allowed them to be level, but far enough away to get great shots at the start.
    upload_2020-3-1_4-4-34.png
    I did not want to have the same angle of shots as everyone else, so I did move to the other side of the tower for my “secret” location shots when the action called for it.
    Ed Garlits

    Scuderia

    Impala.

    The very last time I ventured over to that towerside/ambulance location was in 1964 when I wanted close up shots of my friend, Atts Ono’s debut during the All Gas Coupe and Sedan meet in 1964. It was so crowded that I tried taking some films from the spectator’s side, but was told to sit down by others. The pros were inside of the fence at their prime location.
    upload_2020-3-1_4-7-35.png upload_2020-3-1_4-7-59.png
    So, I was able to sit with my friend, Mr. Childers… and wait until Atts Ono’s red Willys was ready continue racing. Just when one of the final races for B/Gas was taking place, the guard came up behind me and yelled, scaring the cra#@ out of me. Then, he proceeded to tell me to get back to the pits, or he would throw me out.
    upload_2020-3-1_4-8-40.png Mr. Childers, Dilday Ambulance Services
    So much for my last filming day at Lions. The film shows a jerky time when that idiot guard surprised me.

    debut 1964 Lions Dragstrip
    upload_2020-3-1_4-10-7.png 1964
     
  4. tombstone
    Joined: Jan 15, 2006
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    from sk.canada

  5. LOU WELLS
    Joined: Jan 24, 2010
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    LOU WELLS
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    from IDAHO

    Do The Photos Need To Be Out Of Focus To Be Artsy?...Just Curious... 41784474_10216440223375463_228665751056154624_o.jpg
     
  6. Oil pump 28 from a barn find engine,, IMG_2086.jpg
     
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  7. TerrytheK
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  8. jnaki
    Joined: Jan 1, 2015
    Posts: 9,291

    jnaki

    upload_2020-3-16_4-22-49.png
    A digital frame by frame editing, caused a double exposure.

    Hello,

    A week ago, I was looking through my old films for some shots to use for a story on 1960 drag racing. Editing digital files sometimes brings unusual frames at the end of any film or ones that were spliced together. Sure, there are some clips with the famous film reel holes, but that can’t be helped. So, in the 1960 files, of course, the main file was Tommy Ivo’s Twin that was just created in late 1959 and raced almost weekly in 1960 in So Cal.

    Tommy Ivo 1959-60

    The first twin racing was seen at the 1959 Riverside Raceway’s huge meet versus all comers from the East and South. They were getting the bugs out and in a red/black paint mode.
    upload_2020-3-16_4-24-43.png Thanks, Lee


    Ivo at Riverside Raceway 1959 Valley Home Service vs Ivo Twin at :11

    upload_2020-3-16_4-26-33.png
    Then, as history has told us, he and Don Prudhomme went on a cross country road trip to start the whole touring thing for the big time, big name drag racers, first from So Cal, then from all over. They were getting paid to tour and show up at various drag strips in the USA.
    upload_2020-3-16_4-27-5.png
    Jnaki

    We have admired his race cars from the first time he and his friends rolled into the Lions Dragstrips pits. They were like show cars that we saw at the local arena car shows. But they did win a lot of races and trophies during the time from a Hilborn injected, single Buick, to a 671 Buick to the twin Hilborn injected Buick motors in his arsenal of FEDs.

    upload_2020-3-16_4-27-36.png Artwork by Fritz 1960
     
  9. Offset
    Joined: Nov 9, 2010
    Posts: 1,871

    Offset
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    from Canada

    A few...

    IMG_6044.jpg IMG_6033.jpg IMG_6031.jpg IMG_6034.jpg IMG_6042.jpg
     

    Attached Files:

  10. Offset
    Joined: Nov 9, 2010
    Posts: 1,871

    Offset
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    from Canada

    And a couple more...

    IMG_6035.jpg IMG_6038.jpg IMG_6041.jpg IMG_6036.jpg IMG_6037.jpg
     
  11. Offset
    Joined: Nov 9, 2010
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    Offset
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    from Canada

  12. jnaki
    Joined: Jan 1, 2015
    Posts: 9,291

    jnaki





    "We have admired his race cars from the first time he and his friends rolled into the Lions Dragstrips pits. They were like show cars that we saw at the local arena car shows. But they did win a lot of races and trophies during the time from a Hilborn injected, single Buick, to a 671 Buick to the twin Hilborn injected Buick motors in his arsenal of FEDs."

    upload_2020-3-16_11-8-20.png
    Hello,

    Having seen and admired the Tommy Ivo hot rods and race cars, the progression to the twin in 1959 was interspersed with some interesting facts. The single was very cool, the single with the supercharger was the next step, but the last change in 59-60 was the twin (with and without the single blower)which impressed everyone.
    upload_2020-3-16_10-59-29.png

    Jnaki

    A couple of interesting Tommy Ivo facts when moving on to the Twin in 1959...
    upload_2020-3-16_11-1-10.png
    The blown Buick was completely different engine, more cubic inches when Ivo sold the single Buick to Prudhomme the blown engine was already sitting in Tony Nancy's Roadster.
    upload_2020-3-16_11-4-42.png
    Don Prudhomme Buick FED



     
  13. Offset likes this.
  14. headsoff
    Joined: May 30, 2006
    Posts: 32

    headsoff
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    from Ely UK

    Pendine Beach, 2013.

    [​IMG]
     
  15. Dan Greenberg
    Joined: Aug 18, 2008
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    Dan Greenberg
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    from Parker, CO

  16. BLAKE
    Joined: Aug 10, 2002
    Posts: 2,783

    BLAKE
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    Quickie iPhone pic... early morning in Tucson after the big storm, Kontinentals en route from Austin to GNRS back in January.

    [​IMG]
     
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  17. Orn
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  18. edcodesign
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  19. loudbang, deadbeat and chryslerfan55 like this.
  20. Orn
    Joined: Jul 17, 2005
    Posts: 1,106

    Orn
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    Yes Carsten, low n slow as usually.
     
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  21. Orn
    Joined: Jul 17, 2005
    Posts: 1,106

    Orn
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  22. jnaki
    Joined: Jan 1, 2015
    Posts: 9,291

    jnaki

    upload_2020-4-8_3-54-16.png 1959 RIVERSIDE RACEWAY
    Don Garlits vs Archie Ary overlay with Tony Waters in the pits.

    Hello,
    Double exposure shots sure create something different than the normal low angle or extreme close up photos. These double exposure shots can be made using the old 35mm film cameras, but who had one of those in 1959? Those range finders were extremely expensive and out of reach. We have our collection of double exposure photos after the 35mm cameras came out. They were planned, hopeful and within a week after getting the color slides developed, surprised that they came out as well as they did.


    These days, when double exposure shots pop up in our editing of movie films using digital wares, it creates a moment from history that was created by accident. The photo is from Bakersfield Smokers’ Tony Waters’ purple modified roadster in the pits being tuned. The purple roadster and Smokers’ purple jackets give a good background. Then the race between Don Garlits and So Cal local, Archie Ary gets staged. Together, it creates a pure double exposure, by pure accident. (in those days, the raceway staff allowed anyone to get as close to the dragstrip proper for photos or just viewing.)

    Jnaki

    For those that scrutinize the photo, the lonely white pair of pants does not belong to the dragstrip starting line official. It belongs to one of Tony Waters’ modified roadster crew. Great photography? Just a digital, unforeseen, happenstance.

    upload_2020-4-8_3-56-21.png
    This double exposure photo was planned during the photo shoot. I realized that I had a couple of shots left from the 35mm Ektachrome film canister. So, before loading another new canister, I rewound the film advance in an estimated one shot sequence. The photo shoot was taken on the long, curved driveway of the Big Newport Beach, Fashion Island Theater location.

    As nice as the unusual photo is/was, the editors decided that there was not enough color for a color page spread. Gee, what do they know? At the time, custom photography was not used, but straight shots of the hot rods for full coverage in the magazines was the norm.

     

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