Happy Halloween

Well it is that time again, so here is something with the Halloween spirit!

If you have a funny comment please leave it for all to enjoy.

Ford F-150 Truck Custom

I had another opportunity to photograph this custom truck for the Ford dealer ship. This time I used a Sunpak 555 off camera to help with the lighting and 42 silver reflector.

Custom Ford Truck F-150

I was asked today to shoot a custom truck at a Ford dealership today. This truck had a great House of colors blue metal flake paint along with Shelby wheels and Baer brakes.

( Shutter Speed ) 1/60Av

( Aperture Value ) 22

ISO Speed 100

For more information ........

http://www.tucsontotalperformance.com/

Rodeo Barrel Racer

The rodeo has always been a favorite of mine since I was a kid. Of all the events the barrel racing is one of my favorites because of the speed and how much heart the riders have which shows when they pass the timing lights.

In 1925, Kramer and the Arizona Polo Association created La Fiesta de los Vaqueros and the Tucson Mid-Winter Rodeo and Parade. The event would give visitors a taste of cowboy range work and glamorize Tucson’s Wild West notoriety.
From Kramer’s official welcome in the 1925 event program:
Not so many years ago the first pony express came to a sudden halt on our Main Street, carrying civilization southwestward. Not so many years ago the first railroad whistled in. Gone is the past. The hitching post has been removed. A new civilization has put steel and concrete and built a mighty city where only yesterday horses grazed within the memory of living man. The Pioneer Spirit lives. Heroic memories never die. The Old Frontier will be revived-at Tucson, February 21, 22 and 23, 1925—as a community revival. We are proud to offer this attraction to the people of American as a glorious reminder of yesterday.

Source: http://www.tucsonrodeo.com/aboutUs/2_History.htm

Arm in Arm Cacti

The saguaro cactus (Carnegiea Gigantea ) is the state symbol of Arizona, appearing on all car license plates, and provides a universally recognized image of the Southwest. It is the largest and one of the slowest growing of all cacti, reaching up to 15 meters high and living for several centuries. Plants can weigh up to 8 tons, partly because of the large amount of water the stems can hold - after rainfall the cactus can absorb hundreds of gallons in a short time. The saguaro may be only 6 inches high after 10 years, and the characteristic branched appearance is reached only after around 80 years. The cactus is widespread across southern Arizona, extreme southeast California and Sonora, north Mexico. Distribution is related to latitude and altitude - it is most commonly found between 1,000 & 3,000 feet, and because the saguaro can tolerate temperatures as low as -4 °C, it survives further north than any of the other species of large cactus. In the spring, the saguaro produce white flowers on the upper stems of mature plants so this is an especially good time to visit. Later, sweet edible red fruit appear, traditionally used by the local Indian tribes as food and also to make wine..

Source: http://www.americansouthwest.net/arizona/saguaro/national_park.html

Best Buy parking lot find

I found this rat rod in the Best Buy parking lot todaym with no cars parked near it blocking the view or sun light. While my wife was inside shopping I shot a few frames again with the idea of this type of print. When I came out of the store the car was gone I would have liked to talk to the owner.

Parking Lot

This last weekend I went to a car show and swap meet looking for cars to shoot and as always found some very nice cars and trucks in the parking lot like this one.

File name Orange Truck 01.jpgCamera Model Name Canon EOS DIGITAL REBELShooting Date/Time 10/6/2007 08:58:00 (Shutter Speed) 1/80Sec. (Aperture Value) F16

ISO Speed 200 Focal Length 28.0 mmImage size 3072 x 2048

Hot Rod

Hot rods are cars that have been customized for performance and/or appearance। Nobody knows for sure the origin of the term "hot rod।" One explanation is that the term is a contraction of "hot roadster," meaning a roadster that was modified for speed। Open roadsters were the cars of choice to modify because they were light. Hot Rod may also refer to the cam or pushrods inside the engine or other to the exposed frame rails of such an automobile. It was adopted in the 1930s or 1940s as the name of a car that had been "hopped up" by modifying the cam to achieve higher performance

http://en.wikipedia.org/

Copying a Master

There is so many people who mimic Ansel Adams including myself, but there is only one master of the Zone System…….

Ansel Adams was a visionary figure in nature photography and wilderness preservation. He is seen as an environmental folk hero and a symbol of the American West, especially of Yosemite National Park. Adams' dedication to wilderness preservation, his commitment to the Sierra Club, and of course, his signature black-and-white photographs inspire an appreciation for natural beauty and a strong conservation ethic.....

Source: Sierra Club

Fire Fight

I know I have been posting cars and portrait photos, I guess it is time to show some shots from my real job. When I go to training fires, I try to get some shots but have have a blast fighting them too.

You cannot imagine the heat that radiates off the fire. i'm surprised my camera equipment hasn't melted when I get close. You have to be quick to shoot these types of fires, the firefighters move in fast and extinguish them in a short amount of time.