Tag: Buick

Happy St.Patrick’s Day

Posted on by Nick Roberts
Greendrops Keep Fallin' On My Head
Greendrops Keep Fallin’ On My Head

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In the tradition of honoring my Irish roots I thought I’d post some green images today. For me green is the color of spring, hope, rebirth and my eyes. This first image is my favorite shade of green too. All these images come from the past several years of the NSRA Streetrod Nationals held here in Louisville, Kentucky.

Bullet Nose Beast
Bullet Nose Beast

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Bullet Nose Beast #2
Bullet Nose Beast #2

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REO Speed Wagon
REO Speed Wagon

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Emerald Buick
Emerald Buick

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Bumsted

Posted on by Nick Roberts
Bumsted

This image is another photo from the NSRA Streetrod Nationals in Louisville, KY. I processed this image using the Topaz Adjust Spicify preset. Not a lot to add about processing except to point out that the fact that when using presets such as Spicify there is always the potential for excessive noise in the image. I processed this image at a time when I was just starting to use Topaz Adjust and looking back at the image I would probably dial the strength of the preset down some in an effort to reduce the noise in the sky and the reflections in the paint on the car.

I like the composition for a couple of reasons in particular the low camera angle that really emphasizes the voluptuous form of the car. The placement of the subject creates a tension as the car seems to be moving forward in the frame. I did this to showcase that massive grill and front bumper and to emphasize the front vanity license plate. The complimentary colors of the orange car with the blue sky add interest from the standpoint of color balance.

Then and Now

Posted on by Nick Roberts

This image was taken at the 2010 NSRA Streetrod Nationals in Louisville, Kentucky. I titled it “Then and Now” because of the juxtaposition of the modern form of travel, the jetliner, with the Buick which would have been the way many people travelled in comfort and style in 1948.

I liked the big green Buick in the foreground and wanted to use it as the foreground anchor. The diagonal lines on the pavement serve to reinforce the angle the cars are parked as well as directing the viewer’s eye into the scene. I saw the jetliner making it’s approach to the airport and knew immediately that I wanted it in the photo. I shot several frames as it descended for landing and this one caught the airplane in the spot I liked best because it is framed by the clouds.

When I’m working at a car show the size of the Streetrod Nationals, over 10,000 cars typically, there is no way to shoot when the sun is low in the sky. The gates don’t open until well after sunrise and they are closed by early evening. Since I am shooting in some of the most unflattering light a photographer can get I must rely on subject matter and composition to get memorable shots.

I used Topaz Adjust on this image which helped bring detail back into the shadows while preserving the highlights. Topaz Adjust also does a fantastic job of accenting the texture in an image. In this image it enhanced the pavement texture as well as the clouds while punching up the colors of the entire image.

Buick Fireball Eight

Posted on by Nick Roberts

At the NSRA Streetrod Nationals you will see many creative uses for vintage engines. This Buick Dyna Flash Fireball Eight is one such engine. It was installed in a Reo roadster which made it a very unique combination. The car itself was a faint pastel green and the engine was this fantastic deep jade green with white lettering. I wanted to capture the paint job on the engine because it was as finely detailed as the overall car. All the raised lettering that was stamped into the spark plug cover really caught my eye because it had all been perfectly hand painted.

Once again I am trying to show how by taking an entirely different approach to a subject, that I have been photographing for over 40 years, I was able to come up with a unique image that I hope will resonate not only with car people but with anyone who appreciates streamline influenced art deco design.

I chose to frame it diagonally to move the viewer’s eye through the frame from left to right. I used Aperture 3 and NIK HDR EFex Pro to saturate and intensify the color in the image.

Using Texture as the Main Subject

Posted on by Nick Roberts

Today I’d like to show some shots that rely on texture for their impact. I really like the way this first image came out after processing it in Topaz Adjust using the Spicify preset. The peeling paint and pitted chrome really jump out and the DeSoto badge adds a nice hit of color to balance with the rusted grill bars. I look at images such as this as studies in using texture as the focus of the image.

Here is another texture shot from the same DeSoto. I really like the way the crazed paint conveys a feeling of age and shows it’s inherent beauty. For me this image has an almost topographical feel as if we are looking at a surreal landscape. Topaz Adjust does a great job here of intensifying the colors and showing the texture in the subject.

This detail shot of the door on an old truck shows how isolating a section of one of these old cars can create an interesting image. I usually try to spend some time exploring the surface of these cars and searching for interesting compositions that isolate the texture and patina of time.

This last image is one of my favorite shots of a Buick I located in northern Alabama a few years back. I was drawn to the contrast of the chrome against the pitted and rusted surface of the metal. The many colors that were present in the paint and rust were brought out by processing this shot in Topaz Adjust using the Spicify preset. When I use these presets they are simply starting points for me and I usually spend a great deal of time playing with the various sliders to find the right combination for a given image.