Today is National Ride To Work Day so I rode in to JCI this morning. So far I’ve ridden to work every day this week, I’m batting 100%.
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Bonneville Wrap Up
Today I’m going to try and wrap up my posts from the BUB International Motorcycle Speed Trials. I want to move on to doing more HDR posts but the response to these photos shows that there are many people who have enjoyed the Land Speed Racing images.
This opening image is another photo that was edited in Topaz Adjust. The skies at Bonneville can be pretty amazing and this image showcases another one. Using Topaz allowed me to accent the sky while bringing up the colors in the racers and motorcycle. The noise issue isn’t as intense either which really helps this image hold together.
The composition works because the diagonal lines and triangles formed by the people concentrate on the fellow telling his story. I like the way the truck and the woman on the right side of the frame direct your eye into the negative space that leads to the horizon.
This image is another of those photos I like that show the people and machines of BUB. The camaraderie of the racers and their support crews is one of the great things about Land Speed Racing; these people genuinely care about one another and will assist anyone that needs help even if they are a direct competitor.
The image has been through Topaz Adjust which accented the colors and brought out the patterns in the sky. This is another image where the inherent noise of the Spicify preset hasn’t overwhelmed the scene.
Compositionally I placed the front wheel of the bike on the right at the edge of the frame because I like the way it appears ready to leap out of the picture. The triangle formed by the negative space between the bikes leads the eye into the scene where the racer’s conversations are taking place. When you look at this image you find triangles formed by the bikes, by the people and by the combination of people and machines. I really like the single spectator ambling along on the left side who, while obviously not a part of the group, is still connected to them by his stance and the way he is studying the scene before his eyes.
I shot this closeup of the engine because it is so rich in detail and texture. From the sock protecting the velocity stack to the sheen of the valve cover there is so much contrast of materials. The mechanic’s arm and hand are interesting as the viewer wonders what adjustment is being made. Topaz once again enhanced the contrast and vibrancy of the image while still retaining the detail. While there is some noise in the sky I don’t think it detracts from the overall impact of the scene.
Compositionally the engine at the right hand foreground of the frame is balanced by the fellow standing on the left in the background giving depth to the image as well as another point for the eye to land on.
This image was taken just as the rider left the starting gate to go to the start line. I love the energy that is conveyed by the wheel’s slight blur in contrast to to the crisp detail of the engine and the rider’s shin. The composition is strong because of the triangle formed by the front fork and the rider’s torso and the way it fits into the rule of thirds meme.
Here is one of those images where Topaz has added a great deal of noise in the sky while still managing to enhance the color and detail of the subject.
This image evokes an atmosphere of curiosity as if these two men are meeting for the first time in an alien landscape. The man on the left seems to be trying to understand what this contraption is while the one on the right is sitting there waiting for a question perhaps?
Another Topaz image where noise is very pronounced yet in the context of the image I don’t find it out of place. The noise in the sky reflects the texture of the salt and adds an otherworldly aura of mystery to the image.
As is often the case in motorsports; there are times where, for whatever reason, the action stops. This woman was waiting to make her land speed record attempt at the start gate when the course had to be closed due to an engine failure on the course. When that type of event occurs it is often necessary to have the course inspected to be sure there is no debris let on it that could endanger the next racer to run down the course. At those times the racers are simply waiting and as this woman shows it was a good time to stretch out and relax.
Topaz added lots of noise which for me is symbolic of the texture of the salt and therefor I saw no reason to soften it. On this image I added a vignette to direct the eye into the scene and reinforce the composition’s reliance on the rule of thirds and diagonal lines.
Memorial Day in Zachary Taylor National Cemetery
Today is Memorial Day so I decided to go to Zachary Taylor National Cemetery and shoot the flags that are there to honor these men and women. Walking among them you are struck by how much many of them gave to preserve our freedom. Many of the graves are for those who died in combat and many more are those who only lived a short time after World War II. Interspersed with the headstones are many marble plaques that memorialize the crews of Army Air Corps Airmen that were lost and the Sailors whose ships were sunk throughout WW II. It is a very moving place to visit and I thank each and every person who has served our country.
These images are true HDR images comprised of multiple exposures that were merged and tone mapped in NIK HDR Efex Pro. I used the Realistic Photographic preset as a starting point and then adjusted some of the sliders to achieve the look I wanted. Once I had the first image adjusted to suit me I created my own preset which I then applied to subsequent images in the shoot. By making myself a preset I was able to get an image close to my vision for it and then only needed to adjust one or two sliders to get the final image. After using the NIK software I returned the images to Aperture 3 where I sharpened and straightened them for final output.
I shot in the last couple of hours of the day in an effort to accent the somber feeling that this cemetery gives me. The only difficulty with shooting there at sunset is that there are so many trees around the cemetery is is difficult to capture the sun’s fading rays on the headstones.
Patina Pickup
I love hot rod, street rods, motorcycles, choppers, customs, dragsters, etc… the list just goes on and on. I am the son of a 1950s hot rodder and whenever these machines are around I’m out there with my camera recording them for posterity. One day these folks will be gone and the passion for the hobby will pass into history as so many other things have over time. I hope that my images will remain to document the creativity and engineering knowhow that make this such a unique piece of Americana.
Every August Louisville host the NSRA Street Rod Nationals. The city is filled with amazing vehicles that show so many different interpretations of what a street rod is. When the first street rods hit the street in the 1970s the cutoff point was that nothing newer than 1948 was considered a streetrod everything else was labeled as a muscle car, kustom or street machine. In those day this Chevy pickup probably wouldn’t have been entered in the Street Rod Nationals because it was too new. Times change and with the rise of the Goodguys events that allowed later model cars in the NSRA changed their rules to allow these later model vehicles into their shows as well. There was some initial grumbling, change never goes well with some folks, but for the most part the NSRA members accepted the change and started building later models too.
This little Chevy pickup is part of a movement to present vehicles that show the wear and tear of time but perform flawlessly due to modern drivelines and safety equipment. I really dig the stance of this truck and the background in the shot makes it really pop. I used TopazAdjust Spicify preset to bring out the warm tones in the sky and accent the headlights. Placing the truck diagonally in the frame and at the bottom helps reinforce the lowered stance of the vehicle while allowing the sky to spread majestically over the entire scene.
Beaterville Beast
I shot this rat rod at a local car show. I really dig the outrageous engine and aggressive stance this little rat has. A tunnel ram intake, straight pipes and a chopped top all scream hot rod which is why it appealed to me in the first place.
I processed this one using Aperture 3 and Topaz Adjust. Once again I used the Spicify preset and then tweaked the settings to get the overall look I wanted. Spicify does a great job accenting the texture of the rust and the colors in the scene.
I framed this image so that the diagonal lines in the photo would draw the viewer into the frame. The front tire seems poised to leap out of the frame. Once again I was shooting with a polarizer because it was around midday and I knew that the polarizer would saturate the sky and the colors in the scene.
