Tag: Morning

Tri-Five Beauty

Posted on by Nick Roberts

Among the lovers of the 1955 through 1957 Chevrolet the term “Tri-Five” is used to differentiate these models from the rest of their General Motors brethren. This gorgeous 1955 Chevy was parked at the Streetrod Nationals last year. I thought the overall restoration and modernization  of this car was outstanding. Even though it has been completely refitted with a modern driveline and custom wheels it is so well done it could fool most people into believing it is a stock 1955 Chevrolet. The interior was all reupholstered in new old stock factory seat covers and interior panels. The radio was hidden somewhere in the car but the controls looked like the original radio knobs and tuning dial.

I like this composition for it’s repetition of the forms that occur in the roof behind the car and the sky bridge at the left side of the image. The strong diagonals of the buildings reinforce the the placement of the car in the frame while the colors in the scene are harmonious and intensified. I used Topaz Adjust and Aperture 3 to process the image.

1948 Buick

Posted on by Nick Roberts

This Buick caught my eye at the Street Rod Nationals here in Louisville last summer. I decided to use Topaz Adjust to make a Black and White version and really like the way it came out. By getting down low with my camera I was able to create a dynamic composition that emphasizes the lines in the car.

Here is the same car processed in Topaz Adjust. The Spicify preset really brought out the color in the car and enhanced the clouds. I got in low and close to the car to compose this shot. I like the way that the car seems to be moving out of the frame, the details inside the headlight, the reflections of the sky and the way the metallic paint sparkles in the sun.

One tip I have for shooting these types of images is to use a polarizer. Using a polarizer intensifies the colors and subdues the glare that shooting at midday causes. The other tip I have for you is to get down on the ground and shoot up at the car. Don’t be afraid to get dirty lying on the ground; in the end the results are usually worth it.

This final image is of another 1948 Buick I found down in Alabama. It has been given a faux HDR look with Topaz Adjust. I took this shot early in the morning and shot it from a low angle to emphasize the grill and the massiveness of the car. The sky was very hazy that morning which resulted in it being nearly colorless but the Spicify preset brought a little color back into it. The halo around the tree is a result of pushing the preset a little too far but even at that I like this image.

Salt Flat Sky

Posted on by Nick Roberts

Back to the Bonneville Salt Flats today. The sky on this particular morning was amazing due to two weather patterns colliding. It was raining the night before and then a high pressure front moved in which gave these amazing clouds.

I used Topaz Adjust to bring out the detail in the sky and mountains and then returned it to Aperture 3 for sharpening.

First Racer of the Day

Posted on by Nick Roberts

The early morning runs on the Salt Flats are something I will always remember. You can hear the engine screaming at redline long before you can see the motorcycle come into view. For me this image captures some of the majestic beauty of the Salt Flats and the daredevil who is willing to try to go faster than anyone in this class ever has.

Land Speed Racing is a solitary sport because once the flag is dropped it is rider and machine against the time clock. It takes a special man or woman to attempt it on two wheels. At Bonneville gender doesn’t matter, it’s all about skill and courage; there are many world land speed records that are held by women as well as men.  I don’t know who was riding this bike that morning but I do know that they were having the thrill of a lifetime as they rocketed by at well over 100 miles an hour.