Auto Art

I make no secret of the fact that while I greatly appreciate nature and wildlife photos, my true interests lean toward mechanical aesthetics. The graceful curve of a polished fender, a glint of sunlight from a chromed grille, and all the colors in the rainbow are mine for the taking at a car show.

I and my dearest companion, DUer Samplegirl, make the Ohio British car show circuit every year where I find a camera is as necessary as gas and oil. Now as we ready for another season I finally finished editing pix from last summer. These cars were at Ursuline College near Cleveland where the rolling grounds and stately landscape provide for a unique opportunity to blend hand crafted metal with greenery. I greatly enhanced most these images to (hopefully) make them more appealing to those who may not share my love of paint and chrome:

Samplegirl's '64 Triumph TR4:


My '71 TR6:


This '62 Aston Martin DB5 is similar to the much newer model driven by Prince William today:


A 1930 Bentley that the owner drove around the world in 2004:


The sweeping fender and streamlined windscreen of an Austin Healey 100M


This sun dappled Jaguar XK150 Fixed Head Coupe was all that in 1957:


The Triumph TR3 counterpart to the Jag above ready to race:


British car owners are a quirky bunch:


Finally, cockpits festooned in leather and wood:


I hope the wonderful fans of floral and wildlife found the patience to endure my imposition to this point.

But the dog with the shades................:thumbsup:

Looks like fun.

a couple auto shows in my area, and rest assured, I'm out there with my camera!

Couple of my favorites from last year.

Kaiser


Packard


Buick


Mustang

Once upon a time, I took a lot of three quarter views. It didn't take long before I realized I was just replicating what could be easily found on any auto web site. Plus, I think I chronicled everybody's car in the tri-county area. Sometimes twice.

Now I look in close for interesting badges, shapes, or details. It's like finding art at a micro level. I can see you have a great eye for that. Very nice. I like that tail fin cam on the Packard. I've discovered that some cars go on seemingly forever in a series of angles and styling cues from that perspective.

I live very near Warren Ohio, home of the National Packard Museum. They have a constantly evolving collection and feature a "Packards Come Home" show every year. The museum allows photos, so I sure am glad we don't have to use print film anymore. They have motorcycles on special exhibit right now with mini cars coming next month. All are sprinkled interestingly among the most beautiful Packards in the world.


The museum was built with earmark funding carved out of the 2003 Transportation bill by our Democratic congressman Tim Ryan. They just added a wing compliments in part from the Stimulus:


A couple years ago they hosted a contest where artists decorated over thirty huge castings of the Packard hood mascot, "The Goddess Of Speed". The statues, what aficionados refer to as "The Donut Pusher", were on display at Packard Park, which is right across the street from the Packard mansion and next to Packard Music Hall. They were auctioned off later, with one going to Jay Leno's collection:


I worked 30 years for Packard Electric/Delphi, at times in the old plant 3 building where I believe they built the earliest models. You could say it's a big name around here. Hahahaha

to shoot in a museum. No crowds to contend with, no one walking in front of your camera! ;-)

But . . . you have given me something to think about!

Oh my gosh! And those hood ornaments - fabulous words of art!

I love classic cars. If my memory serves me, I may have gone to a prom in a Buick like that one.

You might enjoy looking at some of these car pics done by a friend of mine.

http://www.philiphallimagesandlight.com/images_gallery/cars/index.html

for sharing the link!

What a visual treat. I had a TR4A, a TR6, a Spitfire, Jag, and I spot the back of a red Europa in one of your photos. I had a black Europa - Johnny Player Special. Put a turbo on it. Now I drive a **cough** Mini-Van. :-(

Love the first two. Classic photos. And your low perspective on the Bentley is waaay cool.

Thanks for sharing these. I can see flowers and critters any day but this was a nice departure from that. It brings back some wonderful memories for me.

:hi:

Edit? I need to read what I write.
:dunce:

I've loved a few trips there. An automobile lover/ photographer's paradise.

http://www.automobilemuseum.org/Pages/default.aspx

That, the Henry Ford museum in Detroit, and the Old Rhinbeck Aerodrome in NY are all relatively nearby and I hope to see at least one this summer. Thanks for the link.

I've been to California twice, and spent as much time in the Peterson Museum as possible both times, so I scratched that one off.