SUMMER’S HERE!

There are two things that car photographers love about summer in the PNW: track days and car shows. I was fortunate enough to be at each of these this past weekend. During a break in my assignment schedule, I taught at a PCA drivers education event and photographed a local classic hot rod display. Think I’ll try to make it to the Redmond meet to see more Ferraris and maybe find another Buick “Godess” hood ornament. Continue reading “”

TLG AUTO

It’s good to be home after a busy May. A California road trip in my 1972 911 with friends was a great adventure. The early 911 Porsche club, R Gruppe, held a fantastic gathering near the central coast where some of the best driving is. Marco and Tony Gerace of TLG Auto in North Hollywood were there to help me get to a track day at Willow Springs when my car developed a small transmission leak. Those guys are the best. Look for my feature on Tony and his car soon in Excellence Magazine! Continue reading “”

THE LATEST DEVALUATION OF PHOTOGRAPHY

The Chicago Sun-Times fired all 28 of its photographers on Thursday. Yup, 500 years of experience, including a Pulitzer Prize winner, were expunged from the newspaper in one day. The corporation is now reportedly offering lessons in basic iPhone photography to its reporters.

This is the latest blow to the arts in this country and another sign of the continued cheapening and dumbing down of photography. Like many, I’ve learned to accept cataclysmic change in my profession, to become comfortable with being uncomfortable, and to try and grow from it. Continue reading “”

THE RUBBER BUMPER 911 BOUNCES BACK

Congrats to Nathan Cocozza and his 1974 U.S. Carrera for their feature in this months Panorama Porsche magazine. It was fun to write about and photograph this rubber bumpered “mid-year” 911. (Yes, it’s Olive colored in the original photos).

Despite long held beliefs to the contrary, the 1974 Carrera can almost be seen as a separate model. It’s a unique transition between the ‘73 and ‘75 types and is no longer underappreciated. Today it’s considered not only desirable to own but also a lot of fun to drive. Continue reading “”

PHOTOGRAPHY – A LOOK BACK

I posted these tips on a forum recently. Hope they help:

I started shooting with a Kodak Brownie camera as a kid, won an award from Kodak when I was 12, hitchhiked around SF in the summer of ’68 for two weeks as a teenager with a Canonet, then put away the camera for eight years during pre-med and graduate school.

Eventually I bought a Canon AE-1 in 1976. After learning B&W, I graduated to Kodachrome 25 and a Canon F-1, which was used religiously for the next five years. Then moved to Leica and Leicaflex, Hasselblad, and Pentax 6×7 for another fifteen years. Now I primarily use a three Canon digital SLRs and various lenses from 14mm to 500mm for assignments and a Leica M9 rangefinder for personal work. Continue reading “”

OUT OF AFRICA

100 years ago Karen Blixen asked her lover’s brother to marry her and travel from Denmark to Kenya to start a farm. Seventy years later Sydney Pollack made a film about the story starring Robert Redford (who played Denys George Finch Hatton) and Merryl Streep (who played Baroness Karen Blixen).

Critic Roger Ebert described the resulting 1985 Acadamy award-winning film this way, “Out of Africa is a great movie to look at, breathtakingly filmed on location. It is a movie with the courage to be about complex, sweeping emotions, and to use the star power of its actors without apology.” I agree. Continue reading “”

FEAST OF FRIENDS

I’m lucky to have Bob Tilton as a friend, along with all my other early Porsche chums. Here’s a photo he posted recently from the 2011 Rennsport Reunion IV in Monterey. Bob was there making some amazing images, and happened to choose me as a subject. For more on his photgraphy and lfe experiences, please see his WerkCrew blog, plus a cool video with a couple of Tilton blog images: Continue reading “”

WHAT’S ANOTHER 50 BUCKS?

Is a modified 1989-1994 964 really the ‘90s R Gruppe 911? All the Internet chat on these last of the classic shaped Porsches might actually have you believing it. Driving one would probably seal the deal. Well, having done so, I’m pretty sure Geoff Newman’s 1993 RS America 911 hot rod would do the convincing. Continue reading “”

TORSION BAR TRIO

Congrats to Stacy Schulman on his Excellence magazine feature in the May #209 issue. A very well-deserved account of a great guy and his fantastic car collection. What a fun day it was canyon carving on Mulholland in these three Porsches: 1965 356SC Cab, 1973 Carrera RS, and 1989 930S. Special thanks to Stacy, Curtis Autenrieith, and editor Greg Brown for making it easy to photograph and write this story. Continue reading “”

JUST BACK FROM TWO WEEKS IN CALIFORNIA

Thanks to everyone I saw on this special trip. Photographed five Porsches for future articles, met with three of my editors, and chatted briefly with Prescott Kelly, Jerry Seinfeld and Chad McQueen. Special thanks go to Curt Autenreith, Cris Huergas, Terry English, Scott Longballa, and Rod & Gary Emory for their valued companionship. Continue reading “”

GET AWAY IN MARCH?

Here’s my pick for this year. Caribbean or Hawaii, depending on where you live. My fave island in the West Indies is St. Barts. Second, if you want more variety, would be St. Martin. Both will provide French cuisine and beautiful white sandy beaches. For Hawaii, my choice is Kauai. It’s off the beaten path, especially Hanalei Bay, and offers lots of exciting possibilities like aerial photographs of Na Pali at sunset. Continue reading “”

THANK YOU TO PETE STOUT AND PANORAMA

There have been a few times in my career as a photographer where a publication has used my images in exactly the way I would have layed them out. This is one of those times. The February issue of the Porsche Club of America’s magazine Panorama just arrived and I’m over the moon. Both of the features I was involved in look amazing. One documents a remarkable 32,800 mile all original ’58 Speedster and the other portrays a newly restored 1972 911 in ST Signal Yellow paint. Continue reading “”

THE 356 THAT KEEPS ON GIVING

Once again, Excellence magazine has chosen to feature a “patina queen.” This one is an original 356B Porsche in Ruby Red driven by Rachel Nelson of California on a daily basis. With 285,000 miles on the clock, it’s still ticking and delivering the goods. Rachel’s custom glass goes in the back seat when she delivers small pieces to clients! Continue reading “”

CREATIVES, HOW MUCH ARE YOU WORTH?

Photo tips for the day.

Here are some links for those just coming out of photography/art/film school, or anyone else trying to determine their “day” rate in today’s competitive environment. Success is what you give yourself, so your long range view of business and art will be vital to getting you to where you want to be.

Practice your craft relentlessly. Find your own voice. Be the absolute best you can be. Know your capabilities and embrace them. Filter criticism. Find those clients who will compensate you appropriately for the work you are driven to create. And always remember: If you don’t think you are worth it, nobody else will. Continue reading “”