KING CONE

Honest, I did not come up with the title for this article! Still, I’m very honored that Excellence featured my 1972 Porsche 911T/ST in their latest issue (#205).

In addition to the magazine, you can read more about Jeff Barstow’s top class win and our great adventure together in SLC on an earlier blog post.

Fast runs at 2012 PCA Parade, mine first then Jeff’s:

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AN APPROACH TO AUTOMOTIVE PHOTOGRAPHY

Number four in my series of RANDY’S PHOTO TIPS a.k.a. his creative photographic process:

When approaching automotive photography, one of the first challenges is the belief that you can fix everything in post-processing. Unfortunately (or fortunately), a car’s complex bodywork and glossy paint reflects everything, especially on dark colored vehicles. So, unless your location and background are clean and well thought out beforehand, you could be left with an image that needs a lot of complicated retouching. Continue reading “”

LEICA M10 TO BE ANNOUNCED?

Recent reports that a new Leica digital rangefinder will be revealed at Photokina next month (with autofocus aids, live view, and video capabilities) started me thinking about my life with these German cameras.

The first Leica I purchased was a M4-2 rangefinder in 1979. I was just back from the best King Crab fishing season with my dad and had a little money to spend. A Leica M3 joined it shortly after. I still own and use those cameras. Continue reading “”

THE LUCKY AMERICAN

The latest issue of Excellence Magazine (204) carries a story of mine on the 1965 Lucky Lager 911 and the early racing career of driver Bruce O’Neil.

Bruce is certainly “The Lucky American” when it comes to racing the early 911 in Europe in 1967. His was a unique experience that would be very hard (if impossible) to repeat. Racing has changed so much. Continue reading “”

PART III. CREATIVITY AND THE DIGITAL CAMERA: A LOOK BACK – Randy’s Photo Tips

For the third installment on creativity and the photographic process I revisit my first professional digital camera in an article I wrote for PC Photo Magazine:

“What inspires us to photograph in a more creative way? For some it might be the realization that we are seeing something anew for the very first time. It might be as simple as connecting with a new country or culture. Maybe this inspiration is a reward for venturing outside of our comfort zone. For others, it might come from trying out a new technique, or viewing a master photographer’s work, or being forced to overcome some challenge that compels us to aspire to heights we haven’t reached for previously. Continue reading “”

CLUB SPORT

Excellence Magazine just published my article and photos on this outlandish Porsche 911. It’s one of 28 US delivered Club Sport 911s that was turned into a Porsche Club of America spec race car.

To many it might seem illogical to take a limited edition 1988 Carrera Club Sport in Dark Blue, one of only four made, and modify it for racing. But is it really that sacrilegious? Doesn’t ‘Club Sport’ suggest sports purpose club competition? Wasn’t the Porsche name originally built on its motorsports heritage? Isn’t the 911 the most popular car to use for PCA racing? Perhaps all that’s needed is to read the full story for it to make some sense. Continue reading “”

PART II. 15 TIPS FOR THE DIGITAL PHOTOGRAPHER

This is my second article in the creativity and photographic process series from 2012:

Many of these tips I credit to other photographers and authors, especially Ernst Haas, Sam Abell, and Deanne Delbridge.

1. Work with the minimum amount of equipment and be totally familiar with it. Consider exercising with your gear before a shoot.
2. Check all cameras, lenses and flash units before any shoot remove smudges from lens elements/filters, dust from sensors, and charge all batteries.
3. Take more batteries and digital media storage than you think you will need.
4. Know before you go: Research your subject and location for favorable concepts and backgrounds. Weather is a factor, but remember bad can be good.
5. Rest completely and eat little before shooting.
6. Check your histogram for exposure, then forget about the review monitor as much as possible.
7. Never say to yourself, I’ll get it later.
8. Listen to your intuition. Turn around. Look up. Place the camera on the ground or over your head.
9. Look for unusual lighting, perspectives, backdrops, foregrounds, framing elements, details, symbols, reflections, and colors that accentuates the subject’s character.
10. Work slowly, remain open and flexible, pursue your own vision, go beyond expectations. Have fun and photograph what appeals to you.
11. Practice using your position and the viewfinder to eliminate distracting elements at the edges of the frame and near your main subject. Remember, the eye of the viewer will always go first to the brightest, most colorful area.
12. Be descriptive without showing everything. Eliminate any contradictions in the image. Place the horizon line thoughtfully. The above are most important when you are excited.
13. Compose formally, and use a tripod when you can, but allow informality to take the image to another place, to a picture you can’t memorize.
14. Try to weave two or three photos together into one with layers of information.
15. Attitude is everything.

Also, periodically answer these questions in writing:

What is the most important thing in my life?
At what times do I feel most alive?
What is my personal definition of photography?
Where would I like to be as a photographer?
What’s keeping me from getting there?
What are my greatest strengths and weaknesses as an artist?
What am I trying to say?
“What does my dream job look like?”
If I could make just one set of photographs what would it be?

Part I

Part III

Inspirational Quotes

Digital Photo Pro Article with Randy

HAPPY 4TH OF JULY!

Congratulations to Bob Tilton on the 2nd anniversary of his WerkCrew blog site. It’s been a pleasure to be involved in his projects and to watch him grow as a photographer. The guy’s got a seriously good eye.

Werk Crew

Also, be sure and check out the “VPI Traveler Turntable and Dynavector Cartridge Giveaway” from Music Direct on Michael Fremer’s Analog Planet site. You could win a brand-new record spinner!

Analog Planet

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SEEING THE WORLD THROUGH A NORMAL LENS

It’s been a long time since I’ve used a fixed focal length normal lens for stills (the first time was when I bought a Canon AE-1 in 1976). I have a 50mm f2 Summicron for my Leica M rangefinder, though I use it more for personal work. As a cineamatographer, I also use several fast fixed focal length lenses on my 5D MK II DSLR for motion filming. Continue reading “”

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ALL-AMERICAN ROADS

When America’s best scenic drives are discussed, a few always make the list. US Hwy 1 on the Pacific Coast is an obvious choice, as is Going-to-the-Sun Road in Montana. As amazing as these roads are, over 20 more are considered “All-American Roads” (see below), and one in particular stands out above all the rest as being both uniquely uncrowded and spectacular. Continue reading “”

PART I. RANDY’S PHOTO TIPS – THE FIFTH ELEMENT IN PHOTOGRAPHY

Over the next three months, I’ll be posting once a month about creativity and photography. Here’s the first installment:

There are many ways to look at photography. Like music, one can see it as an expressive art form that captures an always-changing continuum. If you break down a photograph into only four elements you will probably come up with something like this: light, form, line and color. The corresponding elements in nature are: fire, air, earth and water, like the points of a compass. Going further, the elements of man reveal another quad: heart, mind, body and soul. There is also a fifth element to consider – that of transition, moment, space and consciousness. Continue reading “”

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OUTLAW 356 AND 911 : BLACK AND SILVER

Once again, Excellence magazine has chosen to feature some remarkable Porsches. This month’s issue (#201) includes a black 1958 Porsche 356A sunroof coupe that became a Willhoit GT special and a silver 1972 Porsche 911 hot rod that returned to the street after many years as a race car.

I was fortunate to have covered both of these California cars in photographs and words. Each owner, Dick Moran and Chris Messano, is a true enthusiast intent on fulfilling their aspirations. Thanks, guys, for being who you are… Continue reading “”

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SCOTLAND

Magical moments are something we photographers live for. They are one of those times when we feel most alive.

This was one of those moments. My wife, Andrea, and I were touring Scotland and realized that the following evening would provide a full moon at dusk and a high tide reflection of the Eilean Donan Castle lit by the western sky in a nearby bay. It’s something that happens maybe once a year IF you are lucky and the weather is clear. Continue reading “”