Twilight Time

Twilight Time, originally uploaded by big_pixel_pusher.

We were rapidly running out of daylight when these great looking cars rumbled into Bob's Big Boy Broiler and parked all the way in the back of the parking lot next to the fence. Kathy and I looked at one another as they went by and we walked over to try and get some shots before the sun vanished beneath the horizon.

Just to the right of this view was a killer red and black truck that Kathy shot. Her image was amazing. So good in fact when she decided to submit seven photos to be considered for entry in the photography exhibit at the 2012 Orange County Fair, the truck was one of the images she chose to enter. Four of her images were selected for display and the truck won honorable mention. We were really stoked when we went to the fair and saw them on display. Kathy as always kept her cool, showing very little emotion but Manny, Dot and I were really happy and excited. I even made her pose for pictures with her images. Now they are all hanging in our living room and they look great!

Not Fade Away

Not Fade Away, originally uploaded by big_pixel_pusher.

The setting sun's golden light creates bokeh highlights and casts long shadows across these classic Chevy's at Bob's Big Boy Broiler in Downey.

One Clean 1954 Chevy Truck

One Clean 1954 Chevy Truck, originally uploaded by big_pixel_pusher.

Via Flickr:
This is a really nice 1954 Chevy Truck. I saw it at Bob's Big Boy Broiler and since then I've seen it a few other times. Always spotless and a joy to shoot.

'48 Gumby

'48 Gumby, originally uploaded by big_pixel_pusher.

the Bob's Big Boy Broiler this Saturday. Kathy and I walked around and didn't see much we wanted to shoot. I put my camera away and just then 3 or 4 really nice Bombs drove in. Works every time. Whenever I put my camera away great cars show up. Anyway, this is a really nice 1948 Chevy. I think Kathy said she had seen it before.

Make Mine a '59

Make Mine a '59, originally uploaded by big_pixel_pusher.

Even in the dark parking lot at the Bob's Big Boy Broiler, this amazing 1959 Cadillac shines brightly. This was another tough one to photograph. Lots of people walking right through my shot. Either people are unaware that I am photographing the entire vehicle or they're getting pretty rude. As a result I had to combine the tone mapped image with several of the individual exposures, masking away images of the people who walked through my long exposures. Oh well, I like the end result so that's cool.

'57 Twin Fin

'57 Twin Fin, originally uploaded by big_pixel_pusher.

It always seems that when the sky gets cloudy, classic car owners put their cars in the garage. Not a single rain drop is going to fall on their custom paint job. The bummer with that is that HDR makes cloudy skies look amazing. I got lucky with this shot. The clouds rolled in after the car show got started so I had a chance to catch this amazing '57 out of its element. You can see the owner reflected in the trunk. He kept a close eye on my big tripod and camera which was just about a foot away from his cars tail fin. Viva la wide angle lens baby!

The Mean Green

The Mean Green, originally uploaded by big_pixel_pusher.

Here's another shot of this amazing green Chevelle I saw at the Bob's Big Boy Broiler. This side view better shows how reflective this car is.

Angel's Flight

Angel's Flight, originally uploaded by big_pixel_pusher.

When I first saw this '65 Ford Fairlane I immediately noticed it's paint was reflecting the car next to it like a deep blue mirror. The clarity of the paint was evident even under the yellowish overhead light of the Bob's Big Boy Broiler in Downey. Cars like this just can't be captured with a single photo. Only high dynamic range photography can do them justice.

Tom's '54 Bel Aire

Tom's '54 Bel Aire, originally uploaded by big_pixel_pusher.

"What a pleasant surprise to discover that you can run the new 1954 Chevy Belaire with the kind of money that fits a young man's budget." This absolutely clean 1954 Chevy Belair was parked at the Bob's Big Boy Broiler's Wednesday night car show in Downey. I was really struggling to get a good shot of it. First people kept walking through the shot and other cars arriving and leaving swept their headlights over it during the long exposures. I do like how it turned out though. The paint was highly reflective and I'm sure even more spectacular during daylight.

Swell Chevelle

Swell Chevelle, originally uploaded by big_pixel_pusher.

I think this is a Chevelle but I'm not sure what year. Kathy and I went to the Broiler on Wednesday and I met several members of the Sultan's Car Club from Long Beach. This was one of the Sultan's cars. This was a tough shot because people kept walking through my long exposures. I had to wave several people away but not everyone heeded my wishes.