Midnight Mass 2009 Pictures

Von Zipper Red Baron Tribute, originally uploaded by The Brain Toad.

The rest of my Midnight Mass 2009 pictures can be found here

Was a good show, keeps getting bigger every year. The size this year was almost too overwhelming.

Some Pictures from May

Pink is Outcast


All Alone


Rusty Grille


1934 Dodge Brothers


Grille with a Nose


Face in Chrome


Black and White Chrome


Hood Head


Packard Swan


Soaring

The Deck Shoots a Stream

The Deck Shoots a Stream, originally uploaded by Brain Toad Photography.

Night Moves

It has been awhile since I've posted here, mainly because I haven't had much to post. My photography has been limited to what inspiration I can get while at school. No car shows until the end of March and there isn't much to shoot on campus or off. Especially during the rain we had for the past month. Though this past week has been amazingly clear and while I didn't get out during the day to shoot, I did get out at night. The first sessions was to shoot the massive moon we had this past week that was made even more clear by the lack of clouds in the sky.

The problem was that I didn't have my tripod, so I was stuck using a monopod and a sapling support as a brace to steady my camera and it didn't work well. I also didn't remove my UV filter, which I find out later causes some problems with night shots.


It was bright, very bright. This brightness plus the blur created an effect much like the sun at night.


That bluish dot is what happens when you leave your UV filter on at night. I thought it was just lens flare.

So after that sorry attempt, I decided I need my tripod. Since my dad was already making a trip up to give me something, I asked him to grab my tripod. That night I went out again. It was still clear though the moon was gone from the sky. It was also mighty cold and after less than a half hour outside my hands were numb. I think I'll wait until it warms up a bit before I go out again.


I'm trying to use Aperture priority more in my shooting. I know with night shots Shutter priority makes more sense, but aperture is easier to set. In order to get good shutter speeds, I had to crank up the f-number. Which gave the lights a really cool effect.


The light trails it created for the cars driving by was quite neat. I call this one "The Flash Got in My Shot", because of the red blur.


The sky came out really orange in some shots. Not sure if this was because it sun had only completely set not too long ago, or because of the light pollution of the area.


My aim for this shot was to capture the lighted dorms still under construction way in the back. But the lamp posts ended up being the focus. The star effect really gives it a "fake" feel, I really like it.

I really couldn't get the center on this shot. I couldn't eyeball it very well, so I kept making adjustments and shooting. And I ended up with two shots, same settings but slightly different centers. I thought it would be good for a wiggle stereoscopy, to give a 3D effect. However, the pictures are a bit too different and it doesn't work as well. I may try this again though, the tripod makes it easy.



All my night shots and all future night shots can be found in my Night Photography set on Flickr. I'll post more once I get a good batch going. I'll also post some pictures from the Good Guys car show in a few weeks.

Thought Gears

I'm not what you would call a perfect car guy. I love looking at, studying, and admiring cars. I don't know how an engine works, what the cubic centimeters numbers means or what the difference between a big block and small block Chevy engine is. I don't change my own oil, fix my own problems, or even open my hood unless I'm filling the wiper fluid. I'm not above any of that, I just never learned how, not that I wouldn't be willing. But I am a great admirer of classic cars, why else would I take near 5000 pictures of them in less than 3 years?

And there is a specific type of car I love. Some call them rat rods, others call them traditional hot rods, or suede. These cars aren't shined a showroom finish, tucked away in the garage, only coming out to be loaded onto the trailer to be bussed to the Rod & Custom Show or the West Coast Nationals. They live their lives outside or in beat down garages, they are driven daily if they run, worked on daily if they aren't. They are bare metal, rusted, or primered. Their wheels are usually the cleanest and newest thing on them, because they are the cheapest. They are a mismatch of parts, scraps, blood, sweat and tears. They are obvious works of love by these individuals. These classics don't need to shine, they just have to run.



1952 Buick, no gloss, no shine, just flat paint with hand painted flames.


1950 Chevrolet, a Frankenstein of color, fading original paint perhaps, or the result of different tests


Rust doesn't mean the car isn't loved, in some cases the rust buckets get more love the the gleen machines


Tractors are legitimate sources for parts


1951 Chevrolet, just because you own a Chevy doesn't mean you can't have a Pontiac hood ornament


Rust is a valid color in these parts


You can still color coordinate and still look cool


It worked then, it still works now, what other reason do you need?


What is in a name?


1959 Edsel, this style works even past the Hot Rod era


What is paint but just another expense?


With Bettie by your side, can you do any wrong?


It doesn't even require an engine to be a true piece of work


Just because you weren't born in the USA, doesn't mean you can't still be a true American classic


If your back wheels are almost as big as your body, you are doing something right


Your car is also the best seat in the house


A little nudity is always appreciated


Don't bother cleaning your car after your run through the mud or salt, no one will judge you


And it's always good to bring along a designated driver


I love these cars. If it wasn't for them, I would have never fell in love with classic cars. These cars and their owners showed me that not every car guy owns a car to show off once a year, but there is people out there who do it for the love of the vehicle, the work, and the culture. I salute the owners of these hot rods, rat rods, suede machines and leadsleds.

(Pictures taken from my Billetproof 2006, 2007, and 2008, Midnight Mass 2007 and 2008, and Last Originals 2008 sets)