As the camera clicked away, I stood back with amazement. Randy was putting his artistic spin through the lens.
It's been years since I've been to a photo shoot for a car. The last I can remember, was taking one of my cars to L.A. for a studio shoot back in the 80s. This was a different car, a different time...my car was now being shot to go into the Porsche magazine, Excellence.
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The prefect location for the patina coupe. Image © AFTR
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It started with a tape recorded interview listing all the existing and new details, mechanical and so on. Next was a drive out to the back country for the shoot. A deserted road near Julian to do the action shots with multiple passes back and forth, my wife driving the camera car with Randy precariously hanging out the passenger side rear window, camera in hand, click, click, click. The so called "beauty shots" were done at a old gas station in Guatay.
You ask, "Why use a car that's not shiny and bright?" Well, why not dare to be different? Shooting a car that has survived intact through the decades with it's historic reality incorporated into it's surface, it's original paint, plating, interior, the list goes on, can only be done once. After these items are replaced, the stuff of history is largely gone, even if the car is very pedestrian. Think of it this way, it has a style that can only be duplicated with time.
The car is in the November 2011 issue, now on the newsstand. I have to hand it to Pete Stout, Editor of Excellence and Randy Wells who did the issue photos and story for having the "chutzpah" to say, it's not a car just about the money or status...it's about being real. Some get it...others, never will.
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| The interior shots were done with my wife holding a remote flash bar. Image © AFTR |
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| Randy Wells at work, clicking away. Image © AFTR |
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| November issue with "Early 911 Rat Rod" emblazoned in type. Image © AFTR |
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| "Rust Never Sleeps." Image © AFTR |
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| Image © AFTR |
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| Cruising the back roads of Julian. Image © Randy Wells |
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| Real 7" Magnesium Minilites with painted on Mobil Pegasus. Image © Randy Wells |
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| Rare GT or Ferrari drivers seat as it is called. Image © Randy Wells |
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| Complete rebuild on the engine. Image © Randy Wells |
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| 1974 was the last time this ride was on the road. Image © Randy Wells |
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| Image © Randy Wells |
Check out Excellence Magazine,
here.
Check out Randy Wells Photography,
here.
And if you what to comment, click
here.
Thanks for that picture of Randy taking THE picture. That's been the wallpaper on my work computer's desktop since the article came out.
ReplyDeleteThanks Bill....Randy is so cool to work with.
ReplyDeleteGreat piece - as they say, it's only original once. Young people don't understand why my unmolested '58 Eldorado Biarritz isn't all shiny and bright (complete mechanical rebuild, of course) but the old guys from my generation understand immediately.
ReplyDelete