What The Deuce! At The North West Deuce Day

Prior to taking up photography I had little interest in cars other than a means to get from A to B. However, I quickly saw the potential for some great photography opportunities.  I was initially inspired by Tony and Chelsea Northrup’s video  on taking photographs    at a car show. 

Last weekend Victoria hosted the Deuce Days car rally at the Inner Harbor. Cars came from not only BC but also many parts of Canada and the U.S. I had limited time as I only had my   break tine from   work but am so glad I popped down. These vehicles are truly works of art.  

I remembered the advice of my friend  the photographer Rachel Kiers who emphasizes the value of focusing in on one subject.  

There was a bright sun with harsh light which made shooting close to the vehicle imperative. However as you will see, the light can also create magic inside the vehicle too!

Getting low is essential to getting creative images, and if possible getting above the vehicle

Below are some of the   photographs I took, with a description of why I took the photo or what I wanted to achieve .

"Steele and Black"

I was drawn to this for the contrast between the steels and the black body of the car.

"Liquid Gold Stick"

I just loved the way the sun shone inside the car, and the refle3ction on the gear stick. . This was a useful lesson that the interior of a car can be just as beautiful as the exterior.

"Twisted"

Vintage cars are full of reflections , particularly in the chrome, bodywork, and in this case the rear of a headlamp.

"Really wheel?"

Lovely reflection of the steering wheel and indicators on this car seat. On a bright day at noon, there can be creative reflections and shadows to be seen.

"Step On The Body"

Street sign reflecting on the red body of a car. I liked the bright red creating negative space around the sign.

"Legs and Feet"

More chrome and reflection magic

"Nipple Light"

I loved the shape and color of this light, and enjoyed focusing from the side.

"Knobs and Steele"

I liked the juxtaposition of the wooden knob and the steel.

"Metal Wheel"

Focusing in more directly to the steel center of the steering wheel

"Classy Car"

One of the most individual car interiors, simply beautiful. Car interiors can be of many different textures which can be interesting to capture. This is one of the very few images I have edited.

"Peep"

Walking around the whole car before deciding on a shot is always a good idea. I liked the hint of the interior from the rear of the car, and the muted tones within the horizontal the strip.

"Rusted Beauty"

"Spotty"

During my time at the rally I got talking to a couple of other photographers. They told me how much they had liked shooting the very rusty cars. I expressed my surprise but they told me the ,light on the rust was beautiful, and the images would make for a great background. I would never have thought of that, and am so grateful I took the time to talk to them.

"Checkmate!"

And last but not least- just as I was leaving I saw this woman from behind and then noticed the car. Her shirt was so complimentary to the car I had to stop her and ask to take her portrait. She was a great sport and what a pose! A natural!

One of the biggest lessons was to not just take a close up, but also extend out so you capture the subject in context.

It is advisable to go early. by the time I got to the rally, there were literally thousands of people. Getting a shot of a whole car was impossible without distracting people in the background.