Mooneyes....MADE IN THE USA

I went to Mooneyes the other day, and was surprised to learn that their performance parts are still made here in the USA, by hand, one at a time. Chico the owner of Mooneyes was gracious and let me roam around his shop with my Camera in hand photographing anything I wanted.

In these photos, Manuel "Manny" is making an aluminum fuel tank. I won't show the entire photo thread, but here are a couple from the shoot.

I got a kick out of watching flat pieces of aluminum being turned into gas tanks for race cars, maybe you will too.

Sinister Mustang.

Those that know me know I almost always shoot vintage race cars, muscle cars, and custom cars. I photographed this Mustang for Galpin Ford yesterday. I don’t know too much about it other than it is a custom built wide body Mustang that is on its way to Saudi Arabia. This thing sounded like friggin’ Formula 1 race car and looks mean going down the road. Needles to say it is an impressive machine. It’s also a nice challenge to step up and shoot a car with nearly zero miles on it. Galpin Auto Center as a very impressive line-up of vehicles this is just one.

Latest Magazine Cover.

It's been several months since I have had a magazine cover. I rather like this one, although I don't understand how the printing process makes her skin look pale and washed out, oh well.

Dig some of the many, many out takes from this shoot.

Posters

Somehow it makes me feel dirty, like admitting that I own an authentic Tijuana velvet Elvis painting, but somehow not dirty enough! I’m referring to using this blog as a way to sell you the viewer a poster. So here goes my best Ron Popeil sales pitch. Ready?

NEW, hot off the press 11X17 Automotive Photography posters! Printed on glossy 10pt cardstock (except the blue ’34 Ford, it’s printed on 100lb glossy poster paper) for the low price of $13 dollars each, plus $1 dollar to cover shipping and handling. (By the way what is handling and why are we charged for it?) But wait there’s more! Buy four or more posters and they are $10 each!

But wait there’s even more! There is a safe and easy ordering shopping cart set up on my web site with even more posters, prints and art for sale. www.automotive-photography.net Hang them on the wall next to your velvet Elvis! Act now operators are standing by.

Pheeew…I feel dirty after that sales pitch…I think I need a shower.

Girls! Girls! Girls!

I’ve said it before, and it bears repeating. There are a lot of bad pin-up photographers photographing ugly girls. Or even worse, bad pin-up photographers photographing pretty girls! What a crime, what a shame. I’m not saying I’m the best, because I’m not; there are photographers who blow me away in the retro girlie photo department. But after looking at so many terrible retro girlie photos, I wonder if they look at their own photos when they are done and are pleased with their work? There are photographers out there who’s stuff is so amazing I hope to be like them when I grow up (god forbid, I actually grow up). And the others….phew….I need a migraine pill. I suppose there may be a photographer looking at my photos thinking the same thing, "Wow, is this really pleased with his work". I guess all things are relative...never-mind. We now return you to your regularly scheduled program.

Grand National Roadster Show 2011

You know it’s funny. The longest running indoor car show (62 years now), The Grand National Roadster Show, takes place just a few miles from my house. And I didn’t want to bring my Camera. I just wanted to walk around and look at cars without hauling all that camera gear. Still...I couldn’t resist I dragged my camera along and strapped the rest of the gear onto my back. I also made my 11-year old son carry some of my equipment, but that came with a price. He gets hungry and the hot dogs are $9.00!! No kidding $9.00 dogs! $9.00 dollars to eat mashed up foreskins, kneecaps and sphincters!

Ok, back to cars and photos: This year was an exceptional year! Amazing cars, beautiful paint, design, interiors etc. It is literally an over load of the senses. My feet ached so bad, I considered hacking them off with a dull hatchet; it couldn’t have hurt any worse! I wouldn’t dare post all the photos I took on this blog; it would be too much to post, but enjoy these photos of some of the most beautifully built cars on the planet.