Photograph.

Because it's what I do.

Lebanon Valley Speedway 8.13.2011

I got caught up in some paid projects and never posted my dirt track shots from August. I had planned on going upstate to shoot at Lebanon Valley more often this summer, but it didn't pan out; I ended up going only once. I love shooting there, and next summer I want to go as often as possible and work on a real photo essay. The best part of going up? I realized that it's family; I went with my uncle, who has been involved with many aspects of racing there for much of his adult life, and I got to see some cousins, one of whom is a flagger. Even if I wasn't shooting, it was just great to be with people I don't see often enough.

Line-up order posted:

Lining up for a heat:

I was really concentrating on trying to get some good shots of the bog-block modifieds really kicking up the dirt. Why? BECAUSE DIRT TRACK:

Great corner drift in this shot, though ultimately he ended up spinning completely around:

Kenny Tremont, who went on to become Lebanon Valley's 2011 Modified Champion:

This car flipped over a couple of time before landing on the roof; the driver was extracted and walked away:

Elvis and Pink Cadillacs

I love me some Elvis and the kitsch that comes along with fandom. I've got random Elvis stuff around my apartment - beach towel, Christmas ornament, dish towels, and I even used to have an Elvis clock (it broke.) So whenever I'm at a classic car show, I'm immediately drawn to pink Cadillacs; as you may or may not know, in the mid-50's Cadillacs weren't offered with pink paint, but Elvis bought one to drive his band around in, and had it painted pink. It got wrecked, and he bought another, had it painted pink, and gave it to his mother as a gift. She didn't drive, so... well, he drove it. Then he bought another...

Some classic Cadillac owners seem to love Elvis too, and within weeks of each other, I found two Elvis-themed pink Caddies.

This past August at Woodward Dream Cruise, I wandered around Pontiac on the Friday. As I wandered, I blissfully ignored the sign at the entrance to a small group of cars that said "Private Party." I swear, I didn't see that sign! There were some cool cars, but since I didn't see that sign, I tried to stay as unobtrusive (and clueless) as possible. I snapped a few shots of the Elvis details on the pink Cadillac in the private zone.

A few weeks later at Serino's Block Party in Long Island City (my 'hood), there was this pink Caddie. My friend Luci (another Elvis freak fan) and I admired the car and the Elvis memorabilia, then the owner opened the trunk for us - to reveal Graceland. Graceland! In a trunk! How awesome is that!

So there you go, a gushy Elvis post.

__________________

There's another reason for this post. I needed to do something on my Mac tonight. Back in 1999 or 2000, I bought my first Mac so that I could use it to create a website to promote and sell my photography. I know Steve Jobs didn't invent the computer, but the Macs are such intuitive computers for the creative set. So thanks, Steve Jobs, for making my career path infinitely easier.