Superheroes...

It seems like there is a new superhero movie coming out almost every week these days.  They are obviously profitable or the movie makers would move on to a different subject. What really makes me sad though, is that nobody has ever made a movie about my favorite superhero.  In fact, there was a time that my favorite superhero was "America's Favorite Superhero."  Can you guess who it is?

That's right, Bud Man! There was a time when Anheuser-Bush (now owned by InBev, a Belgian mega-brewer) used Bud Man for their marketing campaigns. I remember visiting Bush Gardens on a family vacation in the '70's, and Bud Man merchandise was all over their gift shops.  In fact, I still have a Bud Man beach towel from a later visit.  The Bud Man magnet, pictured above, was on a rat rod at a local car show a few years ago.

Where is Bud Man today?  I guess he probably retired several years ago, so maybe he's playing shuffleboard at the Old Superhero home in Sarasota (or wherever it is that old superheroes retire to). The point of today's ramblings:  The Bud Man magnet was a little detail on a single car in a show with 100+ vehicles.  I would bet that I was the only one who took a photo of it that day.  Photos don't have to be iconic to be interesting. Sometimes, the little things leave a lasting impression.

Will there ever be a return of Bud Man?  My guess is no, because I'm sure in today's politically-correct world there would be something wrong with a superhero that represents a beer company. And besides, would a superhero who spoke French, Dutch, or German (the languages of Belgium) really be able to recapture the title of America's Favorite Superhero?

I guess that covers it for today.  Go out and shoot something, with your camera of course.  And remember: If you're not having fun while you're out shooting, you're probably doing something wrong...

Burnin' For You...

It's funny how song titles seem to capture a lot of my post ideas.  If you're not familiar with Burnin' For You, it's a song by Blue Oyster Cult, a band from my old stomping grounds (Long Island).  The song itself has nothing to do with today's topic: Burnouts...

Who doesn't love a good burnout?  The smoke, the smell, the display of power all work together to make a burnout great fun.  It's been several years since I've had a car capable of doing a big smoky burnout, so I have to live vicariously through others' burnouts.  This weekend, while I was covering an event at a local drag strip, I got to immerse myself in an extra cool burnout:

Times and tires have changed.  I've never seen a big blue burnout before (although I love the alliteration...).  Besides the obviously cool blue smoke, it was nice to be at ground level to take a few photos.  I know most people tend to shoot burnouts from the front of the car, and that's why I thought I'd shoot some from the back.  Taking the same photo that everyone else is taking may net you a good photo, but it has to be better than everyone else to get noticed.  Stepping away from all the other photographers and taking your own photo sometimes nets you a more interesting photo. 

Coffee break over, time to get back to work.  Happy shooting, and remember: If you're not having fun, you're probably doing something wrong.

Later, hater...

Someone recently commented to me that they didn't "get" the whole "I'm a Chevy guy" or "I'm a Ford guy" as so many claim to be.  I confess that I don't get it either, as I like and appreciate all cars that are done well, be it Ford, Mopar, GM, AMC, or import.  But that argument also exists in the photography world...

I hear "I'm a Nikon person" or "I'm a Canon person" all the time.  I guess I'm guilty of it as well, as I have been using Canon gear for years so I became a "Canon guy" somewhere along the way.  But the part I don't understand is when I hear people trash talking one or the other.  I've heard Nikon people talk down Canon equipment, and vice versa.  Since both make excellent stuff, I just don't get the hate.

As a photographer, I have always believed that the  best camera is the one you have in your hands when you want to take a photo.  Who cares if it's Canon, Nikon, Pentax, etc.  What should matter is the photo that you take, not what you take it with.

Not much content today, but that's how it goes sometimes.  Happy shooting.  Remember, if you're not having fun you're probably doing something wrong...

Who Made Who...

The unfortunate and untimely passing of Prince last week caused a huge uptick in the amount of his music played on the radio, MTV, and other outlets.  I heard "Little Red Corvette" more times in the last week than in the last 10 years.  Not a bad thing, because it's a good song, but it got me wondering about how icons are made...

One of my favorite movies happens to be Smokey and the Bandit.  Jackie Gleason, aka Sheriff Beauford T. Justice, was one of the two most important elements in that movie (in my opinion). The other, of course, was the black Trans Am.  Pontiac got a lot of great advertising by providing cars for that movie.  The Trans Am was a badass; fast, great burnouts, hell it even jumped a river while outrunning every Grand LeMans cop car in the South.

So, my question to myself was simple: Did Smokey and the Bandit make the Trans Am an icon? The movie came out in 1977, so I looked at Trans Am production numbers for 1977, 1978 and 1979.  Not exactly scientific (at all), but interesting and maybe anecdotal. 
1977: 68,745
1978: 93,341
1979: 117,108
Based on the huge production increase, it's not entirely unreasonable to think that the movie helped to turn the Trans Am into an icon. Obviously there's other factors involved, but it's enough to make you go hmm...

If a movie can make an icon, can a song?  Well, the Corvette was an icon long before the Prince song came out, but could the song have an influence on color choice? The song came out in 1982, so I looked at Corvette production by color for 1982, 1984 and 1985:
1982: 25,407 built. 2,155 were red, or roughly 8.5%
1984: 51,547 built. 12,942 were red, or roughly 25%
1985: 39,729 built. 10,424 were red, or roughly 26%

Do the number really mean anything?  Probably not, but it was fun to ask the question and look at some production numbers to see if there was even the possibility of a relationship. The Corvette changed body style in 1984, so it's entirely possible the C4 just looks better in red than other colors.  But it's enough to make you go hmm...

Up On The Roof...

"When this old world starts getting me down..." I was listening to oldies (I know, big surprise) yesterday at my desk, and The Drifters song "Up On The Roof" came on.  (By the way, if you want to see what I listen to, feel free to find me on Spotify and check out at the playlists I have created.)  Yesterday's song was today's motivation, so here goes...

One of the many things I love about photography is how many different ways the same subject can look from different perspectives.  When I see other photographers shooting at the same events/parks, etc. as me, I usually try to get their card so I can look at their work later on.  Not to compete, not to compare, just to try to view things from a different perspective.  Every once in a while I even step out of "lazy" mode and try to find a new perspective on my own to try...

"I climb way up to the top of the stairs..." that Drifters song again.  I had the opportunity to create a different perspective not too long ago. I was at a car show that was being held at a local restaurant, and the parking lot circled a good part of the building.  Someone was gracious enough to allow me roof access, and I was able to take some photos of the event from a very different perspective than my usual one.

I guess the over-arching message here is to try to look at things a little differently from time to time.  Perspective is everything. Sometimes, seeing things from a different point of view tells a different story than the one you're used to.  Looking up, or (as in this case) looking down, looks different than looking at.  The roof happened to be all mine that morning, but I'm guessing that's because nobody else asked.  "And if this world starts getting you down, there's room enough for two up on the roof..." Yep, same song.  Thanks to the Drifters for some motivation.  Remember, if you're not having fun when you're out shooting, you're probably doing something wrong.

First Car...

I went to a car show over the weekend (big surprise...).  While I was there, I was talking to the owner of a nicely restored Mustang II and I mentioned that my first car was a Mustang II.  He said that he was surprised how many people have told him the exact same thing. That got me thinking about yesteryear...

If you're not familiar with the Mustang II, or if you haven't seen one before, you're not alone.  The reinvention of the Mustang came about because of the gas crisis of the early '70's. In 1974, the Mustang II hit the streets as a compact, fuel-efficient (for their time) car that evoked memories of the Pinto much more than memories of previous Mustangs. Mine sported the 90-horsepower, 2.3 liter 4-cylinder paired to an automatic, capable (in theory) of 0-60 times...

I don't want to bash the Mustang II.  In fact, I loved mine in spite of it's anemic performance.  It was my first car, and who doesn't have all sorts of fun memories attached to their first car?  Cruising with your friends, going to the beach, buying beer at the drive-thru, the list goes on.  In NY where I grew up you could get a junior license at 16, so I used to drive my Mustang to Driver's Ed in high school to get my regular license.

The Mustang turned 52 years old yesterday.  Happy birthday, Mustang!  I hope I look as good as you if I make to 52 years old...

The Road Less Traveled

Last summer I was able to spend a couple days exploring part of Route 66, the Mother Road, in central Oklahoma. One of the many interesting stops I made was in Warwick, OK at the Seaba Station Motorcycle Museum. Originally built as a gas station in 1921, it now houses dozens of vintage motorcycles.

What makes places like this, little bits of roadside America, so interesting to me is the people you encounter.  While I was here, I had a really interesting conversation with the owner.  He told me the history of some of the motorcycles, as well as the building itself.  All the time we were talking, I kept thinking of one of my favorite song lyrics from Neil Young: "See the losers in the best bars, Meet the winners in the dives,  Where the people are the real stars, All the rest of their lives." There's a human factor that you get in small town America that no longer exists in the big cities...

As I was wrapping up my visit, taking a look at the back side of the building, a motorcycle rolled in:

It was a ragged looking old Honda twin, with an Illinois license plate.  The rider was a young guy, early 20's and he was on his way to California.  He was doing Route 66 from one end to the other, on his own.  I envied him a bit, as that's one very liberating personal journey to take.  As I got into my rental car and drove off, down Route 66, that Neil Young song was stuck in my head.  The people are the real stars on our journey through this world.

Route 66 to some is a symbol of a bygone era, the slow way to get from one place to another.  To me it's a great reminder that life is about the journey, not the destination.  Slowing down and looking around can freshen your perspective.  As a photographer, it often leads to unique photo ops as well...

Don't Blink...

If you do, you might miss it.  Wait a second, is that really a post office?  Yes indeed, it is.

This is America's smallest U.S. Post Office, in beautiful Ochopee, FL. Never heard of Ochopee?  Don't worry, not many people have. (You can tell it's small, look at the size of their post office). Ochopee is located on Tamiami Trail in the midst of Big Cypress National Preserve down in Everglades country.

I took this photo a few years ago when I was passing through, on my way to Chokoloskee. (Don't worry if you've never heard of Chokoloskee, it's only a little bigger than Ochopee).  This drive across the Southern Everglades was made possible many years ago when the Tamiami Trail was built.  Unfortunately, the road cut off much of the water flow into the Everglades, and they have been struggling to survive for decades.  But all hope is not lost...

Several years ago, the Army Corp. of Engineers began an ambitious project to elevate parts of Tamiami Trail to restore more water flow into the Everglades. You can read more specifics here http://www.evergladesfoundation.org/what-we-do/projects/tamiami-trail/

The first mile of elevated roadway is complete, so that's good news.  There's more to be done, but a step forward is a step in the right direction.  If you have not visited the Everglades, I'd encourage you to do so. There's no place else like it in the world.  And on your back (or on your way to Chokoloskee), take a ride through Ochopee to see the post office.  Just don't blink, you might miss it...

A Moment to Reflect...

We all step back and reflect sometimes. We look at old photos, talk to old friends, and we reflect on those moments and memories as we go through our days.  But I'm not waxing nostalgic as I talk about reflecting for a moment today, I'm talking about real reflections...

Last summer I was in Oklahoma to shoot some photos for Eckler's at their International show.  Summer weather in Oklahoma can get pretty nasty pretty quickly, and storms can roll in with very little warning.  This day was no exception.  A 15-minute downpour came before many of the show cars could be moved or covered.  As soon as the rain stopped though, there was a brief moment when the standing water on the blacktop turned the parking lot into a great big mirror and I was able to get a few shots of some classic Chevy's (like the shot above).  Within a few minutes, the red-hot Oklahoma sun came back out and dried the blacktop, turning my big mirror back into a plain old parking lot, albeit one with a bunch of car owners drying off (and out) their classics...

Reflections can turn an absolutely ordinary photo into an interesting one.  As summer approaches, we will be getting afternoon storms on an almost daily basis here in Florida.  Take your camera out, and take a moment to reflect.  The results may be interesting...
Russ Muller Photography

Startin' & Stoppin'...

Such is the life story of my blog.  I wish I was more dedicated to the concept, but as I get older I find that listening is more important to me than speaking.  A long time ago someone said "there's a reason we have two ears and one mouth; listen more than you speak" and that's a wise guideline...

So, here it is mid-March, and I'm finally adding content to a blog that has gone untouched for months.  Yep, I'd say I've gotten the hang of listening down pretty good.  But I still need to speak every now and then, right? So today I'm going to talk briefly about the C7 Corvette.  At first I was not sold on them. The look was considerably different than previous Corvettes, very angular and sharp along many edges that used to be soft and curvy. 

Now that I've had some time to look at them and photograph them, I have come to appreciate the "new" look.  Lean and muscular looking, the C7 looks more modern and performs better than any previous Corvettes. Will the C7 ever replace the C2 as my dream Vette? No. But Chevrolet got back to badass when it designed the C7, and I hope they continue on that path.

Not really much about photography this time, but nobody reads this anyway, right?  Remember, if you're not having fun when you're out shooting, you're probably doing something wrong...

Decomposing...

Yes I could be talking about me, but today I'm not. When time and the elements take their toll on things, they leave behind a unique patina that technology cannot easily reproduce. Sure, the Photoshop gurus can recreate just about anything, but some things are better left to nature. For example:

It is fairly common these days for "barn find" cars, similar to the 442 above, to not be restored. Instead, many get a clear coat shot over the existing finish to preserve the car in its current state. Is there anything wrong with doing this? Absolutely not! Being able to capture a moment in time is one of the reasons photography exists...

I spent a little bit of time observing the 442 above at a local car show. What I noticed was that most of the show attendees walked past this car on their way to the shiny cars parked around it. That was great for me, because I got to shoot some photos at a car show without having to shoot around people, or crop out elbows, etc. But at the same time, I was a little sad for the 442. Its patina and decomposition give it a uniqueness that got overlooked far too often.

So, when you're out shooting, look around. Stop and take a better look at the things that don't necessarily catch your eye. You might find some interesting things to shoot. And remember, if you're not having fun while you're out shooting, you're probably doing something wrong.

Color or Black & White?

Believe it or not, that's a question that I ask myself a lot these days. I always thought that color way the only way to go. I mean, black and white existed only because we didn't know how to capture color at the time, right? Wrong!

While color captures a lot of information, I'm learning that black and white captures a lot more imagination. The interplay of light and shadow tells the story in black and white, where different hues tell the story in color. Is one "better" than the other? No. Both have their strengths (and weaknesses). One of the many joys of digital photography is that it's pretty easy to convert from color to black and white, so you can look at a photo in both and determine which works best. Here's an example where I preferred to use black and white:

Here's a dark green Nova on an overcast day, in color and in black and white:

 

The grey, overcast skies make the color copy seem flat, but they look right at home in black and white.

 

Try it sometime on a few of your photos. You never know, you just might wind up with something you never knew you had...Remember, if you're not having fun while you're out shooting, you're probably doing something wrong.



 

Water, Water Everywhere...

February in Florida. Dry season, right? While that's usually the case, we do get weather fronts coming through that bring rain. Case in point, just this past weekend at Eckler's Chevy Winternationals. Rain, rain, and a little more rain fell from the sky and left many classic Chevys either glistening and wet or hidden beneath a car cover. Not the ideal photography weather, for sure.

So, what's a car-guy and aspiring photographer to do? Shoot pictures, of course! Colorless skies can help make the color of your subject pop, and water droplets make interesting patterns and textures.

 



There's no controlling the weather, so the best thing you can do is use it to your advantage. How many Bel Air hood ornament photos have you seen? If you're like me, hundreds and hundreds. How many wet ones have you seen? Probably not hundreds, more likely a handful at most. So the bad weather helped to create a more unique photo.

Happy shooting. Remember, if you're not having fun while you're out shooting, you're probably doing something wrong...

Speed!

Speed, glorius speed. Yes, at Daytona speed rules. But I wasn't thinking about cars going fast when I shot this photo. Instead, I was thinking about ISO speed. Why think about ISO when you're visiting the birthplace of speed? Read on...


I make a pilgrimage twice per year to Daytona International Speedway, for the Turkey Rod Run Thanksgiving weekend and for the Spring Turkey Rod Run. These car shows typically attract about 4,000 cars (!) which translates to lots of photo opportunities for a car guy like me. Those opportunities also present some challenges.


Being a morning person, I like to get out to the car shows before the crowds. This makes taking photos easier, and sometimes provides opportunities that get lost as the day wears on (golden hour light, morning dew on cars, etc.). I also like to use a polarizing filter to minimize surface reflections. If you're not familiar with a polarizing filter, think of it as the equivalent of sunglasses. Here's where the ISO thoughts come to mind. Sometimes, if you have an overcast sky and your camera lens is wearing sunglasses, you need to compensate for the reduced light you have to work with. This can be accomplished in a few ways:

1. Slower shutter speed




2. Flash




3. Higher ISO speed

Each solution has tradeoffs, and each may be be more/less desirable at times. Let's look at the pros and cons of each:

Slower shutter speed - This is a great solution for objects that are not in motion, particularly if you are using a tripod. However, if you are shooting moving objects slowing down your shutter speed too much will give you a blurry image. Likewise, if you are shooting without a tripod, handheld shooting can get blurry if you shoot too slow.
Flash - Using a flash is a good way to light up subjects close to you, and a flash can help to fill in some of the darker areas that a harsh midday sun can create. However, flashes don't help for landscape photography or distant subjects, and they can create artificial bright spots, harsh shadows, and red eye. Some of those can be fixed post-production, but not always.
Higher ISO speed - Higher ISO speed allows you to shoot with a faster shutter speed, which is particularly useful when you have so-so light and subjects in motion. The downside - noise. Higher ISO speeds translate into a noisier (or grainier) image. Most newer cameras can shoot at fairly high ISO speeds before noise becomes a problem though.

So, I was thinking about what ISO to use on the overcast morning that I was shooting photos of show cars at the speedway. Remember, the camera has all sorts of adjustments and settings available to you. Use them, and you can get superior results to the 'auto' mode, even when shooting autos :-) And remember, if you're not having fun when you're out shooting, you're probably doing something wrong.

Full of Hot Air...

It's time once again for the New Smyrna Beach Hot Air Balloon Fest. I have gone for the past two years and enjoyed it. In fact, I have sold four images that I have taken at this event, so it's also proven to be a cash positive event for me. There are some who would say this event is a good fit for me, as I am frequently full of hot air...

So, what's not to love about an event like this? From a photographers perspective this event has great potential. Large, colorful balloons (some in interesting shapes) start filling up just before dawn breaks and they launch into the sunrise. You get the cool effect of flames glowing in the pre-dawn and you get the "golden hour" light as they launch. Lots of visually interesting stuff going on, which means lots of opportunities for great photos. The subject matter seems to be universally well-liked (have you ever heard anyone mutter under their breath how much they hate hot air balloons? Nope, me neither).

Events like this are great opportunities to expand your photo portfolio as well as sharpen your skills. For me, this event is a chance to shoot "up" a lot more than I usually do. Up is a different perspective than I am used to, so I get to see things a little differently through the lens. When I am out shooting wildlife, "up" can be a messy perspective. I have seen a photographer or two wind up with a mess to clean off of their lens...

Hope to see you out at the NSB Ballon Fest. Remember, if you're not having fun while you're out shooting you're probably doing something wrong.

Get Your Motor Runnin'...

That's right, it's time again. Tomorrow is the first day of Bike Week 2012. For the next 10 days, Daytona Beach will be awash in chrome, leather, and the unmistakable rumble of thousands of V-Twins on Main Street.

I get excited every year when Bike Week rolls around. I stopped riding my bike to Daytona a few years ago, because I found that the photographer in me has more opportunities during Bike Week than the motorcyclist does. Living just 1/2 hour from Daytona, I can ride the coast anytime I like. How often, though, does one get the chance to shoot photos of hundred or thousands of bikes at one time. This beautiful 1940 Harley, complete with suicide shifter, is just one example of the eye candy that descends on Daytona for Bike Week.

Ever since the movie "Bucket List" came out a few years ago, people have talked about the agenda items on their personal bucket lists. If you have never been to Bike Week, it's one that I would recommend for any photographer. Chrome is a fascinating thing, and you'll never find more of it in one place than you will at Bike Week. Photo opportunities abound!

To my brother (and sister) bikers: If you are riding to Daytona, be safe. To my photog friends: If you've never been to Bike Week, make 2012 the year you go. You won't regret it. Plus, if the Mayans are right, you'll never get this chance again...

Wabbit Season, Duck Season, Camaro Season...

For those of you who remember the classic Bugs Bunny cartoon, you will remember Elmer Fudd and Daffy Duck arguing about what hunting season it is, hence the title of this post. This winter has been a particularly good one for my photography. In addition to the "usual" haunts (Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge, for example) I have had a really good car show season.

What's that you say? Car show season? Well, sure. The summer months in Florida bring wonderfully predictable afternoon storms, which do a great job of keeping the classics parked safely in a nice garage. This time of year, car folks get the chance to bring their rolling automotive works of art out of the garage for folks like me to capture images of them.

I have to admit that I had gotten away from going to car shows on a regular basis. I'd hit the big ones, the Winter Park Concours d'Elegance and the Turkey Run in Daytona, but I had stopped going to smaller car shows. The timing of many of them competed with prime wildlife photography time (for me that's Saturday mornings). Well, time and circumstances have drawn me back to the car shows, and I couldn't be happier. I have had the opportunity to meet a bunch of nice people and shoot lots of pix of timeless classics.

This presents a bit of a dilemma; what to shoot? I think I can find a happy medium between wildlife and machines, I just haven't quite figured it out yet but I am going to try. In fact, sunrise at Lake Woodruff while on my way to Bike Week in Daytona sounds pretty good. That would actually be shooting wildlife all day, just different types...

Remember, if you're not having fun while you're out shooting you are probably doing something wrong.

Osprey Season

I've had a few good opportunities lately to get some osprey photos. The reason this is noteworthy? These osprey are not too far out in the wild. In fact, their nest is only about 60 feet from a road...

Nature abounds, even during the "quiet" time here in Florida. There are photo opportunities all over. Sometimes the best opportunities are occurring right before our very eyes and we fail to notice them. I can't tell you how many cars I watched drive past as these osprey were circling, and countless people were busy talking on their cell phones oblivious to these sights. In fact, I am amazed at how few cars I ever see driving with the windows open anymore. It's a great big beautiful world out there, but many never notice...

So, enough preaching. I suppose I could take a moment to comment about people who only update their blog once every couple of months, but that's another story for another day...

Okay, now it's time for you to go out and shoot something. A camera only does its job when it's not packed away in the camera bag. Remember, if it's not fun you're probably doing something wrong...

Reflecting on Last Month

Wow, hard to believe January has come and gone. I had the honor of being selected as Artist of the Month at DeBary Hall for January, 2011. This was my first solo exhibit, and I themed it "Dawn to Dusk: A Day in Volusia County" All of the images were taken within a roughly 20 mile radius of my home, which brings me to the point I'd like to make...

There's beauty all around. Look left, look right, look up or down and you'll see that we are surrounded by beautiful things. Flowers, birds, cars, dogs, buildings, clouds, the list is almost endless and all of these things are there for us every day. It's a beautiful world indeed.

The Website is Done

Yay, the website is finally done enough to be considered "done." I hope that you will visit http://rmullerphoto.com and take a look. I have added a gallery page that also links to my Zenfolio gallery. If you've always yearned to purchase one of my images (or have one on a coffee mug, key chain, etc.) simply stop by http://russmuller.zenfolio.com. Happy Holidays and happy shooting!!