Last weekend I went with the San Diego Digital SLR group for a group shoot at the Vista Antique Tractor and Gas Engine museum. I had a great time as I always do with the group. The blacksmith shop was my favorite place. It hearkened me back to my old welding days. Other's in the group were really bothered by the smoke inside. It felt like home to me. Here is a sampling of photos, with a link at the end to the gallery I put up.










We always have lunch after a group shoot. After I took this shot of the bar, we were told "NO PHOTOGRAPHY ALLOWED!" I bet if we were there with p&s having a party there would be no mention of no photography. Harumph!


Here is the link to the gallery if you are interested.
LaRee | Antique Gas and Engine Museum
Please leave a comment if you are inclined. Zenfolio has enabled comments and I'd sure appreciate one or two.

[gawan]

Nice set! The second and third are my favourites! Some of them look a bit like HDR?

[Eastern Shore Charlie]

Pretty nice...

[LaRee]

The first two shots are awesome, but I think the HDR on the others one is a little overdone.

I appreciate the feedback. Actually I didn't use HDR on any of the images. They were worked completely in Lightroom, using various presets, with adjustments to my liking. I guess the line up of tractors in the barn is pushed a bit to pseudo hdr like.

The 2nd shot is fantastic and the 3rd shot is very nice. I once made a living repairing heavy equipment, so this is a special thread for me--thanks!

I love heavy equipment. This place was like a jewel mine. Besides the blacksmith shop, the "bone yard" was my favorite area. I am glad you enjoyed this series. Thank you for commenting.

LaRee.. Love them all but #2 and 5 really standout! nicely done. JIM

Thank you Jim. It is always interesting to see what others like as well as suggestions for improvement.

Love the way you captured the light beams in #2.

Thank you. They had just opened the shop and started working. It was quite dark inside. The ventilation was not completely powered up and the early morning sunlight was coming through every opening in the building. The light picked up the dust particles in a mesmerizing way to me. Later in the day I went back into the shop and the magic of the light and dust was gone. I am glad I was able to come home with a couple shots from the blacksmith shop involving the light beams and dust.

[LaRee]

Aaahhhh! Heaven.

and very well photograhed to LaRee.

I am curious though (& I know one shouldn't focus on the negative....but its been that sort of week).....No Photography in the bar..?? huh ?

What possible reason could that be, not too many national secrets on display in any bar .....a tape recorder might be more damaging, but photography?? Oh please.

Cheers and thanks for posting these wonderful shots.
Grant

It was very disappointing when we were told no photography. The waiter gave some song and dance about liability. We didn't want to argue. BUT how would the restaurant be liable even if we did snap an incriminating shot of a guest there with someone other than they should be with! I have the weird feeling that was the problem.

Hi LaRee!

These photos are awesome. My favorites are #2 (beautifully captured light and mood) and #4 (funky colors just make you feel good type of photo).

I'm browsing the gallery now...

You used to weld?? Photo_dad worked on a pipeline once during the summer while we were in college making ends meet. He used to come home with scratchy eyes and headaches no matter how hard he tried to not look towards the welders. Wow - flashback from way back more than I want to remember.

Thank you very much for leaving a comment at my gallery page Tracey. (I hope I spelled your name correctly!) I really appreciate the feedback.
I suffered flash burn once from the light bouncing off the steel behind where I was working and back into my welding helmet without me knowing it. That is the bad part, it doesn't hit you until you are home after work! I'd welded in a shipyard before the power plant, but ships are huge so I never thought about the light bouncing off a wall behind me and getting me. Sheesh!

Like them all LaRee. You should try orton on the those truck and tractor shots. Did I read right, "your welding days"? Really like the bar shot which is beautifully balanced and manages to avoid overwhelming out-of-control lighting, seen on so many of these types of shots.

JMR

Yep, I was a welder in a shipyard. Then I went through a sheet metal apprenticeship program. They needed certified welders at the power plant up in San Luis Obispo area and work was scarce so I ended up there. I'll throw in this little weird trivia too....I was the first woman to complete the sheet metal apprenticeship program and become a union journeyman in all of California, Arizona and Nevada. That is such a strange fact to me. Boy could I tell ya some stories...lol but I'll spare you. I was quite a revolution back in the day.

[LaRee]

Beautifully shot, mate. I particularly like #1, with the slightly off-angled composition giving it energy. Almost looks as if you hand-tinted it. Super. I'm a volunteer curator at our local museum and we have lots of old hand-made farm implements, so I really appreciate the subject matter here. Lovely set.

Thank you kindly I am glad you enjoyed them. I was being adventurous on the off angle composition, not my normal style. I was pleased that it worked out as it did.

Lynn,
How cool that you have the same type old tractor! They just don't make 'em like they used to. Thank you for sharing the photo and story.

Thank you Heinrich, Josh, Bruce, Jer, Jim, Georg and Charlie for the comments. It seems the dust dancing in the light was interesting to more than just my eye. I really appreciate the feedback.
Oh and Georg, all processing on these were in Lightroom. I used different presets I have with liberal tweaks to my liking. There is so many different ways to work with an image with post processing and I like to explore the possibilities.

[harril]

I like the old Dodge truck. Its awesome! I also usually "shooting" old stuffs and machines etc.
Those wrecks have some to tell you, if you wanna hear.

[eccs19]

Ah, boy. That fifth one is a Ford 8N, with production from late 1947 to 1952:

I was thinking the same thing. We used to have a Ford 9N, I think it was a 52, but can't remember for sure.

La Ree you really knocked me out with that set. They are all fantastic but the second one is so
artistically perfect. Wow.

[Lynn]

I was thinking the same thing. We used to have a Ford 9N, I think it was a 52, but can't remember for sure.

Well, either you had a tractor that was quite a bit older, or it might have been a Golden Jubilee:

Ford 9N: 1939-1943

Ford 2N: 1942-1947 (the "war shortage" tractor)

Ford 8N: 1947-1952

Ford NAA "Golden Jubilee": 1953-1954

Here's a site with more history:
Ford tractors and the Ford farm tractors history

For what it's worth, 8N parts are generally pretty easy to come by, though parts specific to 1947/1948 models are more difficult. (Believe me, I know.)


Lynn