Sunday, October 25, 2009

Slick Rides on an Awesome Day...

Well we couldn't have asked for better weather. The 1st Annual DHL Charity Car Show was great. It was to benefit the American Heart Association and the Susan G. Komen for the Cure Breast Cancer 3-Day Walk.

We had cars from all eras, all makes, a few bikes, trikes, and even a rail car-dune-buggy looking thing. I haven't done a great deal of automotive photography, (although I was published once in Sport Truck Magazine thankyouverymuch :oD ) but I do like Automobiles a lot, so I wouldn't mind getting to shoot them more often.

This Nova was one of my favorites of the show. Really slick paint, great attention to detail, immaculate interior, and the power to back it all up. (Click on Photos to view large)



Just look at that engine bay- You could cook hot-dogs on the manifold AND eat them!
They had a really cool DJ playing great music all day. Notice the 17" Macbook Pro.  FTW!

A Supercharged (and I'm sure super-fast) Lingenfelter Corvette was out. Complete with a giant hood intake vent.

I think this next truck had to be another one of the slickest of the show. Just an amazing looking vehicle from any angle. He won two awards- Best Interior, and The DHL Choice Award.

The Brickhouse girls presenting the awards to the owner of the above truck...
The Chevelle Car Club made a strong showing with around 14 cars total...
Marco and his Satin Black '70 Chevelle won the Best Under Construction Award

The Brickhouse Girls checking things out under the hood
This guy was a show-stopper. When he rolled up in this '60 Caddie, every head turned. It was even cooler when he dropped the tail on the ground with a loud "SSSSSSSSSSSSS"


A clean pair of bikes...

Check out the magnificent glass-like paint on this extraordinary '67 Vette

Winner of the Rev it Up contest with his award in front of his Orange 502 El Camino SS. It was pretty funny- he kept it tame at first being relatively quiet, but when he opened up those exhaust dumps, people gasped and heart-rates increased, bringing a grin to every guys face within 1 square mile

You'll want to click on the next picture. As people were pulling out, they took their turns layin' some rubber. This was one of the more spectacular displays.

Not much smoke on the next one. With such fat cheater slicks mounted, it was just grab and go. If you look real close, you can see the tires wrinkle.

And the DHL Crew and Volunteers.

I had a blast at the event, and look forward to shooting more automotive subjects in the future.

To see the full gallery, head on over to my website at www.SlickPix.net and click on the "Client Galleries" link in the bottom menu, then click on the gallery.

Keep in mind too, that 25% of all Print Sales from this even is benefiting the American Heart Association and the Susan G. Komen for the Cure Breast Cancer 3-Day Walk. So go ahead and purchase a nice large print or several, and donate to a good cause at the same time.

Until next time,

Lates

Tuesday, October 13, 2009

Elaine and Michael's Wedding

Last week I posted Michael and Elaine's Engagement photos and mentioned they were getting married the following week. Well the big day finally came. Again, the meteorologists predicted partly cloudy skies with a comfortable high of 71° F. But alas, it was not to be. The rain foiled our plans once again, but we were able to get a few shots outside after the wedding. However, it was very windy and somewhat chilly, and the dark gray skies made for dreary backdrops. Still, we tried to make the best of it.

It was at the Walden Yacht Club- A really nice location right on the shore of Lake Conroe. Since it was raining, we had to move the ceremony indoors. A decision that had to be made just 15 minutes before the ceremony started.

Here's some photos from the day. This is probably the largest volume of images I've posted in one blog post, but there's many more to see in the full gallery. Feel free to drop a comment or two at the bottom of the post.

Getting Ready:

At the Altar:

Trading Rings...

The Kiss...


Now for some shots after the ceremony. We happened to catch a break in the rain, and took advantage of it.
Elaine had such a pretty dress:

The guys Hulkin' out:


The happy family...


Such an awesome looking cake. I didn't have any, but they said it was great. It was made by Sweets to Dream On, a Custom Cake, Cookie and Candie shop based in Conroe, TX. I happened to be driving behind them on the road about 15 minutes before we arrived at the Yacht Club, and thought to myself "I really like that name. Hey, I wonder if they're delivering the cake to Elaine and Michael's Wedding?" And they were. Nice job on the cake y'all.


Time to cut some art...


Michael: "Hey, I wanted the piece with the raspberry filling!"


Elaine: "That WAS the piece with the raspberry filling!"
You guys are so funny...

And the Rings...


Congratulations you guys! It was heaps of fun working with Elaine and Michael, and I wish them the best. Until next time,

Lates


Just a quick note...

I just wanted to drop a quick blog about an event I'm going to be shooting on October 24th, 2009. It's the DHL Charity Car and Bike Show to be held at the Brick House Tavern and Tap here in Houston. 100% of the proceeds go to charity, benefiting the American Heart Association, and the Susan G. Komen for the Cure Breast Cancer 3-Day Walk. Here is a link to the flyer on the website set up for this event: LINK.

Not only that, %25 of the proceeds from the prints that people purchase on my website www.SlickPix.net will also be going toward that same charity. They'll be listed under "Client Galleries" a couple of weeks after the Car Show. So buy some prints, and donate toward a good cause at the same time. Might I suggest a 16x20 Stretched Canvas wall-art print? :o)

If you're in the Houston area, feel free to drop by and check out some cool cars. I'm sure it's going to be a fun time. The Location is: 12910 Northwest Freeway, Houston, TX 77040.
Map:

View Larger Map

Hope to see you there!

Lates

Sunday, October 4, 2009

Elaine and Michael - Engagement Session

I had the privilege of shooting Elaine and Michael yesterday for their engagement photos. They were an absolute hoot to work with. They're both really laid back and are so fun to be around. Their personalities complement each other well, and it's easy to see why they have such a good relationship.

Unfortunately, the weather was working against us. The weathermen promised a nice day with a possibility of rain. What we got was dark gray skies and lots of steady showers that alternated between light and medium downpours.

As mentioned in a previous post, camera gear and rain combine for a disasterous result. I made do with a plastic bag and a rubber band, together with one of my lighting umbrellas and tried to make the best out of the situation.

Edit: I reviewed my primary gear bag a while back, The Lowepro Flipside 400 AW, but I had not used the bag to it's full potential. I have to add that while it was raining, I did indeed use the optional All-Weather Cover on my Lowepro Flipside 400 AW. It worked really well, and is so conveniently tucked away on the bottom, really easy to pull on, and completely rain-proofs the back of the pack- thus protecting the expensive electronic contents inside.

I should also mention that I walked around for several hours with lots of gear in the bag and it never became uncomfortable. The structure and the padding on the bag really make it easy to focus on your work instead of distracting you with aches and pains.

We shot in the area of The Woodlands, TX. A very scenic area with lots of photo locales, there was a lot I wanted to do, but the setting sun wins again. I still think we got some great shots, especially considering the conditions. So here are a few of the shots we got on a rainy Saturday afternoon.

On with the Photos:



One of Elaine and Michael's first dates was at The Goose's Acre in The Woodlands. So they wanted some shots in front of the sign. It makes for a nice backdrop.

The rain really picked up so we took a break and went into The Goose's Acre for some Mojito's and Appetizers- Potato Skins and Spinach Artichoke Dip. Good Stuff.

Above is one of my favorite shots of the day. We spent a lot of time under this bridge here due to all the rain.








By the end of the shoot, the sun had gone down, and the lights came on, but the rain was still persisting. The lights change color, but we only took a few quick shots in front of the fountain because I didn't want to soak my gear, or my subjects.

I have to say thanks again, to Elaine and Michael for picking up the tab at The Goose's Acre. I have got to go back there. It's a great atmosphere and the food and drinks are good, too.

I'm going to be shooting their wedding next Sunday, so stay tuned for some shots from that. I'm sure we're gonna' rock that wedding- let's just hope for nice weather!

On another note, you may have noticed my Facebook page to the right of my Blog. Feel free to check it out, leave a message and become a fan. It's all about networking, and the more people you know, the more you can achieve.

Until next time,
Lates