Light Show

About a month ago, one of my nephews mentioned that he was going to attend the Pomona Auto Swap Meet to be held on a Sunday in early April. I told him I intended to go as well so we made a plan to meet up. Generally speaking, he travels to Pomona from central California to look for car parts while I go to take photos of the classic cars. I let him know I intended to arrive at 5:00AM and that he would find me near the drag strip grandstands where the lowrider and Chevy bombs usually park. 

The day before the event, Kathy and I got our cameras and gear together, I cleaned my camera sensors and made sure the camera batteries I intended to use were fully charged. I was also going to be using a new 10” external monitor for the first time so I made sure the batteries for that were charged and also ensured I put any required cables in my rolling camera bag.

The day of the event, I got up at 3:00AM to take a shower before we left. Kathy was going to get up at 4:00AM and was already on the move when I walked downstairs. She wasn’t feeling well however and was vacillating on whether she should go or not. She ultimately decided to stay home and go back to bed. Once I was sure she would be OK, I left about 4:15AM. It was still very dark as I walked to my car, loaded up my camera gear and jacket. I didn’t see the sun until well after I arrived in Pomona about 36 miles away. While it didn’t rain during the event like it did last month, it was a foggy drive and when I arrived, there was enough moisture in the air to create the light beams from the headlights of the Chevy Fleetline pictured below. This is the same car I admired and photographed last month. I chatted with the owner who once again was kind enough to turn on his headlights for my photos. 

I had been taking photos for about 30 minutes when my nephew and his wife walked up to me. They were primarily dressed in black and seemed to materialize suddenly out of the darkness that surrounded me. As always, it was great to see them and we chatted for about 45 minutes before they departed to walk around the swap meet and look for stuff to buy. I got back to shooting more photos and had a great time.  

In Her Element - Kathy and the '57 Chevy

I frequently get asked about my image-generating process. I’ve detailed it before, but for newcomers, I not only unapologetically post-process my images but also use a tripod during capture. I take between 9 to 11 exposures to capture the range of light I desire, especially when ambient lighting is low and long exposure times are anticipated. Holding my camera perfectly still for a 30-second exposure would be impossible.

In this image, I’ve captured Kathy in her element: a cool overcast morning, a classic car (or truck), her camera mounted on a tripod, and her camera bag. She’s wearing her hat with the words “Close your fucking hood” pinstriped across the brim. Kathy knows what she likes and, while quiet and reserved, isn’t shy about expressing her opinions with a fiery delivery.

I approached the truck just as the owner was parking it and asked if he’d leave the lights on for a minute while I took a few photos. He happily obliged, initially leaving the parking lights on and then turning on the headlights. Seeing this, Kathy joined me and took a few shots as well. I moved my tripod back to avoid appearing in her photos, knowing from experience that she might ask me to “move my fat ass out of the shot” or make other endearing comments. After 17 years, we understand one another. While I greet car owners, Kathy captures the best images and writes compelling stories. I enjoyed chatting with the owner about the truck and was glad he braved the intermittent rain. Kathy gave him a business card so he could see the photos we took of this beauty under stormy skies.

'48 Pomona Blues

Toward the end of our visit to the Pomona Auto Swap Meet last March, I strolled along the drag strip grandstands and stumbled upon a striking two-tone blue 1948 Chevy Fleetline. Usually, I skip through the cars in this section because their hoods are raised, and for-sale signs are prominently displayed on the windshields. However, this car was different. It wasn’t for sale, but its paint shone brilliantly, reflecting the light even amidst the intermittent rain showers and threatening skies overhead. After taking several photos with my camera, I snapped another one with my phone and sent it to Kathy, letting her know about the car and its location so she wouldn’t miss it. I’m not sure if she’s ever seen this particular car before, but I’m certainly glad I added it to my digital collection.

 

1950 Buick Eight

This beautiful buick eight which i think is a 1950 model year, was either very well cared for or expertly restored. This is yet another car I stumbled upon just after sunrise at the Pomona auto swapmeet. 

Pomona Sunrise

Arriving at the Pomona auto swap meet before dawn has its benefits. We drove over to the Pomona fairgrounds along very empty freeways and arrived just after 5:00 am. As we got closer, we began seeing lots of classic cars making their way to the entry gates. After paying for parking, we found a place to park not far from the entry gate and got our camera bags and tripods out of the car. It was bracingly cold outside and quite a bit colder than at home. Having attended this swap meet in the winter previously, we were well prepared and brought our scotty vest jackets to keep warm. For those who are unaware, the Pomona Auto Swap meet is a very large event that has been held for the past 47 years in Pomona California. It typically is held 7 times a year from 5:00am to 2:00PM on selected Sundays. I’ve heard you can find nearly any type of part for any type of car there. After having walked up and down a few of the aisles, I believe it. It is also a place for people to show off their cars. Sections for doing so are provided as well as places to display a car you wish to sell.

We like arriving early so we beat the crowds and are always there before sunrise in case it turns out to be a spectacular one like it was on this January morning. Even before the sun began peeking over the horizon, the sky to the east started glowing a yellow orange color which was promising and there were some clouds for the orange light to illuminate. The western sky was still deep in the blue hour when the sun rose above the horizon and the most beautiful orange colored sky quite suddenly lit up. Kathy and I returned to the cars we liked most that morning and began shooting some images. I really liked this 1940’s Fleetline panel delivery vehicle. I shot this from several viewpoints and was generally pleased with the results.

East Facing Pontiac

Kathy and I have a habit of getting to car shows very early. This show, actually a auto swapmeet held at the Pomona fairgrounds opens around 5am. We arrived only slightly afterward and there were already thousands of cars in place. This ncluded the subject of this photo a pontiac with a very cool hood ornament. This was shot with my nearly 40 year old 100mm macro lens.