Merry Christmas!

Another year has come and gone and, despite not shooting as much this year, I’ve kept myself busy by creating a new project. For those who follow me on social media, you’ve probably already heard about River City Congress. So what is it? Well.. once I’ve got a real page that doesn’t compress the images down into smaller bytes, we’ll talk about that. Until then, here are a few Christmas images I put together for the new project.

Merry Christmas and happy holidays to each and every one of you!

Gear: Sony A7RIII, Sony 24-105 f4 G OSS, Samyang AF 35 f/1.4, Samyang AF 18 f/2.8, B&W CPL, Rig Pro 20’ Kit

Post Processing: Adobe Photoshop

Are you OK?

A friend recently asked me if he needed to be worried. Apparently I’ve been shooting a higher number of stance cars than most other enthusiasts in my part of the country care to look at. I get it.. They aren’t everyone’s cup of tea. At one point in my life, they certainly weren’t mine. After all - I’m nearing my 40’s, have three kids at home, enjoy traveling and commute from one side of town to the other on the daily just to get to work. What I mean to say is, if it isn’t “practical” it’s not something I typically give much thought to.

I guess that’s why the last few months have been so important to me and to this.. my creative outlet. Rather than ending up in a rut, shooting the same stuff that I’ve been shooting, conversing with the same people I typically engage with, I decided to move in a different direction. To step outside of my comfort zone and see where it takes me. If I told you it has been easy to meet with complete strangers at night, with half a plan, a camera and a flashlight.. Well.. how’s the saying go? “Nothing worth doing is easy.”

So here we are. Another local Pavement Killer, added to my portfolio. After an impressive and completely bumperless run at a relatively mild looking driveway - he was off the street and tucked safely inside the shop. Once inside, he asked me how I wanted the car positioned. When I mentioned turning it around, he grabbed the floor jack, slid it gingerly under the rear of the xB, lifted the rear of the car up to a height the casual motorist would still find concerning, and began to spin the entire car around in a circle. (No matter who you are or what you think you know about stance car owners and builders, I promise you they’re more resourceful than you realize.)

We spent about an hour and a half inside the shop, spinning this brave little toaster like it was on a Lazy Susan, in various directions to help me create the images you see here. During that time, I prodded the owner with questions about his cars, his kids and even his job. He responded with just enough information to be polite and respectful and suddenly I felt like a reporter digging for dirt. The irony here is that I’ve mostly grown to ignore people when I’m shooting, because I become too wrapped up in what I’m doing and I forget about the human experience. So here I am.. paired off with the perfect client that can respect that, and I can’t seem to keep myself from making small talk to fill the silence. Looks like this new direction has me growing more than I realized.

Tried something new for the ‘gram. If you want to see more of this stuff in the future > @JamesSanny

Gear: Sony A7RIII, Sony 24-105 f4 G OSS, B&W CPL, YN360, Sunpak Tripod

Post Processing: Adobe Photoshop

Grassroots Stance

Sometimes it's nice to take a break from the usual subjects and visit an entirely different subculture of the automotive scene. A few months ago I'd been looking for something low to get out and shoot at night. After setting up a meet with Parker and his Accord, I was quickly introduced to his friend Zach.

Zach is the fab guy for his group of friends. When they need more low, more clearance, more anything, he's the guy. He's pretty busy, helping friends out and getting their cars ready for shows all over the country. When I reached out about setting up this shoot, he actually had to put a friend's build on hold so he could make sure his car was ready and able to make it out.

After posting a few of these online over the last week, someone made a comment referring to his car as "grassroots stance." I'd absolutely never thought about it that way but it totally fits the bill - and I love it.

Monster Cars

A few years back I got a wild hair and wanted to try my hand at crossing my favorite holiday with my favorite hobby. Some backstory: I started my digital photography path by going to design school and learning Photoshop. This helped a lot when it came time to learn about editing RAW files and photo manipulation. So much so that I jumped into creating a small project that brought some local urban legends to life (this project was called #weirdkansas - if you’re interested, here’s Part 1 and Part 2).

Anyway, the love affair with creepy Halloween stuff led me to wonder what I could do to blend these two things. Since I was still relatively new to rigging cars, I figured it'd be a fun challenge to include a rigged car in the image.. and then it hit me. I wanted a vehicle in motion that could represent a ghost or some kind of lore. Why not rig a Mustang and shoot for a Headless Horseman vibe? So yeah - that's what I did and how I got started on this Monster Cars path.

Fast forward to September of 2019 and I'm bouncing ideas off of my wife, trying to figure out how I can mash the holiday and hobby together again. I'd long considered a Frankenstein's Monster image.. but figured I'd need something crazy tall. Then, while looking through images for inspiration, I realized that I could achieve that large monster look by shooting from above. In fact, that'd play out perfectly because it would give me an opportunity to simulate the table he laid on before being animated.

Rounding up my first set of super cheap lights that I bought back in 2010, I set to work to create a layout that would simulate Tesla coils. Adding a third light to the mix, using a flashlight and a florescent tube light cover, I created the lightning rod. Of course, I don't actually have access to a Tesla coil, so the lightning bolts themselves were brushes created in Photoshop. And my method for capturing this top down image: the DJI Phantom 4 Pro. (If I'm totally honest, I didn't think this was going to work out. I'd never done bracketing with a drone before and the wind was absolutely insane the night I shot this.. but it actually worked!)

Now, I knew for a couple years I'd been wanting to do something with Frankenstein for a future image.. but having missed a few years in between, one monster wasn't going to cut it for this year. Considering some of the other obvious choices, Dracula, the Wolfman, the Mummy - I went for one that was a bit less common and possibly more of a challenge: the Creature.

If you've been following my work as of late, it's no surprise that I used a buddy's off-road rig to create this shot. Its ability to handle water without issue, as well as its fish eye style bumper lights and wide flared front fenders made it a great fit. All that was left to do was figure out the where and the how - and that was the simplest part of the whole thing. By the time we were done, we were sitting in a small pool of water, next to Wichita's infamous "Big Ditch," and using 16 pounds of dry ice to create the necessary fog to make the scene a bit more eerie. (If you haven't seen The Creature from the Black Lagoon - it's almost all shot during the day, totally black and white, and is cheesy as all get out.. but man does it look good for the time it was made!)

So, there's some backstory on the why behind these images, as well as some info on how they were created. If you've got questions, I've got answers - so feel free to hit me up and I'll be happy to share what I can! Happy Halloween, friends!

Gear: Sony A7RIII, Sony 24-105 f4 G OSS, DJI Phantom 4 Pro, B&W CPL, YN360, Vagabond Mini, Flashpoint Light Kit, Flashlight & Florescent Tube Cover, Flashpoint Light Stands, Manfrotto Tripod

Post Processing: Adobe Photoshop

The One With Pito's Suicidal Wheel

I first met Pito when he offered to bring a friend's LS powered Mustang out to a shoot. I was wrapping up edits on a build video for The Mutt Stang and Cinemauto and Justin (the owner) was unavailable. He tagged his buddy Pito in to drive the car to anyplace I wanted to shoot. "Wait.. Any place?" I asked.

"Any place." Pito responded. From that moment, I knew he was going to be easy to work with. Living in the middle of the country, with the flattest land you'll ever see, finding the ideal spot isn't always easy.

For the next year Pito messaged me off and on, updating me on his 4Runner build. Showing me headlights, bumpers, wheels, and everything else us lowered car enthusiasts typically overlook when we act like we understand off-roading. I wasn't biting. Not because I didn't love his vehicle. It was actually the complete opposite. I felt it was something that deserved far better than Kansas had to offer. You can't properly capture something like this just sitting in a parking lot downtown. After all, nothing crawls malls better than a Jeep.

Then, a couple months back, it hit me.. Any place? Any place. Suddenly, I remembered this crazy fashion shoot I did for a local magazine years ago. It was out at the most random rock formations you can imagine in flyover country. It's called the Castle Rock Badlands and to say it's breathtaking is an understatement.

Plans were made and the date arrived. We loaded up 4 extra people, because who doesn't love a road trip, and we hit the highway. I was thrilled to be taking a vehicle to a real location. While I've photographed a lot of cars in various areas across the Midwest, this kind of thing was definitely a first. We had plenty of water, extra memory cards and batteries, lighting equipment, a drone.. You name it, we had it.

Leading the pack in my Explorer, my crew included another three photographers with different backgrounds and experience levels. We all chatted about equipment, ideas for the shoot we were headed to, and how terrible my taste in music is. All was well and we were nearing the halfway point. It was then that I cast a quick glance to my rear view mirror, just to make sure that Pito was still hanging with us as we neared our exit. I'll never forget that moment.

I can't be sure how long I stared at the mirror while I continued to barrel down the highway but it felt like an eternity. Once I tore my gaze away and flipped on the hazards, I filled the group in. "So uh.. I think his wheel just fell off." The momentum of 3 extra bodies in the car, all quickly shifting at once to look out the rear window was noticeable. Many things were said between here and the moment we finally pulled over.. but I couldn't tell you what any of them were.

Parking in the median (it's just a big ditch, honestly), I hopped out and started jogging the highway shoulder back towards the 4Runner. I was so focused on his vehicle as I moved towards it, it took one of my passengers yelling at me to soak in what was about to happen. "His wheel is going to hit you!"

Suddenly I realized that his wheel was, in fact, headed right for me. I moved out of the way, thinking I'd let it pass. "It's going to hit your car!" informed the same passenger.

With only seconds to evaluate the situation, I decided I didn't need this off-road throwing star destroying the back of my Explorer. Having recently seen a video on Facebook where a rogue wheel found its way over the median and into the front of another SUV, I opted to not jump in front of the wheel but, instead, to attempt to kick it off balance as it passed me by. (If it's not yet clear, I may be talented behind the lens but I don't hold any awards for being brilliant in other areas of my life.)

I kicked the wheel. An off-road rated wheel and tire assembly, traveling at nearly 60mph toward my car (and potentially oncoming traffic), and I kicked it. My leg goes full fettuccini on me. The wheel wobbles and loses speed.. but not enough. It hits the car with a sound my passengers later tell me sounded like a body being thrown into a parked car. Heck, they thought it was my body.

I hobble my way back over to the Explorer to inspect the damage. It's not terrible and definitely less than it would've been had I let the wheel hit it in full force. Pito meets us halfway between his 4Runner and the Explorer to tell us what happened. The wheel is actually from his trailer and it looks as though the brake had locked up while driving. The good news is that we could ditch the trailer and keep going. The bad news is that the median about half a mile back was now on fire and it was growing.

Hopping back into the Explorer, we flip around in the ditch and prepare to join the ranks of volunteer fire fighters. Much to my relief, driving a relatively new Ford Explorer in the color of white, oncoming traffic opts to slow way down as they see us preparing to re enter traffic. Providing us with the window needed to relocate to the small grass fire, we take it and we make it.

Remember my earlier brag about plenty of water? Praise be! Passing out bottles of water to a couple of my passengers, we run through the grass and begin dumping water on the areas yet to be ablaze. After several bottles disappear quickly, another passenger suggests stomping out the flames. With a shrug, I sacrifice my year old Nikes to a better cause. Minutes later, it's done and we've won.

Once the entire situation is under control, local law enforcement arrives on the scene. After 45 minutes of questions and a few photos, the Saline County Sheriffs officers let us return to the highway to complete our mission. We load up, we ship out, and we finish off the trip with some incredible views, plenty of laughs, and some fantastic content for Tread magazine.

Chevrolet Caprice

There's just something about riding a little higher, a little slower, with the top down, and soaking up the sun. I'm a sucker for exotics and super cars - especially of the European variety - but spending last Saturday night with Jermaine and his 74 Caprice was a totally new experience for me. Sure, it's like comparing apples to oranges.. but I'm getting to that age where slowing things down a bit and sitting back just feels right.

I ran into Jermaine a couple months back at a local car show. At the time, I was scouting for something new to obsess over. His Caprice was a breath of fresh air for my creative soul. It's big, it's bold and it has presence. And, to quote him, "it's the color of money." Fun fact: It's actually a Volkswagen color.. but after seeing it on here, I can't imagine it looking as good on anything else.

While talking about the history of the car, he told me his son is convinced 26's would be a perfect fit for the car. I smiled at the thought, and he just shook his head. It's certainly not out of the question for wheels that size to end up on a car like this. After all, these cars are the foundation of the high riser culture. The Caprice itself is technically one of the few bodies classified as a Donk when it's lifted. But that's not Jermaine's style. His taste is a little more low key and, if I'm being completely honest, I'm more reserved in my modification choices, too.

Over the course of the hour that we spent taking pictures, Jermaine was busy answering questions and sharing stories with various folks who passed by. This car, as you can imagine, has a tendency to grab your attention. It's no surprise that people felt the urge to stop by and see what was going on.

Gear: Sony A7RIII, Sony 24-105 f4 G OSS, Tiffen CPL, Yongnuo YN-622C’s, Einstein 640, Vagabond Mini, Manfrotto Tripod

Post Processing: Adobe Photoshop