Poster Cars: Stance Edition..?

Every once in a while I'll get a wild hair and want to get my hands on something completely out of my wheelhouse to photograph. I wouldn't say any type of vehicle is more my type than anything else but, for sure, stanced cars are a breed I have very little knowledge or familiarity with. So.. a couple months back, when I was missing shooting the local nightlife, I dropped a post on Facebook looking for someone to donate some time for some content. Enter Parker..

We linked up at a local gas station, I told him I couldn't believe his car could actually move around town at the static height it was sitting at, he laughed, and we hit the road. The first goal was to get some rolling shots of his car sweeping streets.. because, why wouldn't you? When something is that low, that's kind of the magic behind it doing its thing. We took it out onto the highway and under one of the new overpasses, just because I knew there'd be some lighting there that could help push the image over the top. And, according to the number of likes that image gathered on Instagram, we succeeded.

From there, we found an empty parking lot (the middle of nowhere doesn't have much else to offer), and snapped a few more images. I didn't think much of it beyond just a night to hang out, meet a fellow enthusiast, and create some content.. and then the next day I get a message from the editor of Fast Car Magazine. He wanted more info, more photos and contact details for Parker. They were seriously considering it for a feature in their publication. To say Parker was thrilled might be an understatement.

A couple months passed and the feature is now out in the July 2021 issue of Fast Car Magazine. And, as if that isn't cool enough, his car landed the pull-out poster feature. Remember the car posters you'd pull out of your magazines as a kid and hang them on the walls in your room? Parker's car is now one of those cars.. Which also means I created one of those posters.. Somebody, pinch me. (Update - So I totally jumped the gun on this, based on the design work on the cover, and assumed the rig shot we put together of his car was the pull-out poster. After finally getting my hands on the publication, it turns out I was incorrect! Big bummer.. But I guess I can add this goal to my list for future projects!)

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

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

These People Are Heroes

Watching the heat rise from a sea of cones laid out in a seemingly random pattern at the local high school, I still remember waiting to catch a glimpse of my dad as he put our family econobox to the test. He'd added some X-11 goodies to our Chevrolet Citation because he thought it would be more fun to drive. Of course, if you're going to add a little extra oomph to your family hatchback, the best place to see how it performs is clearly at your local track.. but we didn't have one of those. The next best thing? Local SCCA chapter events.

Did he win his class? Honestly, that's not what I remember from that day. My best memory was watching the cars move around the track, and the excitement of the people involved. Were the numbers important? Sure they were- but they weren't the only thing that mattered. As far as I can tell, that still holds true at today's SCCA events. It's all about the driving. (And hey.. maybe I'm naive and don't have a clue. It wouldn't be the first time.)

I remember my return to SCCA events, sometime back in 2011. Again, it was to watch my dad race his car. At this time, he was driving my old '98 Cavalier RS. It was a relatively stock 2200 with a 5 speed. Nothing special, really. At the time, I remember feeling a little embarrassed. Most of the other cars at the course that day were Corvettes, Miatas and a few other miscellaneous sports cars. No one was racing the official car of sorority girls everywhere. Well, no one except my dad.

Fast forward to today and I finally understand what I was missing. These people are here to drive. They don't care what you're driving, so long as it's safe and it fits within a class. Some of the most fun I've seen at the local SCCA events are in cars you wouldn't normally expect to see on a track. An automatic Chevrolet Lumina with a 3100? I HAD one of these and would've never thought to have this kind of fun in it. A non-SRT Neon, on 3 wheels as it rounds a cone? Is this real life?

I took way more shots than these. Wanna see ‘em? Check out my Facebook page!

Support Your Local Nobody

I consider myself a nobody in this industry. From what I can tell, I haven’t really been on anyone’s radar. So, as 2018 came to a close, I took a chance and decided to reach out to some publications that I admire (perhaps you saw my letter to Super Street?). Since I started shooting more seriously, especially with vehicles, it's been a dream of mine to be a part of that world. There's just something about seeing your work in print, and watching other people enjoy it and go out of their way to look at it again and again, that brings absolute joy to my heart. This was my goal and I'd hoped I'd made enough progress to see it come to fruition in 2019.

Street Trucks responded to my inquiry almost immediately, letting me know they were very interested in featuring Brandon's truck in an upcoming mini truck issue. Sharing the exciting news with Brandon, we set a date to create some fresh new content and so we did. At the time, I was just thrilled to be a part of such a fantastic and established publication. Little did I know that my first time being involved in their publication would yield not only a multi-page feature but also the cover!

This is a feeling I've never known in photography. A 20 year old publication, with a well established following, so happy with the work I provided for them that they're willing to bank their monthly sales and reputation on it. I had no words. "Thank you," didn't seem sufficient. "I can't believe this," felt disrespectful. It's one of the most humbling experiences of my life - and I'm so incredibly excited to share it with my friends and family. So, for those who haven’t yet seen it, here’s the June 2019 cover of Street Trucks!

Color Grading

Way back when I started this journey into photography, I was under the impression that the goal was to take good pictures. Then I started finding all these inspirational sayings online about how a real photographer doesn't "take a picture," they "make a picture." But what does that mean? To be honest, even to this day, I haven't a clue.

What I have learned over the years is that some people shoot to nail everything in camera so that the image is complete and ready once the button has been pressed. Others, seeking to achieve more without big budgets and a crew, turned to programs like Photoshop to get the finished product they desired. Not being in the habit of socializing with complete strangers, having experienced the earlier, more elitist personalities of Wichita's photography scene, and having very little disposable income, it looked like the post production route was a good fit for me.

Having spent years watching tutorials, reading books, and even talking with others who shared my passion online, I felt like I was finally beginning to master my look and ability behind the lens. Then, about a year ago, I found out that color grading and toning was a thing. I mean, I wasn't a total stranger to this practice, as I did some in post when handling video for Cinemauto.. but never had I done anything like this to my photographs. If I wanted to change colors in an image, I typically adjusted my white balance, applied split toning, or used photo filters and masks in post. In short, I didn't have a clue.

So, these days, I take the time to play around with gradient maps and color lookup tables when I'm editing. While I don't love a lot of the vintage, faded, retro effects that feel like filters and presets (because I know those date your images), there's just something about coloring a project to achieve a feel or look. In the case of these images, taken during a recent AutoICT meetup, I wanted a look that felt like a long summer evening. Warm, dry, dirty and endless, like a desert. (I'm a pretty big fan of Vince Gilligan's work with Breaking Bad - specifically the coloring and photography.)

Gear: Sony A7RIII, A6500, Sony 24-105 G, Sony 18-105 G, Tiffen CPL, Manfrotto Tripod

Post Processing: Adobe Camera Raw & Adobe Photoshop

Acura Integra Type R (DC5R)

Every once in a while I find myself in a creative slump when it comes to shooting. Sometimes it's because I've hit a dry spell and I'm not shooting anything. Other times it's because I'm shooting the same stuff, over and over again. Regardless of the reason, when these feelings arise I will typically reach out to friends on social media and ask for something to shoot. (For free!? Yes. Especially if I'm playing with ideas and new gear.)

Having recently run across the for sale ad of a local guy's Type R Integra, I figured this would be a good opportunity to break out of the winter slump and try more creative editing and lighting. He's good friends with my buddy that owns the super clean Honda Civic I shot a few weeks back, so we set up a time to get the car out and capture a few images before it found its new home. This was a benefit to us both, as he got photos to remember this fairly rare vehicle and I got something unique to play with for a few hours. (Heck.. he even offered to let me drive it afterwards but, true to the photography driven person that I am, I had already used up all my time shooting. I really gotta stop doing that..)

While there's probably nothing here that'll blow your socks off, this was a fun chance to practice some light painting with a light colored car (I know, I know - white cars are easy!), and to even try a little light painting and rigging. So yeah.. here's some funky color graded images of a JDM beauty queen in a fairly simple Midwestern town.

Gear: Sony A7RIII, Sigma MC-11, Canon 17-40 4L, Canon 24-70 2.8L, Tiffen CPL, Yongnuo YN360, Manfrotto Tripod

Post Processing: Adobe Lightroom & Adobe Photoshop

Night Shooting

For a variety of reasons, I've recently become obsessed with shooting at night. While I've been terrified of dealing with artificial lighting in the past, educational opportunities and experimentation have pushed me out of my comfort zone and into a completely new realm of photography. So far, I'm over the moon about the possibilities. The tones you can control when working entirely with artificial lighting is probably my favorite part of this whole experience.

Making use of a Yongnuo YN-360 and an Einstein E640, I've been pretty content with the results so far. Mixing in techniques like shooting the car at a higher aperture (to ensure it's entirely in focus) and then blending a background from the same angle but shot at a shallower aperture setting, has helped give me more control over the final image. This is by no means a new technique but it's definitely one that has helped me in isolating my subject, holding onto sharpness across the entire vehicle, and gives me a long enough exposure time to paint the vehicle.

If it's possible, I've been opting to leave filters off of my camera when shooting at night. Sure, cutting reflections is valuable when working with glossy vehicles but, for me, battling the more pronounced refraction issues of that extra glass filter just isn't worth the hassle. Honestly, if you're shooting with a strobe, you can typically shoot at a higher shutter speed to cut the ambient reflections completely out. If you're working with a wand and light painting, that's a different story.

When deciding which method I'll use to light a car, light painting or strobing, it typically boils down to a couple of factors:

What color is the vehicle? If the vehicle is any color aside from black, I'm pretty game for strobing it. To me, strobing it produces some nice gradients in the color and light, which feels more natural. Since black vehicles don't have any color to help carry the light across the body lines, they typically react better to light painting (or strobing with large modifiers) to show contour and shape. That said, even when light painting a black vehicle you will find better results if you make use of a softbox to help make the light source larger and softer. (The two black vehicles in this post are great examples of what happens if you don’t use a large light source for painting - they basically look like outlines.)
Where will I be shooting the vehicle? If I'm working with a location that has a lot of ambient light, I'm more likely to strobe my subject vehicle. It's harder to leave the shutter open longer to paint a vehicle with light if I'm battling overexposure from various local light sources. (I know, I know.. Couldn't you use ND filters or stop the aperture down more? Sure - but that means you'll need to increase light output from your light painting device to compensate.) But, if I'm working in an area that has little ambient light to worry about, I may opt to light paint the vehicle. Once you get the hang of light painting and how to position the light to hide it in the body lines, it can be faster than messing with strobes, battery packs, light stands, modifiers, etc.

Keep in mind - these are not rules. I won't only light paint vehicles with color on them, or not strobe a black vehicle (though I've yet to do this). They're just some things I've run across when shooting that have helped me create a baseline when deciding how to approach lighting a vehicle.

Gear: Canon 6D, Canon 17-40 4L, Canon 24-70 2.8L, Canon 70-200 2.8L I, Canon 85 1.8, Tiffen CPL, Yongnuo YN360, Einstein E640, Sunpak Tripod

Post Processing: Adobe Camera Raw & Adobe Photoshop

Todd Grant's incredibly clean Hondas (TBC)

A few years back, when I was fully devoted to building Cinemauto and figuring out automotive videography, I was in search of more local builds that were unique and clean. Let's face it.. Wichita doesn't exactly have the most booming car scene. Outside of race cars and classic restorations, the culture in these parts is fairly milk toast. In a moment of sheer desperation, I took the advice of a couple friends that suggested I meet with a guy (Todd) who had two uber clean Honda builds. (It's not that I dislike Hondas or their fan base - but Fast & Furious didn't really do any favors for the community and our local Honda scene was already knee deep in clapped out sedans with stainless fart cannons, aluminum wings and neon gauges. Still can't imagine it? Pep Boys was our equivalent to The Racer's Edge.)

As luck would have it, Todd and I both ended up reaching out to one another simultaneously. He had seen some of the previous video work we'd done and I decided to live dangerously and gamble our future on the most common place cars around. Or so I thought. Upon actually meeting with Todd, I was swept away by some of the simplest, cleanest, most tastefully modified cars I'd ever laid eyes on.

The cars were gently lowered to a position that enhanced the existing body lines. They just looked like they were already on the move, and they were sitting perfectly still. The subtle addition of air dams, splitters, and rear lips ushered away all notions that these were the same daily driver your dad drove to work. And while I'd love to talk up his choice of wheels, Todd runs wheels on his cars like Sneakerheads run Jordan Ones. They're the best of the best and they're only on until he gets bored, when another set, even better than the last, tags them out for a brief intermission.

Anyway - for the folks interested in some backstory on his cars, here's a link to the video we did a couple years back. You'll notice that the Civic has already seen a few changes compared to my photos, and the Integra will likely look different once I'm done with that set!

Gear: Canon 6D, Canon 24-70 2.8L, Canon 85 1.8, Tiffen CPL, Yongnuo YN360, Einstein E640, Sunpak Tripod

Post Processing: Adobe Camera Raw & Adobe Photoshop

Dear Super Street,

As a lover of import vehicles with style and speed, I've been a fan of your magazine since before I could drive. I'm from a part of the country where, back then, we had very little in the way of car culture. To be honest, aside from some beastly drag cars, we're still more of a truck culture around here. Your magazine was a window into a world I always wanted to be apart of. A place that I knew existed but just couldn't quite escape to.

Some twenty years later, still living in the bread basket of America, I'm still picking up issues of your magazine and dreaming. Though I'm older and more financially responsible these days, so I tell myself, I'm still pretty much just a spectator in the world of car building. While I love a good turnout at my local cars and coffee, and occasionally join my local VW enthusiast group for a monthly meal out, doing more than daily driving my car is still outside of my wheelhouse.

While builds still haven't become a huge part of my life, there is one part of your magazine that has truly resonated with me all of these years. The photographs. The images your photographers have created to share these incredible build stories with your fans are absolutely superb. It's hard to do these unique vehicles justice in just a handful of images, and yet your team manages to pull it off, time and time again. Your visual presence is where I first fell in love with your publication, and it's now where I dream to find myself within the automotive community.

In the last few years, I've focused my interest in car culture on documenting it. While I've still got much to learn, I'd love to share some photos with you of a local build that I think would be a perfect fit for your publication. (Heck, you've included a shot of his car in your events section in the past - so it's clearly up your alley.) It's a 1987 Volkswagen GTI, purchased 20 years ago by a high school freshman, that's been completely transformed.

Of all the car magazines out there, you are the one who introduced me to tuning style and culture. While I know your focus isn't primarily on European cars, I also know that you've included some truly exceptional European builds in the past. I ask that you consider this one for your magazine, and that you review the private gallery I've passed on to your editor. It would be a dream come true to see my friend's build in the pages of your publication - especially if it were my photos used to share it with your fans.

Update: They accepted my request and gallery! The feature was released in the special Euro issue, in July of 2019. You can see the story and photos on their site!

Gear: Canon 6D, Canon 70-200 2.8L IS I, Einstein E640, Yongnuo YN-622C Triggers, Neewer Light Stand, Sunpak Tripod

Post Processing: Adobe Camera Raw & Adobe Photoshop

Cars & Colors 2018 - The Rally

I was offered up the opportunity to head back out to Telluride again this fall to cover the Telluride Festival of Cars & Colors for the second year in a row. Though last year's trip pitted us against some rain and less than ideal outside conditions, this year promised nothing but sunshine and perfect temps. I hit up my buddy Jake, who recently picked up a Lexus SportCross, we talked out our plans, filled the sport wagon to the brim with gear, and didn't look back.

Day one of the festival kicked off with all the same activities as last year's event - a poker run, a car show on main street, and the Million Dollar Highway Road Rally. Of course, like most of these multi-day events, it's not possible to hit everything.. so I made the choice to focus on the rally this year. To be honest, the 240-mile rally was our key interest at this year's festival. Where else (in the U.S.) can you drive scenic mountain roads with some really amazing vehicles?

Since my main focus was videography this year, we spent about an hour building out a DIY camera car rig that would support my DJI Ronin. Since my primary objective was to get some great rolling footage during the rally, and to do it safely, this seemed like the best and most cost effective way to handle this. Though we encountered a few snags along the way, the overall set up worked as we'd hoped it would - and it looked pretty rad, too!

While the cars are the main draw for this event, I can't ever stop myself from taking a few landscape images along the way. This part of the country is truly one of the most incredible places you'll find. Getting to roam these roads with people you know and cars you love is kind of like a dream come true. The icing on the cake is having access to gear to help capture these moments so you can remember them and share them with others!

More photos from the event are coming soon!

Gear: Canon 6D, Canon 24-70 2.8L, Canon 70-200 2.8L IS, Tiffen CPL, Sunpak Tripod

Post Processing: Adobe Camera Raw & Adobe Photoshop

New lighting & new techniques.

Last year I started purchasing some online classes geared at automotive photography. At this point, it's the first time I've looked into education for improving my photography. While I've always been an avid researcher and learner, I've never looked into any sort of formal training. Considering the wealth of free information on the internet, it felt like a waste to pay for something I could likely find on YouTube or Google. Of course, obtaining a diagram for free isn't all that useful if you don't understand how to read it or use it.

After watching a couple classes on lighting cars, I decided it was time to consider adding some higher quality lights to my setup. For years I've been pretty happy with my Canon speedlights. They're portable, fairly powerful, and have worked for all the portrait endeavors I've been hired to shoot. That said, these small lights just can't match the light output of a studio quality strobe. They also aren't capable of bright, continuous output.

My first step was to research continuous lighting options so that I could try to improve my light painting game. While everyone involved in photography is familiar with the Wescott Ice Light, they're probably also familiar with its price tag. As someone who mainly does personal projects and very little paid automotive work, I didn't feel like spending that kind of money. After doing a little digging, I ran across the Yongnuo YN360. It was affordable, had pretty solid reviews, and there were plenty of example images of this being used in automotive work. Add to cart.

Then, just a couple months later, a friend reached out to me about his Einstein 640 strobe. He changed platforms a couple years back and just wasn't shooting much anymore. Having borrowed his strobe in the past to shoot some outdoor portraits, I knew it was capable of battling even the brightest of sunny conditions. Since I'd recently purchased a class on using a single strobe to light an entire car, this felt like fate. Sold.

Gear: Canon 6D, Canon 24-70 2.8L, Tiffen CPL, Yongnuo YN360, Einstein E640, Yongnuo YN622C II, Sunpak Tripod, Custom Tube Guard Light

Post Processing: Adobe Camera Raw & Adobe Photoshop

Does the gear really matter?

There was a time in my life when I felt like the camera gear was the most important aspect of taking quality images. Don't get me wrong, the right gear can definitely make the process easier but it's hardly a limitation that can't be worked around. Of course, when you're new to the game and heavily invested in tech news, reading about lower noise at higher ISO levels is the thing dreams are made of. Then one day I came to a striking revelation - my landlord, local grocery store and even my insurance guy agreed, camera gear isn't everything.

So, years later I'm using equipment that's considered outdated. Sure, it's still gear that many people would love to have at their disposal, capable of much more than anything I started with. It allows me to use some forms of current technology to make my process easier. Bottom line, I'm pretty lucky with the setup I've acquired over the last 9 years. But a thought hit me.. Knowing what I know now, and having grown in my process, could I produce quality work with consumer level equipment from back when I started? Maybe it's time to find out!

Meeting up with a friend, who fairly regularly complained about his camera being the cause of his photographic struggles, we decided to switch systems. For this challenge, we'd both photograph the same car, at the same time, using crop body cameras, identical focal length prime lenses, and a CPL filter. This was my chance to see if the argument, "It's not the gear, it's how you use it" was true. I traded out my old Canon 7D & Canon 35mm 1.4L lens for a Nikon D3100 & Nikkor 35mm 1.8 lens. What followed was frustrations, more work than I expected, and surprisingly decent results.

Aside from learning that Nikon's opinion of built in bracketing was unnecessary in their entry level DSLR cameras, and that their menu structure is so different from Canon that it makes switching systems a bit of a learning curve, I wasn't totally dissatisfied. This little setup handled most of my needs for this experiment. While it certainly didn't win any awards in the speed department, making panning shots a real beast to acquire, it was capable enough to do what needed to be done. In the end, the only real limitation I encountered was myself.

Gear: Nikon D3100, Nikkor 35mm 1.8, Amazon Basics CPL, Sunpak Tripod

Post Processing: Adobe Camera Raw & Adobe Photoshop

The Wichita Chief

Last weekend, as I was driving through our small but attractive downtown area, I noticed quite a variety of unique vehicles cruising around. Spring weather does seem to bring out some of the best eye candy in town. During this trip, I happened to catch an incredibly interesting looking truck out of the corner of my eye. We passed each other underneath a train bridge, making it hard to fully process what I'd just seen. Were there multiple vehicles? Perhaps it was a custom limo? I hadn't a clue but also didn't have time to turn around and investigate further.

Not too worried about it, as my neck of the woods really isn't that big, I continued home. Since I spend a decent amount of time attending local automotive events and photographing cars, I figured I'd run across it again sooner rather than later. Sure enough, I happened across the vehicle and its owner the following afternoon. Determined not to lose out again, I began the pursuit.

After paralleling the owner for a couple blocks, I was able to make my way back to him at a stoplight. Window down and all smiles, he was eating up all the honks, waves and support being fed his way. Who wouldn't? Thankfully our lights downtown are unnecessarily long and, after what felt like 10 minutes, I got his attention. With nothing but a DSLR in hand and a shrug behind the wheel, he smiled, motioned to a nearby parking lot, and it was a date.

Over the last few years I've really grown in the photos I take. I've spent a lot more time scouting locations, setting times to work with the best possible light, and networking with people to try and make bigger things happen. Of course, none of that matters when you happen across an opportunity like this and it's a last minute thing. The only thing you can do to prepare for a situation like this is to have your gear with you at all times, and know how to make the most out of a less than ideal situation.

So, making due with what I had, I snapped a few angles of this crazy looking truck, had the owner give me the rundown on what exactly it was I was looking at, and promptly zoned out during his spiel. You see, that's the thing about being hyper focused on something you love.. It's really, really hard to split your attention. Instead of coming away with some great photos and the details to share about what you're looking at, I got some random snaps in a parking lot and virtually no backstory to accompany them. I realized this truck deserved more than that so, after consulting with some other local photographers about backdrops, I dove into my old archives and dug up some scenic shots from western Kansas.

Here's what I can remember about the truck: The owner, Monty, has only recently finished the vehicle up enough to get it out on the road. When I ran across him, he was practicing driving something with such a long front end. He's actually a sculptor, which is where much of the inspiration comes from on this truck. Almost every panel is handcrafted by him. He calls it, "The Wichita Chief," and it's meant to be considered a rat rod. It's not done yet! He's got plans to add in some arrow head details along the front and a coat of clear to keep it from rusting. It's built on a truck chassis. I believe he said the cab is from an old Dodge pick up. And that's pretty much it..

Gear: Canon 6D, Canon 24-70 2.8L, Tiffen CPL, Yongnuo YN360, Sunpak Tripod

Post Processing: Adobe Camera Raw & Adobe Photoshop