Posterous theme by Cory Watilo

Filed under: black and white

The End of the Roll

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This shot was a mistake; It never should have happened. Somehow, it snuck onto the end of my roll before I left Joshua Tree. You can see the staple marks and circles on the very end where it was held. I've been on the fence about posting this one, but the flames have intrigued me for some time. There is something utterly captivating about photographs of fire, yet I cannot quite describe it. The motion, streaks, and little details create a sense of presence in the moment the shot was taken. When I look at it, I can imagine myself sitting beside the raging fire, wood crackling and embers burning, heat pouring out from all ends. The thing I love about photography and more so art is that they are subjective. They aim to elicit an emotional response from the viewer and it is quite easy to do so, though that response may not always be positive. I could take a picture of my foot and call it "fine art" and you could call it crap...and we could both be right. So, what do you see?

Silver Arrow

I went to the Portland Art Museum a while back for the Allure of the Automobile exhibit and it was pretty fantastic. Here are some of my favorite shots of a 1933 Pierce-Arrow Silver Arrow. 

Blurb from the PAM: 

"Pierce-Arrow descended from Heintz, Pierce, and Munschauer in Buffalo, NY. Founded in 1865, it manufactured bird cages and iceboxes. When George N Pierce took control in 1896, the firm produced bicycles. With its dignified advertising, elegant styling, and respectable dealers, Pierce-Arrow was the choice of wealthy owners and rivaled Packard for prestige. It pioneered the extensive use of aluminum, including cast-aluminum bodies, and was the first automaker to feature hydraulic valve operation. But the staunchly conservative company clung to six-cylinder engines long after rivals Packard and Cadillac introduced V-8s.

By 1926, Pierce had been forced to merge with Studebaker and move to their headquarters in South Bend, IN. In an effort to spur sales, five hand-built concept cars, designed by Ralph Roberts and called Silver Arrows, were assembled in South Bend. At the Chicago Century of Progress International Exposition in 1933-vying with Duesenberg's 'Twenty Grand' and Packard's 'Car of the Dome'-the Silver Arrow upstaged them all with its good looks, integrated body and fenders, and tapered, aircraft-like shape. The new Silver-Arrow pioneered modern trends with its low roof-line, rounded door openings, envelope front fenders, and flat body sides that concealed twin spare tires. In a sea of boxy sedans, the sleek showcar was as modern as tomorrow. Pierce-Arrow went under in mid-1938 and is best remembered for the magnificent Silver Arrow. This is one of three survivors."

Specs:

Engine Type: 462-cid, 24-valve L-head V-12
Horsepower: 175 bhp at 4,000 rpm
Transmission: 3-speed manual
Top Speed: 115 mph
Wheelbase: 139 inches
Suspension: I-beam front axle with semi-elliptical leaf springs
Weight: 5,100 pounds
Coachwork: Designed by Philip O. Wright, built by Studebaker in South Bend, IN