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The tail fin defined the Cadillac during the fifties and none shouted Cadillac like the P-38 Lightning aircraft-inspired tailfins found on the 1948 – 1956 models. A close-up shot of this 1955 Cadillac Eldorado iconic fin best personifies the luxury brand’s tail fin legacy.
I’ve been eyeballing automobiles since 1954. Regardless of where I am – in a parking lot,
on the freeway or on Niles Avenue – my eyes screen each car that passes
by. I can’t help it.
In the 58 years since my automotive awakening I’ve acquired
a fondness for a number of the older cars once spotted on the highways. Of late I have made an effort, when attending
car shows, to capture images of these favorites with my camera at car shows.
With some cars, I like only a portion of the overall design,
like the grille or the rear taillight.
So over the past many years, I’ve been drawn to photograph only a
section of the vehicle in an artistic fashion.
Some have actually come out pretty nicely and can almost be consider
works of art – at least to my eyes.
I was pleasantly surprised recently when someone visited the
Concours d’Elegance of Southwest Michigan’s Facebook page and wrote a
complimentary remark about a photo I had posted of a 1955 Cadillac Eldorado
rear quarter fender view. I had used
this particular photo when I announced the recent decision by the Concours
National Advisory and Executive Boards that the Cadillac would be the featured
marque in 2013 to commemorate the luxury automaker’s 110th
anniversary.
The Facebook visitor’s comment, “This
picture in undeniably beautiful” made my day and got me to
thinking about some of the other photos of cars that I’ve taken over the past
10 – 15 years.
So I opened my iPhoto album – now filled with 5,452 images –
and looked for my favorite pictorial “car parts,” so-to-speak. I found a number that really ring my bell.
The aforementioned 1955 Cadillac photo is at the top of the
list. If you want a photograph of GM’s
luxury division that say loud and clear “I’m a Cadillac,” then I feel this
photo accomplishes the task. I only
shot the tail of the car and from slightly above. The famous P-38 Lightning aircraft-inspired
tail fins were used on the Cadillac from the 1948 original until through 1957 model.
This picture resonates even though the trunk on the vehicle
in the photograph isn’t completely closed.
The strong sculptural statement of the finned taillight simply carries
the day.
Another photo that garners comments when I share it is one I
took many years ago while visiting Carlisle, (Pa.) Chrysler Nationals. I’m a huge fan of Virgil Exner, Sr.’s 1955
cars that featured the “Forward Look.”
But what makes my photo of this particular Dodge notable isn’t the car’s
handsome grille, but rather the dramatic effect caused by reflection in the
chrome trim from the overhead stripped canvas tent. It reminds viewers of peppermint candy and
makes the photo memorable.
I often discover that shiny car surfaces make great mirrors
for self-portrait. In 2009 at Hershey,
Pa., I came across a really nice black 1954 Buick Special.
In 1954 GM introduced all-new Olds, Cadillac and Buick models.
I liked the cars a lot because they all
featured the first mass-produced wraparound windshields. Of the three GM luxury cars, I have always favored
the Buick and its rear subtle fin. When
I spotted the black 1954 Special at Hershey, I had to take a photo of that
fin. The self-portrait was just a bonus.
I’m not savvy enough to use PhotoShop. I take a photo and if it turns out great,
it’s pure luck. I attended the since-discontinued
Venetian Festival car show some years back and took a photo of a nice two-tone
1955 Chevy Bel Air.
This image isn’t quite a work of art but it captures
perfectly the essence of the new, clean styling of the popular Chevy. Most folks seem to like the 1957 Tri-Five
Chevy better than the initial ‘ 55, but I’ve always been won over by the clean,
pure lines of the original.
Few cars are introduced that are perfect in every way. With the ’55 Chevy I wouldn’t change a thing. The 1955 Chevy is one of those perfect cars,
in my opinion, and this photo shows why.
This cleanly designed, unadorned beauty represents the very best from GM’s
top designer Harley Earl.
I admire all classic Packards and can understand why the
luxury brand remains a favorite of serious collectors. At Hershey this past fall I spotted a
beautiful roadster from afar. I wasn’t
drawn to it because it was a Packard, but because of its beautiful color. It shouted, “Look at me!”
On closer inspection, I became enamored by the beautiful wheels
on the 1929 automobile. Disc-like, they
were painted the same color as the car’s body.
Most importantly, in the wheel’s center, was the traditional Packard red
hexagon. This photo captures flawlessly
the combination of colors and shapes that work beautifully together and pleases
the eye.
Great art? No, but it
reveals perfectly the elegance of the era.
If you would like to see my photos that I’ve mentioned in
today’s column in high definition, please visit my blog site at http://darscars.blogspot.com/. I will post all the photos that I’ve
mentioned. I also welcome your comments
on my blog.
By the way, if readers use Facebook and have not yet visited
the Concours d’Elegance of Southwest Michigan Facebook page
(www.facebook.com/ConcoursSWMI), please do so.
And while on your visit, please “like” us. It will keep you connected with the many
activities of the fundraising event.
Take a shiny, curved chromed
surface and add color stripes from an overhead tent and you have a dramatic
photograph. This 1955 Dodge Royal Lancer
was snapped by Dar at a Carlisle, Penn. Chrysler National show a few years
back.
Whether up close or from afar, an
automobile painted a gorgeous color will capture attention. And none did it better than this 1929
Packard at Hershey. Dar snapped the
automobile’s wheel, capturing both the elegance of the wheel design and the
stunning turquoise and red color combination.
A 1954 black Buick Special rear fender makes for a perfect mirror to caption a self-portrait. This photo may not be great art, but it speaks to the writer because the ’54 Buick is a favorite of his.
Both Dar’s grandfather and brother owned a 1955 Chevy. The all-new car was one of Chevrolet’s most significant models, as it introduced not only its famous small block V-8 but also fresh, clean new styling, as shown in this rear quarter view that still looks fabulous 57 years later.
2 comments:
We share the same fascination with cars, Dar! And I agree with what you said about the color of the car. A car that has been maintained well inside and out will catch anyone’s attention in an instant. Do you have more photos of cars that you might want to add on your blog?
Delsie Maidens
Thank you for your comment. I have many hundreds, if not thousands of auto photos in my iPhoto album. I usually add a photo with each post but will add more in due time.
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