Ok - I am by no means a car person. I probably know less than I really should about cars, but I suppose I know enough to get by. However, while shooting at the Vintage Grand Prix recently, I didn't think it was necessary to know what parts were what. I was mainly looking for lines and forms and colors and contrast.

This was one of those cases. I think they're air filters of some sort, but I really don't know for sure....

However, the repetition of the shapes - from the two air filters, to the parts next to them, to the cross pattern on the air filters - and the dramatic contrast - as the tops of the parts shone brightly in the summer sun to the dark shadows in the center of the engine - and the strong leading line of the hose all drew my eye into this micro scene.

I didn't do much shooting of the cars themselves, but found that by getting in close and finding these little details allowed me to eliminate distractions and clutter. Ever tried to take a photo of a classic car at a car show while twenty other people wandered around it? If they don't walk right into your shot, you'll never manage to control all of those reflections. So rather than fighting with that, it was just easier to draw on my macro shooting experience and get in close.

Technical Data: Canon EOS 7D, Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 II, 1/640 at f/1.8. ISO 100. 2011 Pittsburgh Vintage Grand Prix, Pittsburgh, PA. Raw conversion and sepia tone conversion in Photoshop CS5 (mouseover for original).

What Works: As I said, the repetition and strong leading line work well. Additionally, the dramatic contrast made for a very nice black and white conversion.

What Doesn't Work: Right off the bat, the hose breaking the bottom of the frame is a bit of a disappointment - the same probably holds true for the front air filter.

All in all, I think it is a very nice abstract.

Thanks for viewing.

- Bill