Opprtunities... and Serendipity

Last month, there was an old Austin car parked by the curb. The pale blue paint was fading. There were areas of rust. The car was full of textural character and the rust looked like brown clouds on the pale blue sky of the original paint. I had seen the car, over a few weeks; it was crying out to be photographed up close!

Then it went away. The opportunity was lost.

Yesterday, the opportunity resurfaced! The car had returned. I was determined that I would take advantage of the opportunity this time. So while the rest of Adelaide is smelling the petrol fumes of the Clipsal 500, I am having fun recording the colours and textures of this re-owned classic in the quiet of the suburbs. I met the owner who seemed very happy that someone else appreciated his car (which I think is destined to be reconditioned).

I chose the morning light (behind me) to reduce the glare of our (just out of official) summer sun and to hopefully elongate the shadows to add more depth to the  photos (I love shadow!!) Unfortunately, as is the  serendipity of random shots, on this day there was a car parked directly behind the Austin. This meant I could not get direct on shots, from behind the car. It also meant that I had to squat down to get a low angle  (facing upwards to catch maximum sky as background) at the front to hide the car behind and unwanted domestic backgrounds such as houses and fences. I also had to dodge roadsigns and trees that emerged from the body of the car (in the background). 

Having said this, I love serendipity! I found in the low angle shots, there were lines  made by the background power cables, echoing the line of the car. This can be seen in the hood ornament shot. The sky was almost cloudless so the lines gave interest to the otherwise plain sky which dominated the composition. I took a few shots of the winged 'A' without flash. To me, it felt lifeless, I added a fill in flash, showing how shiney it actually is - in contrast to the rest of the car. The palm tree was a bonus, creating a feeling of fun in the sun!

The logo and winged 'A' images are available on Redbubble.

(update: and the car is now gone again.. it was only there 2 days. I am so glad I got off my butt, this time)

Good things come to those who wait but grab that opportunity when you can - you may not be as lucky to have it resurface a second time.

Luckily, I was.