Fisheye for the Car Guy

[Here's a guest post from Michael Posner - Ed.]

Most cars today are designed in a wind tunnel to be as aerodynamic as style will permit. This was not the case for cars sold in between 1950 and 1972, the heyday of American cars. With gas as cheap as 25 cent a gallon, style, chrome, fins and size were the hallmarks. This design aesthetic looks as good today as it did 50 years ago.

One of the best places to see a variety of classic and retro cars outside car museums and car shows is the cultural phenomenon known as the cruise-in. In most towns and cities these days, a local car club or group will stage weekly to monthly gatherings of cars to simply show off what you own without competition or judging. It frequently is a family event, as owners drive their classic car to the show, family in tow, to mingle and look at a variety of cars, with the most common being Chevy Bel Airs from the 50s, Vettes and Mustangs of all ages, and a few hot rods built on old Ford or Chevy chassis.

As much as I enjoyed looking and photographing these cars, I kept coming back to a need for a new perspective. What struck me were the retro car angles. Long, thin and often chrome, I knew that exaggerating these lines could produce some interesting shots. From this came my new approach, Fisheye for the Car Guy. Utilizing a 180 degree perspective, I try and capture the unique beauty of these cars from a fisheye perspective.

My favorite shot is the front grille or bumper. The large, wide chrome grills come alive in the fisheye shots. I also like the C3 Corvettes, as their long hoods and curved fiberglass bodies look fantastic at 8mm. I am also proud of my plain jane Corvair, smiling in front of the camera. For more pictures, please visit my blog, Fisheye for the Car Guy.