Cars, Cars, Cars

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IMG_4945Canon EOS 6D (31mm, f/4, 1/160 sec, ISO4000)

After the Getty museum it was time for something different. California stands for modern architecture but California most of all stands for cars. Cars! In a big, sparsely populated part of the world like the Southwest of the USA a car simply is the most important thing. You just can’t live without one. For somebody living in a big city like London, Paris, New York or even just Vienna it might be hard to imagine but out there you are just are lost without a car.

I lived in Vienna for almost 20 years so I know what I’m talking about. A car in a city is cumbersome. You are either stuck in the traffic or you are desperately looking for a place to park the damn thing. To use the subway is not only smarter, “greener” and cheaper it is also much faster most of the time.

IMG_4958Canon EOS 6D (24mm, f/4, 1/60 sec, ISO1600)
 IMG_4992Canon EOS 6D (24mm, f/4, 1/80 sec, ISO1600)
 IMG_4997Canon EOS 6D (24mm, f/4, 1/60 sec, ISO1000)

But I think nobody ever had any special feelings for a subway except the case when he just missed one, Cars are different. They were always more than just transportation. They were and still are all about independence and personal expression.

Some of them are truly beautiful but the most amazing cars were designed in the 60s and 70s. In the days before pedestrian crash tests and the first oil crisis. And for me the most beautiful cars of that era were designed in the USA. To visit a big car museum in Los Angeles was a true highlight of our trip.

IMG_5003Canon EOS 6D (32mm, f/4, 1/15 sec, ISO6400)
 IMG_5012Canon EOS 6D (24mm, f/4, 1/80 sec, ISO2000)
 IMG_5046Canon EOS 6D (24mm, f/5.6, 1/60 sec, ISO1600)

There were cars of all eras, rare concepts and prototypes. A great place. The light was very nice but very low.

I chose to shoot with my 6D, an amazing low light camera. I used the new 24-70 IS. Most of the time I shot it wide open. The quality of the 24-70 IS is really good even when used wide open on both ends. It’s a little weaker at the 50mm setting but stopping it down a little solves the problem.

Despite the IS – lens I set minimum shutter speed in the Auto ISO menu at 1/60s just to be on the save side. I got the feeling the IS is less effective the higher the pixel count of the camera. ISO ranged from ISO 1.000 up to ISO 6.400 but the results were great. Great modern times! Just take a look at the Studebaker shot: 1/15s/f4 @ ISO 6.400 this is true low light!

IMG_5056Canon EOS 6D (24mm, f/4, 1/80 sec, ISO1600)
 IMG_5065Canon EOS 6D (24mm, f/4, 1/60 sec, ISO2500)
 IMG_5114Canon EOS 6D (55mm, f/4, 1/80 sec, ISO2000)

The Peterson Automotive Museum is a great place and there is also a Johnny Rockets burger restaurant in beautiful 50s design inside were you can have a good and “healthy” burger.

If you love cars this museum is a must see. Wonderful!

IMG_5144Canon EOS 6D (24mm, f/5.6, 1/60 sec, ISO3200)