Vikki and I haven't talked much on this. Busy summer here. Probably for her too. However I just wanted to remind all of you that while the weather is nice, please get out there and take those pictures! :-)

Just for the record, this calendar will be based on the QUALITY of the pictures/cars, it won't be a first-come/first-serve selection process. (In the event of some sort of a tie, the nod will go to someone who wasn't in calendar #1. (There will be NO repeat pix, but there may be repeat cars/owners if they send in good enough pictures.)

Poke around here for the other calendar thread for things you should be doing to get good pics.

Make sure you get vertical "portrait" and horizontal "landscape" oriented shots.

Change up your camera angles. Stay away from "busy" distracting backgrounds. The sun at a low angle helps. Lighting is critical. Experiment with fill flash. Use a tripod for extra-sharp pics.

A burn-out shot never hurts (except the owner's wallet.)

Use Calendar #1 for some hints.

PLEASE don't kill Vikki and I with shots of the front bumper/down left side of the car. YAWN!

Come on smitty! Where be the pictures? Oh, on the calander, are you going to include cars that placed in the show?

A favor please: Make a new post of the super totaled fender that is/was on the right side of my car as a before. (It was even worse before you saw it. I had taken a lenght of 2x4, a baby sledge, and hammered it out.) Hang up a picture of the before picture and an after one if you have one. If not, I'll try to post my own after shot.

Oh no, not again!!!!!!!!

Seems like just yesterday........

LOL - Well creation or purcahse of the calendar is far from mandatory. If there's no interest, then Vikki and I get to save a crapload of work. :-)

Im gonna get you a great burn-out pic. Gotta find a good setting for it though.
When is the deadline?

Hows' about in front of the local police station? Nothin like making a statment--huh?

I like it Merv

Joe - there's no deadline as of yet. Things are still quite loose and wild.

Besides, with the calendars costing about double this time around, folks may not want one. We'll see. In the pre-pre-planning stages so far...

Smitty, I just figured you were still working with the "Collectors" to clear some checks you'd gotten from the first project! :p

Normally a calendar from the same source doesn't overlap the previous edition by more than one quarter (3 months). Otherwise it'd piss off those at the end of the calendar that suddenly get over-run by the new calendar.

We all need to be careful of peoples feelings here. Its a very sensitive and passionate group we have. The only one like this on the web as far as I've seen.

And we all love...hey......WHAT did you say??....DOUBLE the price of that last project??!!! What the HELL!!?? :rolleyes:

I got a few ideas brewing. Yes beer is involved when I think of these. 1. Hey Joe how about we meet in Pontiac Ill and in front of there welcome sign we do a back to back smoke show? Who could we get to be coming out of the smoke. Hummmmmmmm? Just a thought. Two black birds in 1 shot. Brillent!!!!!!!! Heckel and Jeckel :rolleyes: Bill

Firebirds in Pontiac MI, during the Dream Cruise...who's in?

Hi Nash, I don't expect you to be a well-spring of Calendar info, but, the only reason why the calendar was so cheap in the first place was that Kodak had a 50% off sale. No more sale lately, hence the price is double.

Agreed, we don't want to overlap the months on the calendar much. At the Kodak site, you can configure the start month to be as late as Q4 2007 or so...

Calendar #1 was a LOT of work for me. Anybody that wants to help Vikki/me a lot on Calendar #2 can have a say so in how it gets created. Otherwise, it's not a committee affair. If we go committe, no feelings will get hurt, and no calendar will get created. Life is too short and the journey is supposed to be fun.

LOL Nash, ALL the checks/payments cleared 100%. Not one problem and frankly that's what I was anticipating.

FYI, I'm not in love with Kodak, but, for Calendar #1 (at the time) they had the best calendar for the BEST price.

Anybody that wants to keep their eyes peeled for a better company/price/product is very welcome.

Calendar or not - GET SOME COOL PICS of your PRIDE AND JOY! (No Nash,not THAT pride and joy...)

Oh, by the way a Burnout Duet in front of a sign or something would be COOL!!! Wait for good lighting and have a few people taking pics from varyious angles so we have a few to choose from. Click lots of pics during the process so we can get the burnout from start to end. Getting a car simply engulfed in smoke prob won't be calendar worthy.

Use a a fairly high resolution 4MP+ to keep the quality high. (To allow for cropping etc.)

Looking forward to the pix!

I'm hoping to convince Vikki that we need to feature a Sprint 6 car in calendar #2. They are so rare nowadays and I'd love to see a correctly badged car with a lovely straight-6 under the hood.

Quenton (PMI) are you listening? Got pix?

I have several, but the one I am really proud of is the picture in my signature (Patty's Rose). Unfortunately, it has a lot of background clutter.

I will try to re-shoot it, but it's a long drive to the original location. Before I do that, though, I want to get the new exhaust pipes we are planning into the new picture.

Count me in either way, even if I have to drag the car out to a decent place to shoot it.

Super! I remember that "somewhere" in one of your cars you have a gorgeous Straight 6. I'd like you to highlight that car and take plenty of pictures of the engine. Really work the lighting etc. (You may get a more impressive shot inside a garage.) I seem to remember the shot I saw a year ago was pretty darn good.

In all my FGF travels lately I have yet to see ONE Sprint bird. (The closest was a Sprint badged car with an 326 under the hood.)

Q, don't worry about location, just worry about background clutter. Again, you can use the first calendar as a guide.

Suggested captions - heheeh:

"Who needs 8 cylinders?"

" *Bonk* I didn't WANT a V-8!" Like the TV ad...

"Why use 8 when 6 will do?"

I'll be there sat. you can count me in !

Smitty - we should line up the whole line of MOFO's and have everyone do standing brake torquing to get their wheels spinning and take a pic of that! (can you imagine how loud that would be? and how much tire smoke that would create? and the likelihood of a bunch of the cars breaking something in the process?)

Steve, that would be so cool I don't know where to start! Theoretically it could draw a few Fuzz too though.

Although I did not buy one last year.

I think you should include any and all birds except for the ones who made it last year keep'em different every year from rolling resto's to the one the guy (I can't remember his name) who bought the one that had been rolled over.
Just my opinion.

I agree with Doug, the ones in last years calendar should probably not qualify....(does that make me not qualify for 2 yrs?...lol), unless the car is part of a group, maybe ?

Nice try - for non-voting members of the calendar committee. LOL! :-)

Order of precedence for selection:

1. Quality of picture
2. Quality of car
3. The car was in previous calendars
4. Timely submission for consideration

So, using the numbers above, even if your car isn't the prettiest, if it's a great shot, I'm all for it.

Cheers,
Scott

P.S. My better half, Vikki, will also have a vote when she comes out of hibernation. :p

I will be taking photos during the Dream Cruise, and will catch 'birds in flight and flocked in the show lot, with and without owners. I think the cars are really what it's all about, so I will likely submit car-only photos for calendar consideration.

Footnote: Quality of picture is both technical and aesthetic. A technically perfect photo of a gorgeous subject that has a telephone pole sprouting out of the roof will lose a little ground to a perfectly posed photo of a slightly less spectacular car. Photoshop does wonders, but it takes a lot of time and effort when just a little thought would avoid the problem entirely.

I would like to suggest a works in progress collage page, it would be a nice contrast to future submissions of finished cars. A single representative shot of a body on the rotisserie, of an engine on a dyno or stand, of a perfectly detailed suspension...you get the idea.

QUOTE: "Nice try - for non-voting members of the calendar committee. LOL! :-)"

Nice try for voting members!

I think 'any and all' should have made it last year. It's ridiculous that anybody was cut after submitting a pic. Rather than spending all the time last year himming and hawwing over who got cut, you should have spent the time figuring out a way to exclude no one. I will not be competing in this popularity contest. It reminds me too much of a stilted car show. When you find a way to include everybody who wants to participate, I'm in!

It would take a pretty big nail to hold a ten year calendar to include "everyone". Or we could shrink the photos to 1" x 1.5"...

Aesthetics...not popularity. The calendar is a promotional item, to interest others in our cars and to display the variety within the three model years.

Oh Vikki, BTW, we're married. Sorry I didn't let you know.

Yes, I KNOW, send me the dang "honeydoo" list. Apparently that's one of the perks you get with the marriage license. "Should the man say "I do" or should he say "I'll do it right away, dear"?

Yes, my take on Cal #1 was aesthetic quality not popularity. Bjorn got 2 months cuz he worked his butt off and gave me several ROUNDS of nice pitcures. If he gave me 20 rounds of crappy pictures, he wouldn't have gotten in.

VIKKI QUOTE: "The calendar is a promotional item"

I didn't know this. I thought it was a group thing. Excuse me, carry on.

On second thought, maybe somebody could do a more friendly, 1st gen calender, where even 'not worthy' pics have a chance to make it on? There are a lot of members and when you use the same cars on multiple months it's quite non inclusive. It would be nice to be able to look and say, "Hey look there's so-and so's car, he's working on it" or "There's BadBird's car, it's still in primer." or " There's Freddy's car, look at his messy garage in the background". Not everybody gets all gussied up for the family reunion. How about a 'tell it like it is', 'no make-up' calender? I'm sure you could add more pics without going down to an 1x1.5 pic. Maybe like 2x3 or something?

Also, where are you guys selling these for promotion? I haven't seen them around anywhere but here.

Well to be honest I have my copy of the calendar on my cube wall. No matter how nice a guy may be, I don't want to look at a blurry, poorly composed, poorly lit, poor resolution picture of a car.

"If" we are going to have a calendar that features many cars at the expensive of quality, I'm out. It's a lot of work guys and gals, I double-dog dare you to pick the ball up and run with it, for free.

My vision of the purpose of the calendar is to show off the FGF to it's hard core enthusiasts on this forum, and if anybody else wanders by and buys one that's fine.

BTW, I don't recall selling any of Calendar #1 to a "stranger." They were associated with this forum one way or another. In other words I made no commercial, for profit sales.

SCOTTS QUOTE: " I don't want to look at a blurry, poorly composed, poorly lit, poor resolution picture of a car"

Come on now Scott, you rejected pics that weren't low quality photos.

By promotional I meant promoting OUR CARS. It would be selfish to hide our calendar where no one else could see it...I prefer to show them off where others can enjoy as well. This is, as far as I know, the first FGF calendar created for distribution. It can only get better with practice.

I will also submit photos of non-member cars if they are incredible representations of the model. Why? Because it's about the cars.

For instance:

Gorgeous car, but the photo is overexposed, and the background and sides are cluttered. Failed to make the cut.


Same car as above, because of the rare option I would put extra effort into cleaning the image up with Photoshop but a clean background would be preferred, along with a wider field of view.


Gorgeous car, great flash fill without overexposure, but that RV and dead tree in the background just spoils the photo. Move the car, wait until the car moves, move the RV, or move the camera to a different angle. Cropping could help composition. Photoshop may save it.


Failed. Besides the subject being a 'vette, the background is, at best, ugly. How hard would it be to move the car to a more scenic spot?


If this was a 'bird it would make the cut. Although the background is busy, it's automotive themed. A little Photoshop enhancement will brighten the subject and make it stand out.


This shot has the angle, but as it was taken while cruising Woodward it is not composed as well as I would like. A bit of space below the nose would improve the photo greatly. Place this same car on a winding road with a scenic backdrop and it would be a prizewinner.

Here is a collage idea:


The owner documented his before and after on his car at the show. He also had "during" photos. Very cool.

Every car has a best angle. Sometimes you have to work to find it. Try while standing on a roof or ladder or looking out a second floor window. Take photos from another car while driving. Be creative. And as far as Photoshop...even the top models get a little touchup, our cars are older than them so I don't mind giving them a light digital facelift when it helps.

Hint: cars drive on roads, they look more at home on a road or driveway or parking lot than they do on the lawn.


Since members will be submitting their own photos, presumably the car can be situated wherever the owner wants to place it. So pick a nice backdrop, shoot a lot of angles (high, low, left, right, front, back, all corners), shoot in different lighting and with and without filters. Use flash in the daytime. Compare all your images, choose a few, ask family members for opinions, and shoot more if you aren't 100% happy with the results.

Anyone can make a calendar, have at it. Make an online account at Wal-Mart, upload your photos, and you'll have your calendars in a couple of weeks.

Jim, PM me regarding your photos.

VIKKI QUOTE; "By promotional I meant promoting OUR CARS"

OUR CARS ????? Who is OUR?

I already know about my pics. I still remember why mine were rejected. My garage wasn't 'perky'. That's a quote. That garage is right next to my house. It is something you will need if you are going to do all the work yourself, a not so 'perky' garage.

I do my own work on my cars. I designed my garage, too, and it is quite attractive, but I still don't pose my car in front of it for "show" photos. There are a lot of better locations available.

</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif"> On second thought, maybe somebody could do a more friendly, 1st gen calender, where even 'not worthy' pics have a chance to make it on? </font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Hey, it's your idea Jim, why don't you run with it?

BTW, anyone check out this month's car on the 1st calendar :p

Kel

To be honest Vikki - I would really like to give preference to forum members. I mean, if members can supply good looking pix, they are also the customers that would be most interested in buying the calendar.

Obviously there's room for you and I to chat about the selection process. If it goes to committee, we're doomed. Gosh, I could swear I did a good job last year and all loved the pix... :-)

Jim, you're a valued, active member of the forum - let last year's pictures go. Crank-up the camera and submit some undeniably cool pix! :-)

LOL And you mean I would get to pick? OOOOO The power, I can almost feel it! Calender picker.....
Sole calendar picker..... And I would get to cut people....

LOL Kel - I'm looking at it now... August is awesome but July ROOLZ! :p

I was telling someone at work that I have a love affair with your car. :-)

Jim with that power, you'll find it ain't so easy. I slaved over the selection process. I spent countless hours e-mailing, and re-emailing guys to come up with good pics. They put up with me and I put up with them. But for a totally rookie organization I think we all did well.

Any calendar will reflect the effort put into it. In my humble opinion, if I had taken the first 12 submissions and put them unedited into the calendar, I'd have people wanting their money back.

Hey Bill, if you hit the labor day weekend show in South Holland again we will do the 2 black bird burnout!!!
I need a tuneup first though,,,, she might not get smokey enough and I would need to borrow some of yours!
Drop me a PM and we can set something up.

Hey Smitty, I was one of the first 12,,,, What are you saying?
Scott you did a great job on the calendar, PERIOD,,, end of story!
Anyone that would say otherwise is simply ungrateful for the effort YOU put forward.
I just wish you would have taken the extra cash I sent you rather than donating it to the site.
Thumbs up and good job.

I have my calendar up in my office and a lot of people comment on it. Nice car, nice setting, where is that, etc... I want to see the nicest cars. I already have a driver car in my garage to look at