Wednesday, January 22, 2014

Contrast, Balance, Harmony

This is a picture of my son Benny and pregnant wife Megan playing in front of a window in our living room. The picture was taken a few weeks ago on a cloudy Saturday afternoon. The absence of light inside the house creates a silhouette around the two bodies and a frame around the windowsill. The dark contrast between inside and outside gives the image a dramatic surrounding. The focus of the image is Benny's hand reaching upward pointing to his mother's stomach. The hand is highlighted by the background but not so much that it is all you look at. The angle that the picture was taken was not straight on, expressing the candidness of the moment. The texture in this photo is unique because the light meter was taken on the background but the focus is on the two individuals, thus reversing the roles.

This photo captures the bittersweet feeling of having a second child. My wife is excited for the future but sad at the same time to be losing the life she has had with just she and her firstborn. It also captures the innocence of our young child acknowledging the existence of a baby but not comprehending how his life is about to change.

Tuesday, January 14, 2014

Visceral Response

Ever since I was around 12 years old I have been obsessed with classic cars.  My favorite car that makes me stop in my tracks to this day is the 1964 1/2 to 1966 Ford Mustang.  These years are first years of the Ford Mustang lines.  I think they did an amazing job designing an affordable muscle car for the American people.  I have owned three of these cars, two 1965's and one 1966.  I have done all of the work myself, including painting my first one three different times.  The design of the body lines never get old to me.  For example, on the side of the quarter panel there is an indented side scoop which creates a body line that runs horizontally down the whole side of the Mustang.  This body line is an example of form and function that creates strength in the sheet metal, protecting it against dents.  It also draws the eye of the viewer of the car to move the eyes across the whole car.  It also gives a reflection of the color of the car to show off the depth of the color of the car in different light tones.  

Between the front of the hood to the firewall (divider between engine and cab) is a perfect amount of space to have a V8 engine so that it is a true muscle car.  If the hood was shorter it would look like a compact car and lose all respect as a muscle car.  Another design element is a slight lift in the quarter panel over the back wheel creating speed while the car is standing still.  I think this is one of America's best car designs and the numbers don't lie.  This is one of the best selling cars in the history of American automobiles.