Originally posted September 11, 2013 – ©2013 Martin Trailer

Today, September 11, 2013 is special as a day of remembrance,. RIP those that died in the  World Trade towers, the Pentagon and the field in Pennsylvania. I decided to remember my Great Grandfather today with our current vintage flavored trend and day of remembrance.  Tactile, patina, vintage “been around” look and feel.  Bob’s patina on the key and brass bowl started me off in this direction and it evolved. These items all belonged to my Great Grandfather, the arithmetic book was first published in 1854, revised in 1881 and my Great Grandfather started using on August 23, of 1883 in Newton, Iowa.  His name was Charles (Charlie) Brown. The other items were his which show a small portion of his life. Simpler days.

The second photo here is the first exposure with a lens that was manufactured in 1897, but after inspection didn’t think it was up to snuff for today.  I was thinking that the only new thing would be the “digital” capture, but the old uncoated lens and digital don’t quite fit together. For those that notice, yes I did move the

September 11, 2013 – ©2013 Martin Trailer, shot with a lens from 1897.

camera and change the light a little.  Not sure of the old lenses focal length, but the new one above is a 120mm on a view camera. Both have the front board swung forward slightly.

This was my contribution to the Daily Photo Game on September 11, 2013

To see the whole collection go the http://DailyPhotoGame.com

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Posted September 1, 2013 – ©2013 Martin Trailer

On the mend being sick since last week, but not out of the woods just yet and it is my day. to post an image.

Seems we are trending greenish energy and thought of this in my library.  With my last name, it is fun to run across such metaphors and then to be able to play it again is terrific.

So, green energy, wind power, moving clouds, sky, all above an Airstream, Trailer no less!

To see the preceding imaged, go to http://DailyPhotoGame.com

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Ed Lum at the Monterey Trailer Park, former Auto Camp in front of a Gold Tone Airfloat. ©Martin Trailer

This Authentic Portrait of Ed Lum is part of my personal work seeking vintage trailers.  Personal work like continuing education keeps sharpening your skill set and adds to the “10,000 hours” I mentioned in the first of this Authentic Portraits series.

Ed lives in a trailer park in Monterey Park, right next to Pasadena, California. I just showed up because of an article I read the day before in the Los Angeles Times about the trailer park.  Ed does not live in this gold tone Airfloat trailer, but it was the rarest in the park and a vintage travel trailer.  Most all the trailers in the park were vintage park types, versus the typical travel or pull types I seek. It was highlighted in the paper since the place has a history going back as an Auto Camp on Route 66 and further to the days as a Pony Express stop.

My experience and with Ed, when I explain what I am looking for and why, most folks are very cooperative and are very helpful with suggestions and willing subjects.

Ed is in his element, relaxed and authentic.

Comments encouraged.

Martin
MartinTrailer.com

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I have attended others vintage trailer shows, including early Saturday mornings (before the public is invited), never having a problem, but many folks were just rolling out of their trailers and not ready for the general public. (lot’s of funny retro pajamas)

Staying overnight during the event was very different.  First, you meet the others in a different context on Friday into the evening and night.  A big bonus was being there late at night.  Having never stayed that long, the place does not go down for the night early.  Everyone seemed to be moving about, socializing around the park, bonding, trailerite to trailerite.  With my buddy Eliot Crowley, an Airstream owner, we joined in with the Central Coast Airstream group for some socializing.   In good fun, I was labeled an “SOB” since I have a Shasta in the restoration process.  SOB standing for, “some other brand”.

Walking around at night without the crowds, camera and tripod was great fun. Along with a beautiful night, moderate temps we were surrounded by thunderstorms and open skies above.

Below are a few examples.

Airsteam, Buellton, CA ©2011 Martin Trailer

Vintage Airstream, Buellton, CA ©2011 Martin Trailer

Spartan Manor, Buellton, CA ©2011 Martin Trailer

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With my last name, my personal project for the past few years is vintage “trailers” naturally.  While not the only genre, it has lead to many new branch off photographic opportunities.

Featured here is Ed Lum, resident of the Monterrey Trailer Park, Highland Park area, right next to Pasadena, California, in front of a vintage Gold Tone Airfloat trailer at the park.  The Gold Tone is a rare option on the Airfloat trailer then and now if you can find one.

When working on personal projects, risks and growth are part of the projects that drive and translates to better work for you the client.

Livin’ the Life

Ed, livin' the life at the Monterrey Trailer Park, Highland Park. It is a
designated historical site and an original "Auto Camp' from the 1920's.
Also, but unconfirmed the park was a Pony Express stop way back.

Expressions of everyday life, drawing in the viewer with real people by a slice in time.

When you need to create and capture the best of a “slice of life”, give me a call.

Have a great day and better week.

See the entire web site at, MartinTrailer.com and do leave your comments, really!

Martin Trailer
858/549-8881

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There are vintage trailers all around the Salton Sea area, some are still in use and others are wasting away, slowly in the hot dry desert.

We started exploring at Salton City heading north going then south on the east side..  We stopped in a couple of areas I had visited in 2002.  We rediscovered while traveling the back roads finding this wasting gem, beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

Wasting Away, ©2002 Martin Trailer

When I spotted that trailer, I instantly remembered shooting this nearly 7 years ago.  In the second shot 2009, note the absence of the trailer in the background and the missing framing.  Salvage I would guess.

The area is pretty much the same as I remember from 2002, the yacht club and launch area there was some “wear and tear”, but overall not much change.

Wasting Away, ©2009 Martin Trailer

Wasting Trailer at Bombay Beach, © 2009 Martin Trailer

It seems that the area was dry when this group of trailer were parked, but at some point flooded.  The bottom 12-18 inches of the trailer are corroding away.  The surrounding area(s) that continue to be occupied are higher by a foot or so without the damage.

Here is a shot I did of vintage trailer disintegrating into the dirt and here is the very same trailer shown on Wikipedia from 2005 we found at Bombay Beach, on the east side of the Salton Sea, opposite of Salton City.  Once the skin is off the frame, disintegration seems reasonably quick considering the lack of moisture.

Must be the salt and they just seem to decompose even in the dry hot climate.

Exploratory shooting, the discovery is the homework photographers do, and hunting down vintage trailer is a blast for me.

Martin
MartinTrailer.com

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This photograph is one that was a delayed “a’ha” for me.  I instinctively caught it, but did not recognize fully right away, moving on to even more.

Analogy/Metaphor/Simile, ©2009 Martin Trailer

Exploration with a camera is like going to the gym to lift weights,  your building upon your past, enriching it, poking around shooting, finding these gems.  When asked to shoot for clients, to explore a subject, the value of play I have done poking around is invaluable whether let loose or in a collaborative effort.

Martin
MartinTrailer.com

Definitions-

analogy
Function:
noun
Inflected Form(s):
plural anal·o·gies
Date:
15th century

1: inference that if two or more things agree with one another in some respects they will probably agree in others2 a: resemblance in some particulars between things otherwise unlike : similarity b: comparison based on such resemblance3: correspondence between the members of pairs or sets of linguistic forms that serves as a basis for the creation of another form4: correspondence in function between anatomical parts of different structure and origin — compare homology
synonyms see likeness

Function:

noun

Etymology:

Middle English methaphor, from Middle French or Latin; Middle French metaphore, from Latin metaphora, from Greek, from metapherein to transfer, from meta- + pherein to bear — more at bear

Date:

15th century

1: a figure of speech in which a word or phrase literally denoting one kind of object or idea is used in place of another to suggest a likeness or analogy between them (as in drowning in money) ; broadly : figurative language — compare simile

sim·i·le

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