Ansco Shur-Shot Jr.

It's no secret that I love medium format cameras of all shapes, sizes, and age. Last year I was fortunate enough to come across a nicely kept 1948 Ansco Shur-Shot Jr. medium format "box camera".
I finally got around to shooting with it late in the year, and here are some of the images...

Vintage Rail Car. ©Mike Vega 2013 Orange Empire Railway Museum, Perris, CA.
Ansco Shur-Shot Jr. 100asa 120mm b/w film

These images were taken at the railway museum in Perris, CA. All work at the museum is done by volunteers and the care they put into the trains, trolley's and grounds is apparent. 

I really love visiting as it is a mix of nostalgia, fantasy, family and functionality. It inspires the imagination and the senses. The "living" history of the place is a treat and a treasure. 

Safety First. ©Mike Vega 2013 Orange Empire Railway Museum, Perris, CA.
Ansco Shur-Shot Jr. 100asa 120mm b/w film

Trolley peaking out into the afternoon light from Car house 1. ©Mike Vega 2013 Orange Empire Railway Museum, Perris, CA.
Ansco Shur-Shot Jr. 100asa 120mm b/w film

1960's Ford Falcon. ©Mike Vega 2013 Orange Empire Railway Museum Parking Lot, Perris, CA.
Ansco Shur-Shot Jr. 100asa 120mm b/w film

So far, I like the little box camera. With no flash attachment, bulb setting, or sync outlet, this will be a daytime only camera, which is fine with me.

I did have to perform some minor shutter repair while I was initially cleaning it up, but everything seems to be working great now. I hope you enjoyed these shots.

'till next time.

-Mike

Happy New Year.

It's just after 8pm here in Southern California, and the new year is just around the corner.
With the winding down of this year, I've been feeling a little overwhelmed with just about everything.

I'm making some changes for 2014 to help give myself some breathing room, time wise. The goal is to have more time to enjoy the things that I love (including photography), rather than having everything so stacked on top of each other that even though I am "doing", I may not be enjoying.

Here's hoping each of you have a great 2014.

Queens Fine Food. San Bernadino, CA. ©Mike Vega 2013
Canon Ae-1 28mm f2.8 100asa Kodak T-Max b/w 35mm film.

See you soon.
-Mike

2013 Anaheim, CA. Halloween Parade

Since 1924, the City of Anaheim, CA. has been hosting an annual Halloween Parade. Before moving to Corona, CA. I was a resident of the city of Anaheim and was happy to return this year to enjoy some of the heritage being preserved, shoot some film and have some fun!

Paul Kott Realtors entry The Modjeska Maiden. ©Mike Vega 2013
Minolta AF2 38mm 100asa Kodak T-Max 35mm b/w film

One of my favorite things about city parades, be they Independence Day, Christmas, or other, are the community built "float" entries.

Witch. ©Mike Vega 2013
Minolta AF2 38mm 100asa Kodak T-Max 35mm b/w film

The ingenutity and and heart that people put into their creations is sometimes amazing.

This year, the parade was lead by a segment with featured "vintage" replicas of entries past, and period themed entries dating as far back as 1924.

1940's police car. ©Mike Vega 2013
Minolta AF2 38mm 100asa Kodak T-Max 35mm b/w film

The parade was wonderful, and featured floats, cars, bands, beauty queens, the works!

Miss Buena Park 2013, Emily Parker. ©Mike Vega 2013
Minolta AF2 38mm 100asa Kodak T-Max 35mm b/w film

Shriner Car. ©Mike Vega 2013
Minolta AF2 38mm 100asa Kodak T-Max 35mm b/w film

Of course there were Shriners... Shiners in little cars, Shriners in Dune Buggy's, Shriners as Clowns, old Shriners, young Shriners...

Shriners Hospital "Organ Car". ©Mike Vega 2013
Minolta AF2 38mm 100asa Kodak T-Max 35mm b/w film

Haunted House float. ©Mike Vega 2013
Minolta AF2 38mm 100asa Kodak T-Max 35mm b/w film

I was really looking forward to attending this parade, and it did not disappoint. Hopefully, I'll be able to attend again next Halloween. I may even dream up my own entry!

'till next time.

-Mike 

Carnivals and fun parks...

When I was young, I had the good fortune of attending all of the various theme parks in Southern California, Disneyland, Knott's Berry Farm, Sea World, Marineland, Magic Mountain, Santa's Village, etc. As well as many many fairs in Los Angeles and Orange counties and loads of parking lot carnivals.
To this day I love carnivals and theme parks. I appreciate the rides, the people, the history, the sometimes "skeevyness", the laughter, the lights...

Carousel detail. Parking lot carnival. Riverside, CA. ©Mike Vega
Minolta AF-2 100asa Kodak T-max b/w 35mm film

When I am working and I drive past a parking lot carnival, I will crane my neck looking to see what rides they are featuring... The Zipper? The Tilt-A-Whirl? The Spider? Bumper cars? The Scrambler? I'm sure to some, these pop up fairs all look the same, but to devoted attendees, the details make the magic.

Bean Bag Toss. Riverside, CA. ©Mike Vega
Minolta AF-2 100asa Kodak T-max b/w 35mm film

As interesting as the rides, there is also the midway. What games are there? Bean Bag Toss? Ring Toss? Darts? B-B Guns? Games of luck, games of skill? The call to "Ring the Bell, win the lady a prize!" is just as enticing today as it was decades ago.

"Conjure a Villain" Disneyland, Anaheim, CA. ©Mike Vega
Canon Ae-1 50mm f2.8 100asa Kodak T-Max 100 35mm b/w film.

As if the sights of a fun park or carnival weren't enough, there is also the smells. The aroma of popcorn, cotton candy, and diesel...
Add to that the mystery of nightfall...

"Step right up..." ©Mike Vega 2013
Riverside, CA.
Canon Ae-1 50mm f2.8 100asa Kodak T-max b/w film

The Tornado. The stuff childhood dreams (or nightmares) are made of... ©Mike Vega 2013
Riverside, CA.
Canon Ae-1 50mm f2.8 100asa Kodak T-max b/w film

When you've had your fill of treats and rides, take a seat and watch the parade of people, young and old, laughing, crying, rushing to and fro. Hear the Carnies barking down the passers by, trying to wrangle every last dollar from them. Watch as boisterous young boys suddenly become ill at the thought of riding the Zipper...

Spinning Bears and Super-Slide. ©Mike Vega 2013
Riverside, CA.
Canon Ae-1 50mm f2.8 100asa Kodak T-max b/w film

How excited you'll be when you find they have brought your favorite ride or game...

The Twister. ©Mike Vega 2013
Riverside, CA.
Canon Ae-1 50mm f2.8 100asa Kodak T-max b/w film

See you at the snack bar...

-Mike

Scenes from just up the road...

I had an uncle named Jim when I was growing up (he and my aunt divorced eventually, and we lost touch) who was a small business owner, entrepreneur and generally a hustler (not in a gangster rap kind of way but in a deal maker kind of way). He lived in Anaheim, CA. off of Interstate 5 which basically runs from Mexico to Canada. I remember that when doing business on the phone, he'd rattle off to potential customers that he was "just up the road" from wherever they happened to be. Sometimes, they were a few miles away, sometimes hundreds. But to my uncle Jim, anything off of I-5 was "just up the road".

While these images weren't all found off the I-5, I'm certain that my uncle Jim would have considered them all near enough to each other to refer to them as just up the road...

The Octopus, Parking lot carnival. Upland, CA. ©Mike Vega 2013 Canon Ae-1 50mm f2.8 100asa Kodak T-Max.

Cruella DeVille working the crowd on Main Street USA. Disneyland, Anaheim, CA. ©Mike Vega 2013 Canon Ae-1 50mm f2.8 100asa Kodak T-Max.

Getty Museum. Los Angeles, CA. ©Mike Vega 2013 Canon Ae-1 50mm f2.8 100asa Kodak T-Max.

Getty Museum Garden. Los Angeles, CA. ©Mike Vega 2013 Canon Ae-1 50mm f2.8 100asa Kodak T-Max.

Citrus Belt Bank Savings and Loan. Riverside, CA. ©Mike Vega 2013 Canon Ae-1 50mm f2.8 100asa Kodak T-Max.

'till next time.
-Mike

They aren't all gone...

If you've been to Disneyland's California Adventure park, you may have seen or ridden the "Red Car" trolley. These cars (though much smaller in scale) were literally modeled after the famous Red Car trolleys of the 1950's that traveled from Los Angeles proper into outlying areas as far east as Redlands, CA.

The Disney Imagineers took time to travel back in time, by paying several visits to the Orange Empire Railway Museum in Perris, CA. which has in it's collection several original and restored Red Cars.

I recently traveled there myself, with my wife, daughter and some close friends.
There is easily more than a single days worth of things to see and experience. I am going to share a little bit with you today.

3100. Perris, CA. ©Mike Vega 2013
Minolta Hi-Matic 100asa B/W 35mm film

The car above is typical of what would have traveled the streets of Los Angeles, from Eagle Rock to Inglewood and everywhere in between in the 1950's. When buses arrived, their look mimicked the trolleys.

This wonderful facility was the brainchild of a group of highly industrious teen-agers, who in the 1960's, had the foresight and presence of mind to raise funds and begin collecting trolleys and rail cars that were becoming obsolete thanks to increased private car ownership and buses taking on mass transit duties.

The L.A.R. "barn" houses several vintage restored trolleys. ©Mike Vega 2013
Minolta Hi-Matic 100asa B/W 35mm film

The founders began by storing their collection in Los Angeles by starting the Travel Town Rail Museum, which is still in operation today and houses an amazing steam engine collection.
When space became an issue, land was acquired in Perris, and became the Orange Empire facility.

1920's Pullman car. ©Mike Vega 2013
1950 Tower 120 Kodak Ektar 100asa Color film.

In addition to the trolleys, the collection includes steam locomotives, Pullman cars, narrow gauge trains and cars, push-cars, vintage signage, and on and on...

2564 patiently awaits funds for restoration. ©Mike Vega 2013
Minolta Hi-Matic 100asa B/W 35mm film.

The O.E.R.M. grounds are expansive and all of the work, restoration, gift shop staff, docents, maintenance etc. is done by volunteers. It is indeed a labour of love. There is an on site metal shop, wood shop, paint area, steam engine barn and more.

The love that the volunteers have for these wonderful machines from a by-gone era is contagious. I can hardly wait to go back!

Maybe i'll see ya' there!

-Mike

Life in exile...

It's been several weeks since I've visited the Magic Kingdom; however, in just 2 short weeks, I'll be heading back, to gorge myself on churro's, Dole-whips, frozen lemonade and the sights and sounds of Walt's dream come true...

Sleeping Beauties Castle. Disneyland, Anaheim, CA. ©Mike Vega 2013
1950 Tower 120 100asa Kodak Ektar Color film

So, in anticipation of returning to the fun park, I've selected a few images that I shot in June of this year.

The iconic Matterhorn Bobsled ride. Disneyland, Anaheim, CA. ©Mike Vega 2013
1950 Tower 120 100asa Kodak Ektar Color film

Soon, the summer heat and crowds will subside and give way to cool nights and sparse attendance. Hot chocolate will replace ice-cream bars and frozen bananas, sunscreen will make way for jackets...

Submarine ride (opened June 1959). Disneyland, Anaheim, CA. ©Mike Vega 2013
1950 Tower 120 100asa Kodak Ektar Color film

If you travel from out of town to visit the Mouse House, as many many people have done for many many years, consider lodging at one of the quaint Motels that sprung up to meet the tourism needs of the park visitors from the earliest days. Themed as to stand out from each other, many stand as remarkably well preserved examples of mid-century kitch.

Covered Wagon Motel. Buena Park, CA.
1950 Tower 120 100asa Kodak Ektar Color film

'till next time...

-Mike