blair’s blógado gigante

I spent most of today at the Cadillac Ranch, one of the very few unusual roadside exhibits that persist in the United States.  You can read more about what it’s all about on Wikipedia, but I enjoy the eccentricity it brings to Amarillo.

“Time Lapse One” shots 3,750 frames across three sequences.  The data dump is right around 29 gigabytes (as it was all shot RAW).

Sequence 3 being executed.

As a time lapse photographer, you have to be exacting in protocol.  You triple check everything before you leave the house and before you start a sequence.  Today, I made two huge mistakes.   The Cadillac Ranch is surrounded on all sides by dirt.  (Hint:  West Texas is windy.)  I forgot my ear-plugs, which means I will be digging out who knows what for the next few days.  Second, it never occurred to me that I would be baking in the sun for several hours, so I acquired a garden variety sun tan.

I was so focused on getting the shots right that I came home filthy and sore.  However, such is the life of the activator.  Judging by the frames I’ve been previewing, it’s going to be a spectacular sequence.  However, it will take longer than most to conform because of the sheer quantity of data.  I shot three times what I normally shoot, and After Effects already isn’t too crazy about working with RAW image sequences as it is.

Never mind the technological aspects.  I got to meet a ton of interesting people today.  In fact, the place was a traffic jam of sorts.  I grew up around here, so I like to think I have a feel for the local quirks and attractions, but I was absolutely dead wrong on the quantity of people who stop.  I guess I’ve become so used to Interstate 40 that I give little thought to how many people traverse it.  As you will see once the sequences are conformed, I’m quite certain at least 150 people came and went in the three or so hours I was there.

Though each car is thoroughly covered in spray paint etchings of names, symbols, and patterns, many people are hesitant to partake.  Some people will even ask if it’s okay to paint on the cars, not realizing that’s the whole point: it’s a public, ongoing art exhibit.  And a tad Dada to boot.

After a long day of shooting and meeting interesting people, I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to make some “art” of my own.  Stay tuned for those videos, they will be incredible.

Until then, I will be cleaning out my ears and being dipped into a vat of aloe vera lotion.