SURFIN' WESTRIDGE-CANYONBACK

Photo credit © Lydia Marcus 2010 / www.lydiamarcus.com
Photographed February 7, 2010 in Encino, CA
at Westridge-Canyonback Wilderness Park

CAR GIRLS

At the 2008 L.A. Auto Show, most of the car companies had female spokespeople who were clothed to look like they could kick your ass - kind of like Laura Croft / dominatrix looks. The one exception were the ladies over at Lambourgini - they looked like brittle Barbies you could hire by the hour.

This Jeep Renegade concept car lady came closest to Lara Croft. She's ready for a Jeep jungle adventure.


Jeep EV (Electric Vehicle) concept car with model.

This new Nissan Z car lady looks like she's ready for a night out on the town in NYC.


The Chevy Volt (Electric Car) concept - this spokesmodel might just dig her knee high leather boots into you if you don't pay attention during her demonstration. Or maybe if you just ask her nicely.

The 2010 Ford Mustang ladies are laid back, hip, and youthful.


This Volkswagon rep seems to be having the most fun. She's also dressed a little bit like a stewardess. Complimentary peanuts with your VW purchase.

Double your pleasure with these Lambourgini ladies. You get what you pay for.






2008 Los Angeles Auto Show Car Girls photo by Lydia Marcus

Inspired by Jacqueline Hassink's Car Girls photo series (soon to be an Aperture Foundation book in March, 2009)

Photographed November 26, 2008 in Los Angeles, CA

XPAN AT THE AUTO SHOW

Late last year I borrowed a Hasselblad Xpan camera from my friend Jack. The Xpan is a very special panoramic format rangefinder that was manufactured from 1998 to 2006. A kit with the 45mm f/4 cost around $2000. A super wide angle 30mm f/5.6 went for $2566 new.

I shot one roll at the 2008 Los Angeles Auto Show. All the shots were done with available light using the 45mm f/4 kit lens and Kodak Portra 800 film. Since I can't process the Xpan at any regular lab, the roll has sat in my office for quite some time until I took it to A&I in Hollywood a few days ago for processing and scans. For $15, A&I did processing, medium resolution scans of 5800 × 2376 (ranging from 10mb to 17mb in size), and a contact sheet (free with the order). They did a pretty good job but I have to go back to get some rescanned because they got the borders of a few shots wrong so I basically have two photos in one frame. With Xpan, one photo spans one and a half frames of 35mm film.

Here are the best of the roll:












Toyota had a free photobooth at the Auto Show so I did a self-portrait with the Xpan. The funny story behind this shot is that the photobooth started talking to me when I sat down. I guess they have somebody off site who sees you, but they make it sound like a HAL type computer voice. Right away the booth asked me who was going to take the shot because I immediately posed with the camera in front of my face. I responded that it was going to take my picture. And then it was asking me all kinds of photo questions, like was I a professional photographer. I guess the Hassie looked pretty serious to the photobooth. It was really funny.

Xpan photos of the 2008 Los Angeles Auto Show by Lydia Marcus.
Photographed November 19, 2007 in Los Angeles, CA

GEOMETRIC

Jeep on Melrose photo by Lydia Marcus. Photo taken on June 8, 2008 in Los Angeles, CA.