Octane Night!

The mother of all classic car cruises was held in downtown Ravenna Ohio Thursday evening. Several blocks of Route 59 are closed to through traffic which serves as the primary venue. This year the road was literally jammed with classic vehicles. There was considerable overflow into adjacent parking lots. The cars started arriving in the morning and continued throughout the day. The state highway was closed down from 5pm - 9pm. Photographically this event poses tremendous opportunities as well as challenges. Creatively speaking, there is abundant subject matter everywhere I look. Literally one thing after another. That’s a huge plus but it’s also overwhelming. So I tend to bite off small pieces. I home in on interesting vehicles and try to meet up with the owners to get the back stories. I like to combine portrait shots with wider views to show the scene. Shooting is at a much faster pace than any other car show I’ve attended. Time on the daylight clock is ticking down from the moment I arrive. It’s also tricky shooting in such a large crowd, especially one that is constantly moving. People tend to walk the entire length of the venue, up one side, down the other. It’s like a river of people and I find myself darting in and out to get shots. As darkness descends the portrait work comes to an end and I focus more on the lights and the cars as they begin to depart. I love shooting pan shots to show motion blur. I also visited the Rife 4 Life motorcycle show. These stunt riders are a regular feature at Octane Nights and their skill is beyond impressive.

Many thanks to everyone who posed for photos and took the time to speak with me. Great to see all of you!

Written by Dave Dreimiller