More Route 66 Gas Stations

Here's one more photograph I took while exploring Route 66 in KS, MO and IL last week. This image is still not 100% done, but it was advanced enough that I made a 13x19" print which is now hung in my gallery (which happens to double as the toilet room on the bus). It's a nice sister image to my Magnola Station image that is found on my photography web site.

This is a seven exposure HDR file that has been processed using Photoshop, Photomatix and FDR Tools and then layered and combined after adjusting the results in Adobe Camera Raw. Most of the ideas I used are covered in my Mastering HDR DVD (it doesn't cover FDR Tools though). 

As usual, you can click on the image to see a larger version.

Comments

[Kendrick]

Hey there Ben! I've been following along here on whereisben.com since before you got the bus and enjoy keeping up with your adventures and learning from you and your books. I really enjoy reading about the 'mechanics' of the nomadic lifestyle you lead.

I've seen some recent posts about you wanting a different/older bus but I don't recall reading a reason for the switch? Are you unhappy with your current bus? I got to thinking about this over the summer when gas prices were soaring and wondered how you feel about gas and how the price of gas affects your travel plans if at all.

thanks for writing!

[Ben Willmore]

Hi Kendrick,

There's nothing wrong with my current bus and fuel prices don't have me down or anything. I just like the look of those old buses.

Just imagine you currently drove a Lexus and then one day a '57 Chevy Nomad pulled up next to you ad a stoplight. It looks cool, different, unusual compared to what you usually see going down the road. Then imagine that you learn that the vintage vehicle costs less than half what your current car costs, gets better milage and could be done completely custom for your needs. Well, that's what those vintage buses can be like. I just like the look of them and they happen to cost less and get better milage which is encouraging me to make the switch.

I'm not saying that this bus is too expensive or that fuel prices have gotten me down... not at all. Just that adding those advantages to the cool factor of the vintage bus makes it even more encouraging.

When I drive to an event like the one I'll be speaking at this week, I charge the promoters for flight, hotel and food even though I'm in the bus. That $$ goes towards my fuel cost, which makes high fuel costs a non-issue.

Hope that helps you to understand where I'm coming from.

-Ben

[Dianne Wittig]

I love this image!!!

[Dianne Wittig]

I love this image!!!

[William Palank]

Hey Ben,
Great image. Would you mind defining FDR tools? I can guess that the DR is Dynamic Range. Cheers!

[James Labonte]

Hey Ben,

I have a few photos of a gas station along Route 66 in Mt. Olive, IL that you may have missed during your trip. They are on www.labontephoto.com under gallery/portraits/sample portraits.

[Ben Willmore]

WIlliam,

FDR tools is an alternative to Photomatix for tone processing... like ford and chevy... what's the difference... they're just different, but they do the same thing.

James,

I did shoot that gas station... I'm just not satisfied with the results enough to post it yet... I'm sure I'll post it soon.

-Ben

[James Labonte]

Ben,

I look forward to seeing your photos of the gas station in Mt. Olive. Will you be posting them on this site or on one of your other sites?

-James

[Ben Willmore]

Hi James,

I'm sure I'll end up posting it somewhere, but I don't have a exact plan of when or where... I just have so many images and I'm sure some of them won't end up being posted.

-Ben