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Future Barn Finds Contributor: Eli’s Sightings

Eli R's Finds

We recently received an Edsel Villager submission from Eli R, one of our younger readers. After we featured his find, he decided to send a few of his local finds in and it looks like he is a contributor in the making! From Eli R – I recently graduated High School from a smallish town in Indiana, and throughout my time here I’ve seen so many old cars come and go, and some that have sat in place through my entire 19 years of living here. So I figured that on my senior summer, I’d go take photos of them before I head off to college, this is the first, of hopefully multiple, collections of cars that I’ve captured throughout my automotive photography quest.

Eli R's Finds - 3

All the old Autocar (I think that’s their name) trucks and one of the cars came from the same property. A piece of land on a treeline off the highway, I’d pass it many times a day and wonder what was over there. I stopped one day and asked, and I was allowed to take photos of the trucks and other items on the treeline. It was really a memorable experience.

Eli R's Finds - 2

So please, feel free to comment on the photos, I’m relatively new with this camera, and some of the shots could have been in better focus, but please tell me which photos of this batch you like the most. I personally think the black Ford (I think its a Ford) that’s lowered looks really well focused in the shot! That one has to be my favorite. Please tell which is your favorite, and while you are at it, maybe help me identify some of the cars, for I am not very well versed with them. Sadly there was no Edsel to take a photo of! (Darn)

Eli R's Finds - 4

I want to thank Eli for sharing his sightings with us. If he keeps this up, he might just have to become an honorary Barn Finds contributor! Be sure to let him know which of his finds are your favorite!

Comments

  1. Avatar Bruno

    Crazy that that one big truck came all the way from Vero Beach, Florida. That’s right by me.

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  2. Avatar Olaf E

    Eli, my favorite is picture 3 (Ford?).

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  3. Avatar Glen

    #’s 1 and 3 are my favorites. Just keep taking photos of everything you can, for your own sake. I try to use my camera as often as I can.

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  4. Avatar jimbosidecar

    Nice picture of the “Ford” your 3rd picture. I believe it’s a Chevy however, same model as your 4th picture. But keep on taking pictures, and save them in an album. Years from now you’ll be glad you did.

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    • Avatar Eli R.

      Thanks! I love the way cars look, but I often struggle in identifying them! And I will continue taking pictures, trust me !

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  5. Avatar Jason

    Thanks for the pics, however your saturation is too high.

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    • Avatar Eli R.

      Thanks for the feedback, I’m still working out the kinks to this film camera I just bought.

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  6. Avatar Brian

    Can’t say which I like the best as I think they’re all fantastic! You have a great eye for photography, Eli. The way the vehicle is in focus and the stuff in the background a little out of focus really makes the vehicles pop. The 56 Chevy four door for instance. That Ford Falcon at the end is a pretty cool shot. You can almost feel someone working on it. With some of the big truck pics, you find yourself just looking at all the little details. And the green Dodge truck (with the red flatbed-type thing on it) almost looks like a model truck and not real. Amazing job! Keep up the great work!

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  7. Avatar Jamie Staff

    Of course, I like the Spitfire best (no surprise there!) Keep it up!

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  8. Avatar David

    All these cars are in my hometown. How about that.

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  9. Avatar Charles H.

    Driving a truck for a living,I would have to say I really like the old Autocar photos…..you just don’t see them much anymore…..they were the “Cadillac” of trucks in there day!

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    • Avatar Eli R.

      I’ve never seen any others around my town, or really anywhere I’ve traveled. Certainly they are very awesome machines.

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  10. Avatar Scot Carr

    ~ Welcome into the Barn Finds fold, Eli. Looking forward to more of your finds!

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  11. Avatar randal defoe

    i like the old autocars without their motors

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  12. Avatar james boyd

    Where is the 63 Galaxie 500 XL? im droolin

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  13. Avatar jim s

    i like the green chevy with the flag in the background, the falcon ( not sure what year, 61/62/63 ) and the autocars which were used to help build the interstates in my area, back in the day. great photos and i am very happy you are in the hobby. please bring all your friends into the hobby also. thanks

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  14. Avatar Chris A.

    That Autocar is special and doesn’t look in bad shape. Good picture, you have a good eye. The Mustang is my favorite after the Autocar. Actually your pictures are better than many of the flipper images we see. If you find more, send them on.

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  15. Avatar Walt M

    You have a good eye Eli. My favorite is the Autocar.

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  16. Avatar Doug

    Great job Eli, keep up the good work. Your camera skills are already pretty good and will improve with your friends here. That first Autocar picture is great. Seems like one could just start it up and drive it away. The black customized and lowered Chevy is a ’52 business coupe, and the green one is a ’50 or 51 with either a split manifold or a set of Fenton headers and “dual’s”. No sweeter sound than a set of dual’s on a Chevy “blue flame” six.

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  17. Avatar Cherie

    Eli,
    My favorite is absolutely #9! The way you composed it focuses the viewer’s attention on the barely visible (& mysterious) insignia on the door. I keep wondering if the guy who last drove it (& it probably was a guy) knew how long it was going to sit there.

    Thanks for all the great pics. ت

    Like 0
  18. Avatar Bobsmyuncle

    Great post!

    My favourites are the 4 door sedan (#10) and the mustang. Its all about the composition!

    Often with automobiles we are drawn to perfectly framing the car and getting as close as possible in order to make out the details. This is good for a classified ad but gets repetitive in an artistic venue.

    Couple tips;

    Remember the rule of threes,

    Remember what’s in the background matters too. Sometimes the interest lies in the colour, or texture or sometimes the subject matter…you have 360 degrees to chose from, have fun with some of them. The obvious shot might be a front 3/4 but the background might not be cooperating. Take a walk around to the back of the car, you might find the perfect shot!

    Since most of the cars can’t move you must. Try different angles by bending down low or even lying down. Try to gain height with a ladder or even stretching your arm up and taking the shot blindly.

    Sometimes the details are what sets a car apart from the rest, especially barn finds with their unique patina (yes I said it), spiderweb paint (or real spider webs LOL), even the patterns in shattered glass, reflections in not so perfect chrome etc.

    Lighting, often a bright day makes capturing a car very challenging, shiny paint and trim and reflective windows make it tough. Over cast days or the early or late part of the day is best. I have a list of shots that I want to return to at a different time of day or year for the ‘perfect’ shot.

    Great photos, hopefully we’ll see some more soon!

    Like 0
    • Avatar Eli R.

      Thanks a ton for the insightful response! I will definitely keep this in mind for my future photos. I am about to have 3 rolls of film developed, so expect more in a week or so!

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      • Avatar Bobsmyuncle

        Truly look forward to seeing them!!

        Like 0
  19. Avatar Jose

    Love that Hudson PU. Love old cars in general. Have a ’58 T-Bird in my garage. Gave it to my son a few years back. Have stored it for him since he moved out of state. It’s due for a drive, so I “gotta” go. Appreciate all your photos.

    Like 0
  20. Avatar jim brown

    Wow, what a great job Eli, I really enjoyed the photos of all the finds.

    Like 0
  21. Avatar alabees

    Its a 51 Chevy with partial parking lights. 52’s had full parking lights.

    Like 0

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