Mutant Vehicle Portraits!

[OwenAKelly]

I'll be creating a functional art installation this year at BM. The title is the 2009 BRC Playa Portraits. Its a combination daylight studio and evening studio for all breeds of mutant vehicles. I'm looking for mutant vehicle owner/drivers who would like their portrait to be taken. I am shooting on 4x5 type-55 Polaroid. A medium that is no longer created. Subjects keep the original Polaroid as a testament to their iconic place in time. I encourage all mutant vehicles of all shapes, sizes, complexities and simplicities to participate. the studio will be enclosed with a seamless measuring 80'w x 40' high. The total height of the studio is 46.5' to allow for Mutants utilizing masts. The total distance of the studio is 100' to accommodate the "normal" lens (perspective) I am using. If you have any questions or suggestions please don't hesitate to contact me with the information provided below and check out my website to see 2008 examples of individuals and to see the 2009 proposal and diagrams. See you on the Playa.

All the best,

[Dr. Pyro]

I think that is a really cool gift to the people of Black Rock City. But what makes you think there will be any mutant vehicles out there in 2009? There weren't in '08.

[oneeyeddick]

Sorry Doc....that was just yours that wasn't out there last year.

the studio will be enclosed with a seamless measuring 80'w x 40' high. The total height of the studio is 46.5' to allow for Mutants utilizing masts. The total distance of the studio is 100' to accommodate the "normal" lens (perspective) I am using.

All the best,

It doesn't sound very accomidating to those of us with really big flamethrowers, or really big MV's with small ones.

Can the ceiling be removed for the money shots ???

[OwenAKelly]

The cool thing about the studio is that the camera can change in proximity to the MV photographing the smallest MV to the largest (my guess was 68 feet?) while maintaining the look of the portraits. In the picture the smallest of MV will look similar to the largest by how they are framed in the Polaroid. I was unsure of the height of MV with tall masts. My guess was 46.5' would be just high enough. Also at the the top of the studio there is a buttress that extends out to hold the lighting. In between the diffusion material and the seamless there is significant gap to allow for exiting heat from flamethrowers. The potential problem is the size of flame produced and the height that it is ignited at. Too high, could pose a problem for necessary heat dissipation and the lighting diffusion could suffer damage. I would love to hear any comments or suggestions on this matter. As far as the actual picture goes, too much flame burst will blow out the highlights on the image. If it is a small burst, the effect can dramatically be captured on the film, while not posing high risk to the lighting diffusion. Do you think 46.5' high is sufficient for heat dissipation?

[oneeyeddick]

My flamethrower puts out a 30-45 foot flame by itself, the height of the tip of it off the ground is about 14 feet.

Doesn't look like it will work out, at least for mine..........

Also, unless you are on playa, the whole point is mute because MVs with flamethrowers aren't "allowed" to set it off in the camping areas anyhow.

[OwenAKelly]

I am intending to build this on the playa and not in the camps. There is a 8 ft gap in the top of the studio, this runs the entire 80' of the studio. This gap is between the seamless and the diffusion flat. This would be a 640 square foot area that would allow for heat exiting and dissipation. Also we could remove a 20x20' diffusion flat, that would allow for more space for fire to exit. I can flag the lights off that area, so the lighting won't change. That part of the studio is made of steel piping and won't catch fire. I think if we line your MV up right and use a quick burst, it would be enough to capture on film, while not posing too much risk to the studio. What do you think? Can you give me an estimate on the diameter of the flame produced?

[oneeyeddick]

Not sure....about 15-20 feet at the tip could be the average.

[oneeyeddick]

oh yeah, are you off or on playa ??

[OwenAKelly]

Wow. Awesome MV. We would need to pull you away from the seamless, But we can make it work. I am intending to set up on the Playa.

[OwenAKelly]

Thinking about this level of heat, I could provide a mister well above your critical discharge area. This would dampen the air and help absorb thermal energy without displacing operative ignition conditions. Your MV produces an extremely large flame thrower, one of the larger I have seen on the Playa. I would like to accommodate your needs for a thorough and safe portrait. We would need to work your session out prior to BM to ensure safety precautions. Would you be interested?

[oneeyeddick]

Sure...a mister might be a good idea.

maybe I could sit diagonally so the flames shoot outside of your structure ?

Not sure how this will work out, we will see........?

[camp-photon]

As pro photographer, I'm intrigued.

When you say seamless are you referring to paper?

What holds up this large structure?

Will it be safe from gusts?

[camp-photon]

duplicate

[klondike_bar]

^as mentioned by photon, it sounds like this is going to be a really big, really tall structure, likely with vertical walls ideal for blocking (and/or failing to) wind

how do you plan to make it semi-aerodynamic and secured to the playa?

[OwenAKelly]

scaffold with an outrigger system (built to Nevada OSHA specs 4:1), 25 46" helical ground screws will anchor scaffold to playa and secure 3/8 & 5/16 guy lines. A 4x6 post buttress system is added to second wall of scaffold straight to 1.5' augered holes in the ground. Back drop is 16 gauge duvetyne (commando cloth) with two large vertical splits to transmit air flow with a perimeter of webbing and grommets. Diffusion panel is split up into different sized segments to also transmit wind over the 2800 sq/ft surface. Fabric sweep will be anchored into ground with 3/8" x 12" ground spikes around perimeter. Back ground is secured to scaffold in 7'x7' squares with parachute cord and 5/16 bungies. Perimeter of background fabric is attached to scaffold every 18 " with zip ties with a breaking point of 175 lbs each. Every scaffold joint is reinforced and wrapped with 1/4 double braided nylon rope. 1/2" nylon rope will spider web the interior of the scaffold interlocking different bays and stages routing a specific stress point from a gust to the structure as a whole. In the end, the fabric will rip before the structure integrity is compromised. But who knows, giant rips might add a cool post-apocalyptic look too.

[oneeyeddick]

When we accidentally set it on fire, it will look VERY post apocalyptic.

I have you marked down on my must see tour package for myself/MV.

will see you in approx 3 weeks.

[alxndr]

I remember stumbling across this during the last day of its construction (structure looked mostly together but the seamless wasn't up) and I loved the idea. Got any shots scanned yet?

[OwenAKelly]

I just got back into civilization yesterday. I will dark room print the images and then scan the prints. Nothing will be posted for at least the next two months while I work through the images. I will put them up on my website once they are complete. Thanks for swinging by the studio.

-ODog

[Captain Goddammit]

I think that is a really cool gift to the people of Black Rock City. But what makes you think there will be any mutant vehicles out there in 2009? There weren't in '08.

Hmmm... the photo that is my avatar was taken at BM in '08.

[OwenAKelly]

I love your Mutant. I am sorry we couldn't make the studio large enough to fit you. For high wind safety we capped the studio at the 30' height. If we do it again, I will build it from system scaffold which will be more rigid and use a multiple layer of shade cloth to still transmit wind as the back drop. Perhaps next year....