Cleveland Auto Show 2015

This is one of those trade shows that I love to attend.

I’m a closet car geek. While I don’t study facts, different models, or pricing like my brother does (who is a car geek), I do appreciate the fine design and different types of user interfaces a vehicle offers. It wasn’t until I got a DSLR that I began to: go to car shows and take pictures of cars. From the Baltimore Auto Show to checking out some serious high-end rides at Katie’s Cars and Coffee, I’m beginning to enjoy taking pictures of cars more and more. I’m also channeling some Joe Farace– check out our F-Stops Here episode here.

   

What’s great about taking a camera to an Auto Show, especially if you are learning, is that the subjects are stationary and (usually) very well-lit. Navigating the crowds can be tricky if you go during a busy time but you can still elbow your way to a good shot (and never put your camera down). More and more, they are putting flagships (flagcars?) on 360 degree rotating pedestals, so all it takes is a clear line of sight and some patience.

 

The Cleveland Auto Show did not disappoint. This was the second time I’ve been to the IX Center since we moved to Cleveland (the first being the Home and Garden show) and it was nice to see how they put displays in around the existing stuff. They even have an indoor ferris wheel that runs year round! After we all got tickets and got through security, we started wandering around.

   

Boy, there was a lot to see. This was one of the few showings of a 2015 Ford GT (in public), as well as seeing some awesome classic cars go up for auction. Unlike the Baltimore Auto Show, there was 2 (!) “Off Road” test tracks where you could ride in a truck through a challenging “terrain”. If you wanted to, you could actually test drive cars in the roads by the IX Center. They also had the sweetest video game car rig I had ever seen.

 

Two cockpits with 3 40” monitors on 4 hydraulic arms that sat on a platform that could rotate 360 degrees. The level of immersion was uncanny- for instance when you braked, you would nose down like you were actually driving a car. This was put on by Ford and I honestly want one of these rigs before I get a new car!

 

I checked out some old favorites (Audi R8), some new ones (Chevy Silverado), and even got to sit in a Dodge Viper (which was perfect for my fisheye). Besides the different types of vehicles, this auto show really pushed my camera body. Thankfully, I was able to recover plenty of details with Lightroom. We had a total blast and I can’t wait to go back next year! Check them all out here.