Desirae has wrench in hand at Ray’s counter
A classic pinup photo shoot is the mechanic shop photo shoot. In this case, we’re at the wonderfully decorated Ray’s Truck Service & RV in Spokane. I get my nursery box truck serviced here, and I knew it would be a fantastic location for a stylized shoot. I put out the word and Desirae Start returned for another shoot. I knew she would style herself perfectly for the venue, and so she did. In just a few minutes I had set up lights and she traded boots for the yellow high heels.
This red and white stool was so perfect … props were just built in here at Ray’s
Having a classic coke in the hallway
Brian Saling, the owner of Ray’s (a third generation business), said that he and his wife were responsible for the fun remodel of the business, restoring the original teal color outside. He made the staircase and they had quite the assortment of old memorabilia. One of my favorites is the Dyna-Vision, complete with oscilloscope. Brian loaned us a wrench at my request and Desirae had the old Coca Cola bottles. We captured images featuring the brightly upholstered chairs, the red and black checkerboard floor, the Dr. Pepper machine and all the amazing decorative items.
The space was tight, and most shots were lit by a 1000 watt second strobe aimed at the white ceiling and a second strobe lighting Desirae. A few used an umbrella on the bigger strobe. The 24-70 f / 2.8 lens let me get wide enough to capture some surroundings but still keep wide angle distortion in check.
The Dyna-Vision is an old diagnostic tool complete with oscilloscope
Desirae’s yellow accessories and red headband and belt kept the primary colors hopping in the shots. I sent her some snapshots of the venue ahead of time, so her work was not random. I suggested yellow, but I was very surprised by the high heels that really popped. Her hair is shown against the outside of the building…the fanciest part was in back, so I took a shot in the rain just to capture the look she wore. I appreciate the work a model does when they take on wardrobe, hair and makeup, and think credit is due.
Desirae is described by other photographers as “a pro” so it is only fitting that we do an mechanic shop photo shoot at a pro shop like Ray’s. Thanks Desirae and Brian, fun shoot!
Desirae’s hairstyle shown outside at Ray’s.
The stairs at Ray’s have super decorations.