Red Oak II, Missouri

Welcome to Red Oak, Mo. We got directions from Mr. Gary Turner, the unoffical historian of Route 66. He insisted we take time out to visit this display and we were sure glad we did! A couple of miles northeast of Carthage, Mo. and just off old Route 66 is Red Oak II, a ghost town, but not really.  It has authentic old buildings, and an old cemetery, and it looks like a ghost town. Well, it is and it isn’t. Referred to as the "Norman Rockwell of Rural Art," Lowell Davis has a love for the simpler times of the past that are reflected, not only in his "new" town, but also in his paintings and sculptures. Of his re-created town, he said: "Red Oak II is a combination of a painting and a sculpture, and it is just made from things that someone else threw away." Check my video here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ILsBIB4mVQ Happy Shooting! Comments welcome!   Crutch

Christmas Photo Tips !

                          

The Christmas holiday is a heavily photographed event, so it’s important to approach the subject with an eye for doing something different and compelling. Remember to charge your batteries today and check your storage cards or film. Get everything ready and organized as Christmas morning will be busy. Utilize the ornaments and the lights to spruce up the background elements of your shots, focus on your subject’s eyes and work to position your family in intimate positions that emphasizes their close relationship and the joy this season instills in everyone. The preparation is just as important as the finished product when it comes to Christmas, so get in there and take photos of the tree trimming activity as it happens. Don't forget the to catch the kitchen help while they prepare the Christmas meal. For the little guys and gals, try to get on their level before snapping the shutter.  Don't forget to include family pets ! Merry Christmas to all...and Happy Shooting!  Crutch

Madrid, New Mexico

Another pleasant surprise along Route 66....We stumbled on this little town and really liked it. This town was full of little shops and restraurants. We spent about 2 hours walking around and taking photos. There were a lot of people milling around and shopping. This was a real treat and a welcome sight after the bad weather at Santa Fe, NM. Check the video here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GwgaU57H1jk&feature=youtu.be                Happy shooting!  Crutch

The El Rancho Hotel- Gallup, NM

This hotel was our biggest surprise along old Route 66. In it's time it served as the Hollywood hotel in Gallup for all the filmmakers and actors while filming in and around the Gallup area. The rooms are numbered and named for the most famous person to actually stay there. We were in the James Cagney room. The place has retained it's old charm and is very heavy on the old west atmosphere. If you manage to go there, it's just off the new I-40 interstate. Be sure to check out  the restraurant and the "49er" bar and lounge. The bartender said the old regulars still talk of the time John Wayne rode a  horse into the bar area. Check out the video here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tMPknsM-kOI  Comments are welcome....Happy Shooting!    Crutch

Scenes from Route 66

We finished our trip down Route 66. We totaled a little over 4,000 miles. It was a great trip and I have enough material for several videos. I will start with a compilation of somes scenes we shot over the total trip. I will follow with some side trips that we really enjoyed a lot. This was one our best trips. The ride, the motels, the food were all very good. I will try to take you through the places we saw first hand. Check the first video here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hwTgEQJP3jM As always comments are welcome. Happy Shooting!   Crutch

Route 66 Day Seven

What a treat!  We spent the night at the famous EL Rancho Hotel, Route 66, in Gallup, New Mexico. This hotel has operated continuosly since 1931. There must be at least 200 photos of movie stars that have stayed there over the years. All the rooms are named for the the most famous star to actually stay in the room. We were in the James Cagney room :) We enjoyed everything about this place including the food. Apparently, Gallup catered to Hollywood filmmakers with locations for their movies. A lot of westerns were shot near here and this is where the stars stayed during shooting. I even got to sit in John Waynes favorite bar stool and eat the John Wayne burger :)  Lots of photos and videos to come later. Got a great nights sleep and we headed home today.

Happy Shooting!  Crutch

Route 66...Day Six

Pete noticed a huge storm rolling in from the northeast and the bright sun on this mountain range. We hurriedly pulled over and setup our tripods to capture this rare scene. As this unfolded, I quickly shot 2 photos and then merged them in PS5. This is the result. Moving on to Gallup, NM. Happy Shooting! Crutch