2011 Wall Calendar

[Old Hippie]

The 2011 Calendar Project

Every year I try to do a couple of Mopar Wall calendars to be ready in October -- as 90% of the calendars are sold between October and Christmas. I then make then available to club members cheaper than Cafe Press makes them to the general public. For instance, the above calendar is sold in the MoparStyle Gift Shop for $17.99, while Cafe Press sells it to everyone else for $20. I do this to get calendars in members hands -- and earn less than $1 an hour for my efforts.

All of last year I begged for hi-res (specifications below) photos to do a Mopar calendar -- but I never received enough to do so, so I was only able to add a new Nostalgia Super Stock Racing calendar for 2010. However, I did update a couple of the previous year's calendars for 2010. You can click here to view them.

I usually do the calendars in late September or early October. For the 2011 Calendar, I would like to do as many Mopar Calendars as possible. Drag Racing, 50s, Early 60s, Muscle, Forgotten Bs, Disco Era, 3rd Generation Challenger and LX/LX. 2dr C-Bodies -- and a couple of combination calendars.

What would be great -- is such an abundance of high quality, high resolutions photos or high quality Mopars in excellent settings with excellent lighting that I can all of these calendars done. So would you like to have your Mopar featured as a month on a calendar? I usually also have the photo made as a coffee mug, note cards, mouse pad, and a few other items. Now is the time to start planning as photos from all seasons would be best. Pure white snow, Spring blooms, and Fall Color look great in calendars.

I ask people to study the best photos in car magazines and look at how clean the cars are and the direction the wheels are turned, the lack of big shadows or harsh light on the tops, the foreground not having dead grass or an overflowing garbage can or a dog licking its balls, and the background not having all kinds of power lines (some of which I can massage out) -- or a tree appearing to grow out of the hood. These are things a lot of people don't notice when they take their photos -- but is why their photo doesn't get in a magazine or calendar.

Photography is an art. The good news is that it can be learned. Be on the lookout for "locations" as you drive around and keep a notepad in the glove box to remind you. Figure out the time of day and amount of cloud cover produces the least shadows and harsh glares. The better the camera/lens -- the better the photo -- although it is possible to get an acceptable photo from a good range-finder camera costing under $125. Take a long look through the lens or view finder and see what is in the photo that shouldn't be. Take a lot of photos while walking around the car. Take 1/3 standing up, 1/3 crouching low, and 1/3 on a step ladder. It might take 50-75 photos to find one great photo at the correct angle to make shadows and glare acceptable.

The photo I need is the file directly (not cropped, adjusted, or re-saved) from a camera of no less than 5.5MP (8MP up more acceptable). I need to be able to crop down to no less than 11.5" wide by 9.5" tall at no less than 200DPI. Individual photos can be emailed to me at dave@oldhippie.com with the subject line "Mopar Calendar" and I will put in a data folder until time to select photos for calendars. Be sure to have the email tell me a little about the car and you. If you feel like you have many photos for me to consider -- put them on a CD with a Sharpie description on the cd and mail (in a protective package) to me at:

Dave Schultz
MoparStyle Racing
7723 FM 723
Richmond, TX 77406

I think everyone with a quality Mopar should take the time to create excellent photos of their cars -- not just for the calendar -- but for the Member's Garage, which magazine publishers do occasionally look through and PM the owner. Finally, if you just don't have the eye or equipment to get it done -- chances are you know someone with excellent equipment, who also takes excellent photos. Ask for help.

very good place to find a camera deal is amazon.com. There are often daily deals. For instance, for today only, they have a great starter SLR Digital camera and lens that generally costs $700 for $409. If you can afford to jump on this -- you will have a very good camera for taking photos of the cars and kiddies. I keep a "dirt cheap throw down" camera in the glove box or every car I have -- for just in case. At Wally World -- I bought a FujiFilm 12.2 mega-pixel with batteries and a 2GB card in a kit for $120. It is possible to get a good enough photo with this camera.

I hop members will this year consider submitting acceptable photos of their car for the upcoming calendars.