A Model Dose 1/24... Monday 5/23/22

I have been thinking about posting these photos again for a while now.  I set up this diorama in 2012, it was my 1st attempt at doing something like this. I posted quite a few of these years ago, but I was never really thrilled with what I did. So, a few years ago, I redid them. Some re-cropping and a re-tint to what I considered more representative of the era this day occurred in 1958.

The premise was to just showcase a day during the week highlighting a portion of a small-town main street on the edge of the downtown district. I remember taking photos for several hours that day, not to mention the time it took to set this all up. I was just getting into taking photos of my models at this time, having just purchased my 1st camera.

As I said, the display took several hours to set-up, I did it all on one day, covered it for the night and started the photoshoot the next morning. I crawled around on the ground to capture most of these shots. Something I would not be able to do well today. This was the 1st diorama I set up and it remains the most elaborate. I always meant to take what I've learned over the years and redo it, but never have. Maybe someday.

At the time, I typed up some thoughts and comments prior to and during the process...

When I started thinking about setting this diorama up in the late summer of 2012, I had no idea of what I was going to do or how to go about it.

The idea was to feature a day in the fall of 1958, with the focus being on a day when the new Chevrolet models were delivered to a small-town auto dealership. With my buildings and such, I wanted to feature a small part of “Main Street” near the dealership.

At that time, I had only assembled a few ’59 Chevy models, and just a few buildings. I also had not yet developed some of my “diorama techniques.” Now, with a few more ’59 Chevrolet models, as well as some from ’61, ’62 & ’64. New buildings and other props should improve the overall look of this diorama in the future, and I will plan to put another series together very soon.

This diorama features a small part of “Main Street” in any-town U.S.A. The time is fall of 1958.  I am featuring my “Merritt Chevrolet” auto dealership, my Texaco gas station and a few patrons and their cars “taking care of business” in a fall afternoon.  Keep in mind, as with several other of my set-ups, there are no people featured, that must be a part of the viewer’s imagination. I did this as a tribute to Michael Paul Smith, which was and still is an inspiration in my dioramas.

For these series of photos, I did some processing that would “age” the photos and give them the look as if they were taken in 1958 (or at least my interpretation of that idea). The photos come together in nine series of shots which highlight the events of the afternoon. They feature different times and activities as the afternoon wears on.

The details of Series 1:

The delivery truck has just arrived at the dealership with four beautiful new 1959 Chevrolet models.  Two Impala Sport Coupes, a Convertible and a Biscayne Sedan Delivery. As you look through the photos, you will see a few used cars at the dealership which includes a ’49 Ford Tudor Sedan, a ’57 Bel Air and a sweet ’57 Vette-just waiting for a new owner. The dealership is still featuring a nice ’58 Impala Sport Coupe, with the arrival of the ‘59s, I bet a good price is on the horizon if you are interested.  In the rest of the photos, you can see a ’55 Oldsmobile getting a new battery at the Texaco, a ’57 Fairlane gassing-up and a ’40 Ford Tudor Sedan cruising along the street. Just off in the corner of the screen in the lower left is the feed store owners at their storage garage. A well-preserved and hard-working ’51 Ford Pickup and a ’55 Fairlane Victoria. Also cruising along the street is a rare and well-cared for ’49 Cadillac pausing as a ’55 Pontiac passes by.