{LINK TO EVENT DETAILS: http://thomaswoodson.com/mini}

Hey guys, I was wondering if anybody around Greenville would want together for a MINI photoshoot? I'm just an 18 year old who is really into photography as a hobby and I'd love to shoot some MINI's. All that I ask in return is to just ride in one .

The radio towers up on paris mountain is a good spot, with the backdrop of the city, and also against a graffiti covered building in one spot. I have yet to do, but been wanting to, shoot on top of a parking garage downtown. The one between Mast General Store and First Presbyterian Church (one block off main st.) has free weekend parking. That would be a good time we could all go up there for free. Another offroad spot on paris mountain is where I take all my Jeep shots but no MINI could get down there. .

Here's some samples of my auto photography works.

















Some pan shots on the twisties of Paris Mountain would be cool. For shots with the black background we can do that anywhere, I have a flash and wireless trigger which provides fill light for dark situations. For the shots with the car completely lit up, I used a long exposure which would bring out the night sky colors, then fired the flash at multiple angles around the car.

So yea, you guys let me know if you're up for anything. I'd love to shoot (and ride in) some MINI's.

(I'll give everyone full resolution digital copies of all the pictures too, to do as they please with.)

 

Might could work this out with you. You can drive mine if you like, sort of like the motorcycle you had better hang on!!!

 

I'd be up for this, I'll be putting some more mods on the MINI in the next week or two. Do you have a deadline or are these for fun? Maybe like mid Feb? Although you may have more fun with Lukes. :-)

 

No deadline or anything, just want to do it for fun and portfolio stuff, and provide free awesome pictures to you all. I'm not great with a stick so I'll hold off on driving till I get my own clutch to abuse. When the dealer at Century took me for a ride in an 05 R53 that was one of the most fun cars I have ever ridden in. It competes heavily with driving my Jeep topless and doorless.

The more mini's the better, and who knows, I may even have mine in February. I found an 05 r50, british racing green with 50k miles for sale that I really want but I can't list my Jeep for sale until I figure out what I can drive to class 4 days a week..
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My schedule is a bit confusing because I just graduated highschool and now I'm taking a full load at Greenville Tech, but I'm available any times other than these (my classes). Monday [11:00-12:40am; 6:00-8:45pm], Tuesday [2:00-3:15; 5:00-6:15], Wednesday [11:00-12:40], Thursday [2:00-3:15; 5:00-6:15].

Sunset shoots I'm good for Wed, Fri, Sat, and Sun. Night shoots I can do Tues-Sunday.

 

Why not do it on a Sat? Ben.. maybe you can put a "mini" drive on.. and then Thomas can get the pics? Because we are coming from Columbia, would be easier, I know He said in email that he wanted some sundown shots... we could make a day of it?!

 

Sounds good to me.

 

This is a little off topic...

I don't know if you're in high school, college, or neither, but if you're really into photo you should check out WKU's program. We've won the Hearst for at least the past 15 years or so.

 

I graduated a semester early from highschool so I'm taking 17hrs for the spring semester at Greenville Tech, and 13hrs for the 1st summer term and applying in June for transfer to USC Columbia. I want a BFA in Studio Art (graphic design focus) and Media Arts Minor. I'd love to major in photography but its too hard to make a good living with the number of them out there, and freelancers undercutting them too haha. Coming out as a graphic designer with a BFA and lots of photography experience should make me highly marketable in the job field, or at least I'm hoping.

 

This is very VERY true. That's part of the reason I went to grad school for my second major (psych). Apparently there are plenty of good jobs in graphic design. One of my friends that I went through the photo program with just got a job as a graphic designer... how ironic? Anyway, I just thought I would suggest it. You should definitely check out Lightstalkers though. Lots of good info for portrait work (and anything else). Good luck with the shoot in Greenville!

 

If I ever get my car back, i'd love to have some shots taken of her.

I'm thinking about a dinner Thursday night, the 22nd, over on Woodruff Rd..
I hope to see some of you there and we can setup a time for the "formal" shoot.

 

I won't be able to make it up from Columbia for your meet and eat, but let me know when we do this .. as long as its on a Sat, David and I will bring both mini's!

 

TILLEY's a rag top, and, an automatic; so you take the pictures and drive her off (just bring her back!!). Not the thrill of an S turbo, but you know how addictive that open air is. I see in the '09's they've even added a meter to time the hours your top is down (not to mention the turbo addition)!! Keep us posted and when and where. Thanks,

Jim

 

I could do the 7th or the 21st of Feb. And could make it into a run, lemme know Thomas.

I'll probably just come down 25. Maybe once we're all down there, we can take a drive to several locations for shoots. I'm not familiar with Greenville, so you'll have to just find spots, I can help with the in-between and dinner.

I'd love to do this, I'm a amateur photographer myself. So find a date, and I'll post it up as an event.

 

I'd be interested in doing this. My car's an R50, so while it isn't as fast in the straights (with my suspension setup and auto-x / track experience) I can outrun most S's through turns. Should still be a fun ride for you

As long as I'm available for said date I'd like to do the group thing.

 

I don't know if any of you are on upstateminis.com as well but there's some interest there too. 7th or 21st should be game by me. We might be able to turn this into a decent sized event; some kind of drive during the day/afternoon, then we shoot on top of paris mountain, then head downtown. We could eat downtown and do various parking garage pictures, and try to find some alley's and other cool spots. I can handle all the maps when we get it all settled.

 

A couple people posted on our forum that the 21st is better for them...and Upstate MINIs already does dinner on the 3rd Saturdays of the month. We were discussing a non-downtown place for the 21st, but not set in stone so we can change it. If y'all don't mind combining the two dinners into one event, of course.

I'm all for it as long as said downtown restaurant isn't too pricey or "exotic" for most people. Will we know what time to meet for the dinner, so anyone who can't do the photoshoot can still do dinner?

I'd suggested Mellow Mushroom, but geekswrath wisely pointed out that it is busy on Sat. nights and they don't take reservations. I guess we might need some place that does take them, most Gville restaurants downtown gets pretty packed on Sat. night and this looks like we might have lots of MINIs!

 

February 21st seems to be the best date then. We could meet on or at the base of paris mountain before sunset, then after pictures head downtown to eat and shoot the rest after.

 

Ok, 21st it is. Do you have an address for the base? And when would you like us all to meet down there? Do you just want sunset and night shots or some during light hrs?

 

Ok I was typing my post like an hour ago then I thought wait, I'll just make a website page that everyone can go to for all the details. This is just the schedule I made up, it is just an idea for now of what it would be like.
http://thomaswoodson.com/mini

 

Looks good, I'd say meet a little earlier like 4:30-4:45. I know M2C2 isn't always on time... :-)
I'd put the link up in the first post of this thread too so people don't have to scroll down here.
Keep a running total of who all wants to come, I find that helps. We'll need a number for the restaurant.

Can't wait!

Someone turn this into a sticky?

 

Alright that works for me too then. I know some other windy roads around the base of the mountain, I live like 3 miles from the meeting point. I'll plan some routes out then.

 

Just bought some filters for my camera, so I can't wait to see what they can do with the cars!

 

Some shots I took yesterday


Supra


High dynamic range











Here is a link to the set. Click all sizes then original to get to the download for the original size if you want it. Looking forward to the big shoot! Going to be awesome with a bunch of MINI's up there, and in the garage.

 

Love the first shot, I want one like that!

 

Kind of annoys me that my roomates GTI came out better than my MINI. Oh well, such is life.