A walk around an antique tractor meet. (Image heavy!)

[Texas Dave]

First of all, thank you Mike for inspiring me to finally make it back to an antique tractor meet. It's been several years since I've been to one of these and the trip made the day a very enjoyable one. If you ever want to meet "salt of the earth" sort folks and hear snippets of stories of their lives that involved old iron and machinery, then just visit an antique tractor show and say hello.

The weather of the day was storm clouds rolling through with periodic sunshine. It made for interesting sky that I suppose would have been better suited for mountain landscapes rather than a tractor show but it worked out well.

If I could only choose one photo for the day as a keeper. This would be it. It was an American LaFrance firetruck. Please forgive me for not getting any other details. I walked past the old heap 3 times before spotting this frame and even then I'm not sure where my focus point was but the colors and textures made me happy with it. I just can't seem to get it all down at once!
#1


I can almost see a face on this old beauty.
#2


Here was a restored Mac truck with the iconic bulldog front and center.
#3


First time I've ever been this close to one.
#4


I so prefer the old styles of these machines.
#5


#6


#7

[DEAN01]

David, a great series, especially the the fire truck and the Mack bulldog. Any people photos?

[Texas Dave]

No Dean, I didn't take any people photos. I thought of it as I was sitting in the stands at the tractor pull but I felt it might be a bit intrusive. I so need to work on that!

The art of my eye lags behind the mechanics of my photography but a neck in neck race of mediocre never the less.

Here's a meal grinder that was running off an old hit and miss engine.
#8


I had to shoot the custom visors over the dash gauges. This was in another antique mac truck.
#9


...and lastly an ohn deere.
#10

[Geoff F]

With a little bit of cloning that could become Oh Deere.

[Brownbear]

Just to say that these are very nice, beautifully photographed.

The first image is indeed gorgeous but my favourites are the 2nd and 5th (love the detail and bokeh) for the cute factor.

[Stagecoach]

These are very much 'in your face' David, great series, thanks for sharing.

[Shadowman]

Nice series.

[Barbara Ponder]

Dave what a fantastic set! I would have never thought to photograph them and in such interesting ways, well done!

[Digital]

David, very nice captures.



Bruce

[kap55]

I really enjoyed that.

[IzzieK]

Dear Dave...this series is excellent, and I like #2 a lot and all the John Deere ones too. There is one with the red everything with custom visors but I have to scroll backwards and forwards just to count which one is which...can you please...please number your uploaded images so it is easy to remember? Thanks.

[Texas Dave]

Dear Dave...this series is excellent, and I like #2 a lot and all the John Deere ones too. There is one with the red everything with custom visors but I have to scroll backwards and forwards just to count which one is which...can you please...please number your uploaded images so it is easy to remember? Thanks.

Yes Ma'am! ...and thanks all!

[Rebel]

Nice series David, the way you've shot them had me wondering about what sort of personality they would have

[thegman]

Great series David, I really like the front short wheel base in shots #2 & 7. Quality

[IzzieK]

Yes Ma'am! ...and thanks all!

Thank you, Dave....

[dedro]

good series Dave!!

[Tom Barry]

An excellent series. Like you, I am taken with the shot of the American LaFrance - in the 1940s there was a ladder truck like the one you photographed still on call in the fire department in the small Texas town where I was born. By the way, American LaFrance had a 180-year history in the firefighting apparatus business and only finally went under last year.

[Texas Dave]

An excellent series. Like you, I am taken with the shot of the American LaFrance - in the 1940s there was a ladder truck like the one you photographed still on call in the fire department in the small Texas town where I was born. By the way, American LaFrance had a 180-year history in the firefighting apparatus business and only finally went under last year.

Tom, I appreciate that!