22 INCH WHEELS AND TIRES

(I thank you for the hope you gave me)

this was my submission for the raleigh flickr group summer project 2008. it didn't hang next to the other photos in the competition, and it didn't get judged with the other photos in the competition.

i pulled my photo from the competition because of how disrespectful some of the other competitors had acted prior to the opening night. the rules for this competition were simple. the photo must be taken between aug 1 and sep 1 2008; it cannot be posted to flickr, or published elsewhere; and there was no restriction on subject or use of photoshop or any restrictions as to type of camera, film or digital. anything goes. after the submission of one photo, there was discussion as to whether or not it should hang in the gallery. the image itself was made to be abstract, but ultimately it was a photo of something explicit. some other contestants had concerns about who and if they would invite as their guest(s) for the opening night. i understand that this is a valid concern. it was decided that the image wouldn't hang in the gallery, but would still be in the competition if the artist so wanted. the artist eventually pulled their submission from the contest entirely.

this upset me greatly in the fact that possible patrons may be offended by the image took precedence over showing this artist's work. this was started by some other photographers in the competition, who knew full and well the very liberal rules put in place at the beginning.

i was disappointed to see that only a small number of people voiced their objection to the offending photo being pulled from the show.

i used to think that this group of photographers had principles that they stood up for. whenever there's a story about censorship these people are quick to show support for the artist. when's there's a business that prevents photography they're quick to stop supporting that business and visit other businesses that are photo friendly. but when push comes to shove and they're affected by offending work, they have no problems censoring someone else's work or just ignoring the situation. their main concern was that since this may be the only time they could have the chance to have their work hanging in a gallery, they were entitled to have their work shown without their guests being offended. what they don't understand is that this might be the only time that the offending artist might have their work hanging in a gallery too.

through it all, i've come to respect some of my fellow photographers in this group more, but i've also lost a lot, if not all respect for others who participated in the jackassery.

this wasn't an easy thing for me to do. i was really looking forward to having my work hanging in a gallery. it was so very hard for me to go to the gallery and see an empty space on the wall where this photo would've hung. luckily i have some great friends that came with to support me.

for most of you this may not be a big issue, but since photography is my biggest passion i felt that i needed to stand up for what's right and support this other artist.

in no way am i attacking the gallery owner. he worked hard on setting this whole thing up, and was put in a very difficult situation by a small group of people. i respected the owner's decision even though i didn't agree with it. during the brief discussion that we had on the opening night, the owner understood that there might be objectionable material submitted based on some of the contestants previous works. knowing this, the rules regarding content were still put in place.

i wanted to wait until i spoke with some people about this before posting, but i couldn't wait any longer. there are so many reason why i love this photo and i'm tired of seeing it just sit in my library any longer.

i've tried to make this as anonymous as possible. i don't want to point fingers at anyone. i want people to know that that what happened wasn't right and to hopefully have people make a stand in the future to prevent this from ever happening again. who knows, maybe it's just wishful thinking.

NASCAR star Dale Jr. is fan of vintage Camaros - he cruises around in a Pro Touring-style '72 Camaro powered by a GM Performance Parts LS crate engine - and the heritage-inspired design of the 2010 Camaro appeals to him like a checkered flag at Daytona. His vision for the car was channeled to GM's designers and crafted in a multi-color combination of style, capability and comfort.

They started with a new Camaro SS that uses the standard 6.2L V-8, but modified to use E85. Taking advantage of E85's favorable octane rating, the engine was calibrated to deliver a few extra horsepower, with the exhaust exiting through GM Performance Parts' new headers. It's backed by the SS's available six-speed manual transmission and GM Accessories' short-throw Hurst shifter. Additional performance enhancements include a Brembo brake package and a lowered ride height, giving Dale Jr.'s Camaro a sleeker look to match its road-hugging capability.

custom gray-over-white paint scheme blends the high-performance drivetrain with serious style. It is accented with an orange stripe separating the gray and white sections. Also generating attention on the exterior is a set of 21-inch, five-spoke wheels inspired by the Camaro Convertible Concept. They feature dark-painted center sections on the spokes that complement the body's gray color. The wheels are wrapped in Pirelli P-Zero ZR-rated performance tires.

Additional exterior details include:

* Chevy Accessories grille
* Chevy Accessories ground effects and rear diffuser
* Chevy Accessories exhaust system
* Early Camaro-style "dovetail" rear spoiler
* Production high-intensity discharge headlamps
* Production RS taillamps

Similarly, the interior is outfitted for performance and style, including:

* Custom-trimmed leather-and-suede-covered seats with accent stitching
* Leather-trimmed steering wheel, shift knob, door armrests and center console lid, with accent stitching
* Carbon-fiber treatment on the instrument panel and door panel inserts
* Racing-style aluminum pedals
* Production-optional four-pack auxiliary gauge cluster
* Revised gauge cluster with unique graphics and colors
* Custom sill plates

Dale Jr. also specified Chevy Accessories' upgraded audio system for the Camaro, which is matched with a Boston Acoustics speaker system, including amps and subwoofers.