Lori Carey Photography

Friday, September 20, 2013

Racing Rivals Press Launch and a (small) Giveaway

Cie Studios' Racing Rivals VIP Event Tent at Irwindale Dragstrip, Irwindale, California. August 29, 2013


A few weeks ago I was invited to attend the VIP Press Launch event for Cie Games' new racing game for iOS Racing Rivals. The game is sponsored by Nitto Tires and features live, multi-player drag racing and can be downloaded for free from the App Store. The game features some very cool console-quality graphics and a realistic level of customization that even accounts for wear and tear on the parts. More than 40 of the world's most popular cars are available to choose from and there are hundreds of upgrades available to customize your ride for both performance and aesthetics.

Automotive and gaming industry press were invited to celebrate the launch at Irwindale Dragstrip with a day of drag racing competition both in Racing Rivals and on the real drag strip. We split into two groups and my group headed to the tent for a demo of the game and the first rounds of virtual competition while the other group went to the dragstrip.

Automotive and gaming journalists compete against each other in Cie Studios' new drag racing game for iOs Racing Rivals at the Press Launch at Irwindale Dragstrip, Irwindale, California on August 29, 2013.
Automotive and gaming journalists attend the Press Launch for Cie Studios' new Racing Rivals game for iOS at Irwindale Dragstrip, Irwindale, California on August 29, 2013.

Automotive and gaming journalists attend the Press Launch for Cie Studios' new Racing Rivals game for iOS at Irwindale Dragstrip, Irwindale, California on August 29, 2013.

Automotive and gaming journalists attend the Press Launch for Cie Studios' new Racing Rivals game for iOS at Irwindale Dragstrip, Irwindale, California on August 29, 2013.

Racing Rivals press launch

Racing Rivals press launch

Here are some in-game screenshots so you can see just how beautiful the graphics are.

Racing Rivals screenshot

It's a lot of fun to customize a car in the showroom because the options available are based on real world aftermarket options for a specific car and you can see how they will affect your performance.

Racing Rivals screenshot

After choosing your car and customizing it, you head out to the streets and challenge a live opponent to a race.



You can bet cash or race for pink slips!





Then it was time to head out to the drag strip and test our reaction time in an Edelbrock-supercharged Mustang.

Automotive and gaming journalists test their reaction time behind the wheel of an Edelbroci-supercharged Mustang at Irwindale Dragstrip during the press launch of Racing Rivals

Automotive and gaming journalists test their reaction time behind the wheel of an Edelbroci-supercharged Mustang at Irwindale Dragstrip during the press launch of Racing Rivals

I have to throw in the cute fireman shot for the girls!

Automotive and gaming journalists test their reaction time behind the wheel of an Edelbroci-supercharged Mustang at Irwindale Dragstrip during the press launch of Racing Rivals

Photographer John McCabe smokes the tires on the Irwindale Dragstrip at the press launch of Cie Studios' Racing Rivals game for iOS. 29 August 2013

So what's it like to photograph an event like this? A LOT of fun and a lot of hard work. It was a brutally hot day with temps well over 100° but there was plenty of ice cold water on hand, Umami Burgers to feed us and a shade tent where we could retreat from the sun. By the end of the day there were just a few of us still shooting. I think all of the hot summer days I've been spending in the desert have been good training.

You can't be shy; you have to be willing to stick your camera right into the middle of a group of people to get the shot. Since everyone there was either a journalist or affiliated with the game they were very understanding and would even make it easy. I picked up some good tips by watching the photographers who have done many of these events.

I was surprised at how few women journalists were in attendance. I realize that we are in the minority in the automotive and gaming fields, but out of approximately 100 journalists there were "maybe" five women. It didn't really matter though; the environment was very welcoming and I made some great friends and contacts.

The other thing that honestly shocked me was how few journalists were using SLRs; I counted exactly five dSLRs, everyone else was snapping pics with their cell phones. It made me very proud to be affiliated with a publication that prides itself on quality imagery. It seems that these days most publications hire writers and tell them to grab some pics, it is a real pleasure to work for a publication that hires photographers who can also write.

Here are a few more shots from the day:

Racing Rivals Press Launch

Cie Games press launch for Racing Rivals game for iOS at the Irwindale Event Center, 29 August 2013

Racing Rivals Press Launch

Tim Sutton taking a break from the sun in the VIP tent. Press launch for Cie Games' Racing Rivals game for iOS, 29 August 2013

Racing Rivals Press Launch at Irwindale Dragstrip


If you like racing games I think you'll really enjoy this one, the customization options and live player element makes it a lot of fun. The download is free from the App Store and I received a card in my swag bag that is good for some free premium content. I don't know what the premium content is and I don't know the value of it, but I will give the code to one random person who leaves a comment here by 6pm PST on Monday the 23rd. The winner will be selected by a random number generated with random.org. I think that most readers of my blog are too old to be into gaming so your odds of winning are pretty good, but maybe your son or daughter would be interested. The game is free so you have nothing to lose! Reminder that the game is only available for iOS right now.


















Thursday, September 12, 2013

Painting with the Colors of the Wind

I wanted to test out the new G+ embeddable posts. You can scroll through the comments on my G+ post here, comments are updated live, and if you comment here it will be reflected on the actual G+ post. I like the idea of seamless interaction between multiple sites and I'm glad to see that more options are being rolled out. I think this is some pretty cool functionality, though I'm not sure I would use it often.


I took this Milky Way photo at Anza-Borrego Desert State Park last week. My favorite desert shooting buddy Peter Tellone met me out there because it was the last new moon of the summer and neither of us wanted to miss it. Landscape shooters are usually loners but Peter and I like shooting together because we just do our own thing; we usually grab our gear and head in opposite directions without saying a word and it's enough to know that someone is around in case one of us gets eaten by coyotes. And it's nice to have some company when you're hanging around waiting for the light to change.

It was well over 100° night, the light wind felt like it was blowing straight out of hell and it was incredibly humid. Definitely the hottest late night temperatures we've encountered this year (I can't count the record-setting day we went to Death Valley because we left shortly after sunset). I drank a case of water in a few hours of shooting and was drenched with sweat the entire time but we were rewarded with the most amazing sunset that either of us has ever seen at Font's Point (those photos to come). We were a bit worried about trying to photograph the Milky Way with all of the clouds in the sky but I really like the sense of movement that the clouds convey and the way they picked up the colors from the city lights.

Friday, September 6, 2013

The Black Oak

Black Oak, Highway 76

I'm not really sure why we photographers are obsessed with lone trees. When we find a beautiful one in a location that we frequently we like to shoot it over and over again. Perhaps it is because they are so iconic. I was introduced to this local favorite a few days ago while on the way to Anza-Borrego. I typically shun iconic images but now that I've met her I'm sure she'll become one of my favorites too.

On another note, I am honored to once again be included in Thomas Hawk's 2500 Kick Ass Photographers on Google+. I've said it before and I'll say it again, Google+ is the best community for photographers right now. Photos are presented beautifully, knowledge-sharing, inspiration and intelligent conversation is bar none, and like Thomas said in his blog post I have made more real life photography friends than any other social networking site. If you're not there, you should be. If you are there but having a hard time getting started (or maybe you think it's a ghost town), Thomas Hawk's curated circles include some of the best photographers who are actively involved in the community and are a great way to see what is really going on. Take a look, add one, two or all of his circles, see what it's all about and how others are using it. (If you are only going to add one circle, I am in the first one!)

Wednesday, September 4, 2013

Elephant Parade: Welcome to America

Elephant Parade: Welcome to America Triumph of Liberty by Sona Mirzaei Dana Point, California, USA Elephant Parade is an open air art exhibition designed to raise public awareness and support for the cause of elephant conservation. Making their first US appearance thirty life-sized baby elephants will be on display throughout Dana Point from August 23 through November 7 2013.
Triumph of Liberty by Sona Mirzaei



While out chasing some beautiful clouds yesterday I remembered the elephants.

Elephant Parade is an open air art exhibition designed to raise public awareness and support for the cause of elephant conservation. Making their first US appearance, thirty life-sized baby elephants will be on display throughout Dana Point from August 23 through November 7 2013.

Elephant Parade was created by the father and son team of Mike and Marc Spits after a visit to Thailand where they met Mosha, a baby elephant who had stepped on a landmine and was fitted with the world's first ever prosthesis for a baby elephant. It is the world's largest support organization for conservation of the Asian elephants, which are on the verge of extinction. The elephants, which have been decorated by local and international artists, will be auctioned on November 17 to raise money for the Asian Elephant Foundation. The organization has raised over $6 million since its inception in 2006.

Elephant Parade: Welcome to America We Love Mosha | USA by Thiti Suwan, Dana Point, California, USA. Elephant Parade is an open air art exhibition designed to raise public awareness and support for the cause of elephant conservation. Making their first US appearance thirty life-sized baby elephants will be on display throughout Dana Point from August 23 through November 7 2013.
We Love Mosha | USA by Thiti Suwan



Some interesting facts from the brochure:

Over the last 100 years, reports indicate a 90% population decrease of the Asian Elephant species.

The elephant is Thailand's national symbol, yet reports indicate that there are only 2,000 elephants surviving in the wild.

Scientists state that the Asian elephant population decreases by 3.5% annually and that without proper action the species will likely become extinct in just a few decades.

Imagine a world without elephants!!

I had only managed to locate 5 of the artworks before I decided that early morning would be the best time to photograph them. Most of them are located along the beach and you will want the sun behind you. Several area resorts are also hosting some of the sculptures and I'd imagine they are also placed in locations best photographed in the morning (unless you want beautiful sunsets behind them and are willing to deal with setting up lights). If you are local and want to check them out you can find more information on the official Elephant Parade: Welcome to America webpage and a walking map here

The elephants truly are beautiful works of art and well worth the time to pay them a visit while enjoying the beautiful coastal scenery of Dana Point. The Tall Ship Festival kicks off in Dana Point this weekend too with the sunset parade on September 6th.


Elephant Parade: Welcome to America, Maa Lii by Chris Chun, Dana Point, California, USA. Elephant Parade is an open air art exhibition designed to raise public awareness and support for the cause of elephant conservation. Making their first US appearance thirty life-sized baby elephants will be on display throughout Dana Point from August 23 through November 7 2013.
Maa Lii by Chris Chun

Elephant Parade: Welcome to America, Zia Skye by Laura Inkster-Gabor, Dana Point, California, USA. Elephant Parade is an open air art exhibition designed to raise public awareness and support for the cause of elephant conservation. Making their first US appearance thirty life-sized baby elephants will be on display throughout Dana Point from August 23 through November 7 2013.
Zia Skye by Laura Inkster-Gabor

Elephant Parade: Welcome to America, Gentle Guardian by Johanna Enriquez, Dana Point, California, USA. Elephant Parade is an open air art exhibition designed to raise public awareness and support for the cause of elephant conservation. Making their first US appearance thirty life-sized baby elephants will be on display throughout Dana Point from August 23 through November 7 2013.
Gentle Guardian by Johanna Enriquez