This is not the answer to the most asked question at Super Chevy Shows, which is "How do I get my car in the magazine." That falls in the same category as the meaning of life, or where elephants go to die. This is a short explanation of what a SUPER CHEVY photographer wants to see in a car on display at a Super Chevy Show, so that he or she can take a picture for the event coverage.
First impressions count. Does the car "sit right." Even stock-height cars can look good. It's totally subjective and hard to define, but magazine photographers are car guys, so they know it when they see it. Of course, the car has to be well done. We know our readers and they expect to see only the best. Yes, bright colors do get our attention, but bright white and deep black attract us if they are quality cars.
Actually, we find that 99 percent of the cars at Super Chevy Shows are suitable for our magazine, so maybe it's easier to mention some of the things that keep us from putting a car in the event coverage. Almost without exception, we only have pictures of cars at the show with the doors, trunk lid, and hood closed. Truck bed lids need to be closed also. We won't close anything on your car, so if we can't find you, we probably won't be able to take a picture for publication. It's tough to ask car owners to be by their cars every minute of the show, so we make a point of checking back frequently. If you wonder why we use a cart at the show, it's so we can cover lots of ground.
When we're judging for awards such as Editor's Choice Top Ten, we can't make an award if there is no registration card on the dash. We need the car owner's name and hometown to give it an award (and we must be able to read it). We check back at least once for these cards, because we know that owners sometimes park first and then go register.
Even when we find a car that has all the hatches and lids closed, and there is a registration card, we are reluctant to take a picture for the magazine if there are distracting decorations on the car such as big stuffed animals or dolls. We really just want the car. On this same subject, we're not sure why some cars display signs warning people to not touch the car. Some of these signs are so big, or so numerous, as to be distracting and will tempt us not to show the car in the magazine. We question their effectiveness also, as many cars in the Gold Class have no such signs, and there doesn't seem to be a problem with people damaging them. It's a matter of personal preference, but we prefer to see such signs on a low-key basis, maybe even laying face up on the seat. One other tip: If there's a "For Sale" sign anywhere in sight, we'll probably look the other way.
We love meeting the people at Super Chevy Shows and taking pictures of their fantastic cars. Next time you see us playing Ricky Racer in our golf cart, it might be your car we're heading for.