Out for a Quick Run

April 24, 2018 / jasonhoang / 2 Comments

On Saturday, I decided to take the FRS out for a quick leg stretch and to also break in the Brembo brakes. (See how I spelled the two words properly? Lots of people don’t lol). I initially didn’t want to take it out until I gave it a full detail and cleaned up some minor things but the weather was perfect and I couldn’t wait! I still have to a full detail and clean up the paint, put the TiBurnt valve stem caps on, replace the worn out level one sticker, and clean the tires and remove the browning. Right now the car is a mess – it’s just dusty and looks like it sat in a garage for 6 months lol.

Forgive me – I “think” I’m having some technical issues with my camera, or colour profiles and I have yet to figure out how to calibrate it all. When I edit these photos on my computer, they look perfect. However, when I get them onto my phone or a different monitor, they’re really dark and unpleasing to look at – or at least that’s what I see. I’m betting that you’re also seeing a fairly dark photo as well – and I promise you, that’s not how I intended it to be. I just didn’t want to hold off on the photos because then it just gets to be old news. Anyway, aside from the technical issue – it was just a quick drive off to some warehouses to get some sunset pics and show off the new set up as best I could. I’ve pretty much gotten comfortable with shooting people with the new camera set up, but shooting cars is a whole new ball game for me right now. I’m rusty as hell and at the time of shooting this, I couldn’t even figure out exposure lock – something I took for granted on my Canon 7D. It wasn’t until later that night after getting home that I finally figured it out… So I’ll go back out and try again sometime soon.

Anyway – just a few quick pics!

What wheels are those? Steelies?! damn it.

It helped a bit more when I was facing the sunset – but barely…

One thing I am finding is that the 35 f1.4 is an AMAZING portrait lens. This thing is a beast when taking pictures of people and things. But it’s a little more difficult with cars. I’m used to either using my 10-20 to get a nice wide perspective or my 135 f2.0 to get a nice distant shot. But with the 35, I’m trying to find the sweet spot and I’m not sure I’ve found it yet…

One last shot before going back home and after working the brakes for a bit. I’m lucky that I’ve got dead roads near home where I can just test the brakes and break them in properly with no issue. God, they just bite like crazy compared to stock brakes – to be expected – but when you actually use them, they’re amazing. They’re also loud as hell though cause of the pads that came with them – everyone around me thinks my car is broken haha.

Here’s where the 35mm shines. Close quarters where you want details of one main thing and everything else around it to be blurred out.

I miss this view… Thank god summer is finally here.

Winter Hibernation – AKA Worst Day of the Year

October 18, 2016 / jasonhoang / Leave a comment

It’s that time again… To put our cars away before the white stuff falls. It’s actually not so bad anymore but it’s still depressing having to see your car tucked away in a corner everyday as you come and go for work.

It’s a little easier for me knowing that it’s almost aesthetically complete – just a few more additions here and there but nothing mind shattering. It’s in a state where I just love to drive it now and with a few more toys here and there, it’ll just be more exciting to drive.

Anyway, just some super simple shots just to fill the blog a little bit… Hopefully I’ll have some time to gather some parts over winter and update you all. I’m sure there’s plenty of other things I can post too 🙂 Happy parking!

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Before I put it away, I wanted to get a shot of Aria in the Recaro. It’d be nice to see what a difference it will be when summer time comes next year, and I take the same shot. She wasn’t too pleased about the whole idea, but I’m sure time will change her mind 🙂

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After a sudsy bath… Doing this in -2C is not fun. A lot of people ask me why I put it away so early… I agree, it’s a bit early considering the roads are pretty dry, there hasn’t been any snow, and there still isn’t any gravel on the roads. A big reason I put it away earlier is because it’s much easier to clean and dry and make sure all is good in warmer weather than it is in cold, snowy weather. Even in -2C, it was a bitch to dry the car properly.

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The last booty shot of the year.

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All clean finally. The next piece is to tuck it away tightly in the corner, hook up the trickle charger and let ‘er sleep for the next few months. I have a feeling these winter months will go by quick since I’m spending less time thinking about when I can drive it next, and more time with Aria. Not a bad thing, I suppose!

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And one last shot of the cockpit… Until next year!

The Black Swan @ Driven 2016: Different Perspectives

May 16, 2016May 16, 2016 / jasonhoang / 1 Comment

A few different shots that I found floating around the interwebz and some shots that were emailed to me (Thank you!). Just wanted to post them up to give a quick shout out for them. I love seeing shots of my car from a perspective than my own – it’s always refreshing to see!

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Photo from Vin Hwang – shows the lines of the Arise kit well.

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A photo from Brandon @ the flying penguin. Love how wet the black looks in this photo. Great coverage on his blog as well!

Check it out here https://theflyingpenguin.ca/2016/05/12/driven-to-perfection/

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A few shots from Bill at Threetwenty. He’s captured a rare moment when my reverse LED’s are on… LOL a sight that I rarely even see myself! haha

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One more from Bill.

Check out his coverage here: https://officialthreetwenty.com/

Great shot from Lawrence Tse. Again, that black thoughhhh

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And one more from Ken Au coming all the way from Winnipeg. A very different angle from the rest – and I love it! Another great shot to show the lines of the Arise bumper.

Thanks again to those that emailed me the pics! I love them!

A Day In The Mountains…

April 5, 2016 / jasonhoang / 4 Comments

… Kind of. It was as good as it was going to get without having to drive out to the actual mountains lol.

This is just a continuation of my last post with my own car. When we went out on Saturday, we did kind of a double shoot. We were in such a good location that it would be a shame if Alicia and I didn’t get pictures of our own cars. We were also both fortunate enough to trade our lenses for a bit and get a different take on photos. She had always wanted the 135 F2.0L which I had, and I have always wanted the 85 F1.2L which she had. Both extremely good lenses with different capabilities and it really helps you learn different angles and perspectives. But enough nerding out… I’ll just post these here until I find the motivation and time to go and shoot again.

To be honest, shooting is the last thing on my mind these days. Back in the day, I used to want to go out and shoot no matter what the weather, the time of day, or the type of car – I would do it all. It’s a lot of time and effort and it’s definitely helped me grow into a better photographer and each and every car that I’ve shot has helped me learn new things. At this moment in time, I look at my camera and I barely even want to pick it up. I’m not sure what it is – maybe I need inspiration or a car that just totally sets the stage for an epic photoshoot. Nothing has come my way lately – maybe I’ve shot most of them already? Maybe I’m done with photography? Probably an unlikely case… One day I’ll be inspired again.

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This spot was particularly cool with the Rockies in the back. The lighting that day was perfect – slight overcast and there was just enough cloud. Check that background…

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Loved this shot with Alicia’s 85mm. So sharp.

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Another one with the Calgary skyline in the back. Not as awe-inspiring, but still a nice view.

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Still my favourite mod to the car to this date – JDM/GT86 headlights. Say no to Winjet.

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Vertex with optional gold horn button.

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TRD x Craft Square

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Here’s another shot with the 85mm. The great thing about this lens is that you can get closer to the car with a lot more bokeh or shallow depth of field. The 135 can do something similar, but it’s just not as crisp.

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