Happy Holidays!

Cruisin' Photography would like to thank everyone who has helped us this year. Our clients, our Facbook fans, the great folks that we met at the shows, our families and so many more are all part of what we do.

There are some exciting new additions being added to the product range in 2011 and we cannot wait to hit the ground running.

Have a wonderful holiday, a safe and healthy New Year and a great show season. See you at the Frank Marratta show in January!

First One-Of-A-Kind Business Card Commission

Has Leather & Sound got a card for you? No, they've got 5,000!

Cruisin' Photography is proud to announce that it has just completed its first one-of-a-kind business card commission. Many thanks to Johnny Vazquez of Leather & Sound in Hartford for the 5,000-card order.

For more information on Cruisin' Photography's one-of-a-kind business card designs please visit http://www.cruisinphotography.com/BCD.htm

Here's My Card...

You never get a second chance to make a first impression…
Make it with a one-of-a-kind business card!

A powerful and well-designed business card is one of the most important and cost-effective tools that a person, club, organization or business can have.

A business card that looks great, feels great and defines what you do won’t be forgotten. Did you know that more than 90% of the business cards given out are discarded on the day that they are received?

Make sure that yours is one of the 10% that is kept!

Cruisin’ Photography will ensure that your card is a one-of-a-kind attention grabber, designed with professionalism and expertise. Our priority is making sure that your card is eye catching and professional without costing a fortune.

Think of a tool that’s more versatile, portable, affordable and readily accepted than a business card. Struggling for an answer? Thought so! Now add affordability to the personal nature of a business card and you have an extremely attractive option.

Cruisin’ Photography’s business card designs stand out and get noticed!

There’s a BIG difference between a run-of-the-mill business card and a one-of-a-kind Cruisin’ Photography-designed card. Our cards don’t just list contact details:
· Our cards create a bigger, longer-lasting impression
· Our cards won’t see a garbage can because they’ll be kept close at hand
· Our cards will help convert more prospects into clients
· Our cards encourage referrals and repeat business

Your card isn’t just a business card. It’s an attractive advertisement or mini billboard!

The basic content of a run-of-the-mill business card isn’t an advertisement! It is a company/club/organization’s name, a person’s name and title, some basic contact information and maybe a tagline. Nothing in that list will convince or encourage someone to contact you. All it does is tell where you can be contacted. Isn’t that a waste?

What you need is a business card that’s a distinctive and memorable and draws rave reviews and future clients. Your business card should say a lot about you, your club, your organization or your business. Make sure it sends out the right message!

Make your business card a one-of-a-kind custom-designed business card by Cruisin’ Photography!

All of our business cards are printed on quality 14pt (80lb) premium glossy cover stock card. Designs can be single or double sided. Prices start at $110 for 250 to $160 for 5,000 single-sided cards and $120 for 250 to $180 for 5,000 double-sided cards.

Prices include design work (using client’s supplied high-resolution images if requested), e-mail proofing and shipping.

What are you waiting for? Visit http://www.cruisinphotography.com/BCDS.htm for full price details and to order your cards today!

One-Of-A-Kind Auto Montages

Why settle for one great image of your one-of-a-kind car or bike when Cruisin' Photography now offers one-of-a-kind multiple-image custom Auto Montages?

Cruisin' Photography's Auto Montages are custom made - not cookie-cutter designs! Any design element from the samples can be interchanged to ensure that your Auto Montage is truly a one-of-a-kind image.

If you are at the same cruise/show as Cruisin’ Photography, photographs can be taken free of charge with no obligation. We can also discuss sizes and styles of Auto Montage. Sizes available are: 11 x 17, 16 x 20 and 20 x 30 inches. Alternatively, you can send your own high-resolution images and a few ideas of what you require and leave the rest to Cruisin’ Photography - it’s that easy!

When your 50% deposit for the Auto Montage is received, the creation process begins. Watermarked low-resolution samples will be e-mailed to you for approval.

When the montage is completed, it will be printed and mailed to you in a sturdy mailing tube with an invoice for the remaining balance.

One-Of-A-Kind Auto Montages Size And Price Chart

Three or Five-Image Montages:
11 x17 inches, $45
16 x 20 inches, $60
20 x 30 inches, $80

Seven or Nine-Image Montages:
11 x17 inches, $50
16 x 20 inches, $65
20 x 30 inches, $85

What are you waiting for? Contact Cruisin' Photography at cruisinphotography@hotmail.com for a one-of-a-kind Auto Montage... NOW!

Dreamz II Reality Halloween Motor Mash, October 30th, 2010

“I was working in the office late one night, when my eyes beheld an eerie sight,
A flyer on Facebook began to rise, and suddenly to my surprise,
There was a Mash, there was a Motor Mash…”

After what has become our now regular Saturday visit to Leather and Sound in Hartford to deliver Digital Auto Art prints, Kathy and I hit the Halloween Motor Mash at a festively decorated Bart’s Drive-In Restaurant in Windsor on October 30th. The show was being held as a fundraiser for Community Healthcare Resources and featured music, prizes and trick or treating.

Around 60 vehicles turned out on a crisp Fall afternoon to help this worthy cause. The vehicles in attendance covered a good cross section of vintage, classics, muscle cars old and new, trucks, imports, domestics, lowriders and bikes.

Organized by the Dreamz II Reality (DIIR) club, the show turned out to be a spookily good time for all. Plenty of folks got into the spirit of the day by donning costumes and face paint, including Maria Zayas, the glam good witch, while the kids had a real scream with all the free candy being given out to them by many of the costumed adults.

Heads turned as superb vehicles arrived, including a beautiful cherry-red 1958 Chevy and Sergio and Lilliana Ortiz in their blue Oldsmobile Cutlass lowrider flanked by members of the Street Dreamz MC.

As the afternoon progressed, DIIR president Jerry Zayas presented the awards for best costumes and cars. Hard Hittn’ Lowz’ Tom Santos and his gorgeous Chevy Impala won the best of show award, while Lilliana Ortiz took best domestic for her Cutlass.

Again, another great event at Bart’s, congratulations to all involved in staging such a devilishly good time.

Working To Make It Work

It’s certainly been a busy couple of weeks here at Cruisin’ Photography. Since attending the CCSU Fall Car Show on the 17th, most of our time has been spent creating and mailing out one-of-a-kind Digital Auto Art orders and updating the website.

Saturday October 23rd saw Kathy and I back at the Leather and Sound premises in Hartford delivering the end results from our recent shoot there (http://daveburnhamphotography.blogspot.com/2010/10/leather-and-sound-photoshoot-october.html). Loaded into the trusty Subaru Legacy were three 11x17 inch and two framed 20x30 inch prints.

First to take delivery of his prints was Leather and Sound boss Johnny Vazquez. He had ordered 11x17 prints of his Cobra replicas and was absolutely delighted with the end results. So much so that Johnny immediately showed them to one of his customers who expressed an interest in Cruisin’ photographing his two drag cars and pitbulls!

As we were discussing this, Ramon and Maria Medina turned up to collect a framed 11x17 print of Maria’s black Honda Accord. Once again another happy client! Maria’s order was tinged with sadness, however. A couple of days after we had photographed her Accord, she awoke to discover that some lowlifes had stolen all four wheels and tires from her car.

The final recipient was Papo Amdino, who was taking delivery of framed 20x30 prints of his white BMW and black Honda Civic. Within seconds, the Leather and Sound store became an impromptu art gallery as prints were placed against speaker enclosures to allow everyone, including customers, to view the artwork from a distance. Papo must have liked what he saw, commissioning Cruisin’ to photograph his BMW X5 that was parked outside. As I prepared the camera, our friend Albert Caquias, the president of the K.O.D. car club, arrived and decided to have a shot of his Honda taken!

Thanks once again to all of our clients, to Ramon for setting up the original shoot and to Johnny Vazquez for allowing Leather and Sound to be the meeting point for us all.

After a very enjoyable Sunday lunch with family at the Wayside Inn in Marlboro, MA, it was back to work on Monday. The website links page was given a revision with some new links added and more to follow (http://www.cruisinphotography.com/Weblinks.htm). If you would like to do a link exchange with Cruisin’ Photography, e-mail Kathy or me through the site and we will be in touch. I have also been devoting some time to a new line of products that will be debuted soon on the site – stay tuned…

As the season’s car shows come to an end here on the east coast, it doesn’t mean that Cruisin’ Photography’s one-of-a-kind Digital Auto Art stops as well. You can send your own high-resolution files and a few ideas of what style of image you require and leave the rest to Cruisin’ Photography - it’s that easy! For full information, visit http://www.cruisinphotography.com/AutoArt.htm.

R.I.P. Mr. C - Thanks For The Memories

A much-loved TV character sadly passed away this week. Tom Bosley (83) died after a battle with lung cancer. As a teenager growing up in England, the 1970s sitcom “Happy Days” was must-see TV. Whenever I visit a classic car/hot rod show and hear the fifties music, I am always reminded of two things – American Graffiti and Happy Days.

When he was first offered the co-starring role in Happy Days, a series about teenage life in the 1950s, Bosley turned it down. “After re-reading the pilot script," he recalled in a 1986 interview, "I changed my mind because of a scene between Howard Cunningham and Richie [Ron Howard]. The father/son situation was written so movingly, I fell in love with the project." Propelled by nostalgia for the simple pleasures of the 1950s, Happy Days, which debuted in 1974, slowly built to hit status, becoming television's top-rated series by its third season. The show ran for 11 seasons.

Happy Days launched many stars including Henry Winkler, Ron Howard, Robin Williams and Marion Ross. The show featured hot rods and Arthur “The Fonz” Fonzarelli played by Henry Winkler.

As he mourned the death of his fellow co-star, Winkler said that he spoke recently with Bosley. “We talked about his strength and that it was coming back. He had just gone through several bouts of chemo, and you always heard him in a positive, forward attitude. He was always looking forward, you know. At 83, I hope that's me." Winkler added that Tom served as a role model to the younger cast members and offered fatherly-like advice.

“Since day one of Happy Days, we as a cast have remained so wonderfully connected. He was our TV dad and a real life father-figure for the past 33 years,” Winkler said in a statement to Access Hollywood on Tuesday. “He will be sorely missed. Our most positive thoughts go out to the family.”

Happy Days co-star, award-winning director, Ron Howard said that Tom was a remarkable man who made everyone laugh. “I'm so saddened by the loss. He was remarkable on so many levels. Tom's insight, talent, strength of character and comic timing made him a vital central figure in Happy Days. A great father and husband, and a wonderful artist, Tom led by example, and made us all laugh while he was doing it. My last conversations with Tom reflected the love of life and peace of mind that he always maintained throughout his full and rewarding life. I miss him already.”

Marion Ross, who played his wife Marion Cunningham also mourned Bosley, lauding his intelligence and leadership. "He was my [TV] husband for 11 years. We made a perfect couple, and he was the father of the company in many ways. He was so smart, he could make up or fix a joke for a better end scene at the drop of a hat." Ross and Bosley were one of the most-loved TV couples during the show’s run in the late 1970s and early 1980s.

It Started With An Apple…

As we were preparing to leave the CCSU Car Club (C3) show, Dave and I met Linda Dezenzo and Krystina Carbone as the pair handed out crisp apples - the perfect fall snack - during the afternoon. Krystina explained that her family was there to honor the memory of her cousin, Brian Wilson, Jr., who was 23 when a heart attack tragically cut his life short in 2008.

Linda said her son had been an active member of C3, and the show was in memory of Brian, with the proceeds being donated to the American Heart Association (http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG). Linda added that on Saturday, October 23rd, she and her family would also be taking part in the Heart Walk in Hartford’s Bushnell Park.

Linda invited me to see her son’s car, a silver, six-liter 2006 Pontiac GTO that Brian had been leasing. The family had wanted to keep the car after his death, and it took a lot of legal wrangling that included getting the car off of auction to do so. She lovingly showed me the many heartfelt messages family and friends had written on the car and said they planned to preserve the messages with a clear coat.

Linda had photo displays under the hood and on the rear window, showing how active and full of life her son had been. Dave joined me as Linda pointed out a favorite family photo taken on her birthday. Thomas Dezenzo said his son had been a volunteer firefighter in Plainville and then in Burlington, and that he also enjoyed Jeeps and off-roading.

Linda said it was important to get the word out that a heart attack can strike anyone, including someone like Brian, who was 23, active and in good health.

Many touching tributes to Brian can be found at this link: http://www.ls1gto.com/forums/archive/index.php/t-283377.html.

CCSU Fall 2010 Car Show, October 17th, 2010

The New England weather cooperated on Sunday, serving up a sunny fall day for the CCSU Car Club (C3) Fall 2010 Show, held in the Central Connecticut State University’s Student Center Parking Lot.

C3 is the largest collegiate automotive club in the Northeast, with over 50 active members, and a strong alumni following. The club hosts two car shows, one in the fall and one in the spring, and also attends events on a national basis. Any student enrolled at CCSU is welcome to join.

Approximately 190 cars, bikes and trucks were in attendance. The cars represented a varied cross section of vehicles that included classic and modern muscle cars, domestics, imports and tuners.

The star of the show for Cruisin’ Photography was Lynch’s awesome Suzuki Hayabusa. The bike has many great features. Attached to the ‘Busa’s lengthened swing arm is a widened rear wheel that redefines wide. The bodywork carries many great examples of airbrushed art, while the frame has a lot of custom-machined items that truly make this Suzuki a one of a kind machine.

Included in the mix of car clubs present, along with the hosts C3, were representatives from K.O.D., Higher Expectations and Dreamz II Reality.

The show had a very enjoyable laid-back feel to it, which, in our opinion, is just what’s needed from a show after a long season. Congrats - Kathy and I are already looking forward to your 2011 shows!

Game Over Car Club Car Show, October 16th, 2010

On a cold and windy Saturday morning, Cruisin’ Photography took the hour-long drive up to Porter and Chester in Chicopee, MA, for the Game Over Car Club Car Show. Sadly, two days of rain leading up the show took a toll on the number of vehicles that attended the event. The final figure was around 60.

After being warmly greeted by club members Melvin, Charles and president Chris Wood, we went into the Porter and Chester parking lot to see who was there. As is the case recently, despite the small turnout early on, there were a lot of friendly faces greeting us with handshakes for me, and hugs for Kathy. Starting a day like that always gives us a buzz.

Visiting clubs in attendance included K.O.D., 1 Of A Kind, BDC Auto Team, Eastern Connections, Dreamz II Reality, Kustom Kreations, Expensive Limitz and Street Terminators.

A nice feature of the day was the opening of the Porter and Chester Automotive Tech workshop. Not only did this offer welcome respite from the cold wind, but it also gave a different setting for photographing the show cars located inside. This was where we found our friend Manny Rivera and his sweet white Mercedes Benz. Also located inside the workshop were several Cruisin’ Photography clients. Elvin Aldorado’s excellent New England Patriots-liveried Scion tC looked resplendent with his framed Digital Auto Art print on display under the hood. Robert Colon’s Scion xB is always a winner with Cruisin’, while Pete Mateo’s Lexus is a classy machine.

Several cars trickled into the event as the day progressed. One of these was the superb “Iron Man” Honda owned by Nino and Courtney. The Honda’s screaming yellow paint shone like a beacon under the workshop’s tungsten lights. After we took a few shots of the car, Courtney told us that she was also the president of Diamond Girlz MC (http://www.myspace.com/bostondiamondgirlz), an all-girl motorcycle club from Boston. Courtney was riding passenger in the Honda as, due to the weather, it was more comfortable than riding her hot-pink Kawasaki Ninja!

After some live music and sound off for several of the ICE-loaded vehicles it was time for the awards to be given out. The following list is not all of the trophies awarded:

Pete Mateo, Lexus, Park City Customs – Best Asian Luxury
Peter Pires, Chrysler Crossfire, Dreamz II Reality - Best Dodge
Jerry Zayas, Hyundai Elantra, Dreamz II Reality – Best Import, Other
Eddie Rodriguez, Mazda RX7, Kustom Kreations – Best Mazda
Elvin Aldorado, Scion tC, Kustom Kreations – Best Scion tC
Robert Colon, Scion xB, Kustom Kreations – Best Scion xB and Best Paint
Maria Zayas, VW Gti, Dreamz II Reality – Best VW,
Dariana, Dreamz II Reality – Best Honda Civic 95 down and Best Show Car Display
Dreamz II Reality - Most Represented Club
Street Terminators - Club Of The Day
Manny Rivera, Mercedes Benz, Kustom Kreations – Best Euro and Best Of Show

Despite the cold wind and smaller than expected attendance, Game Over put on a very enjoyable show. Congrats, guys, you warmed up a very cold day!

Dreamz II Reality Summer Dreamz Car and Bike Show, October 9th, 2010

Saturday, October 9th saw Cruisin’ Photography attend Dreamz II Reality’s 2010 Summer Dreamz Custom Car & Bike Show at Porter and Chester in Rocky Hill. The show was billed as “ a time to relax and enjoy the last days of the New England show season” and it certainly lived up to that description.

A few weeks before the show, Dreamz II Reality (DIIR) president Jerry Zayas approached us asking if we would like to attend as vendors and display our range of one-of-a-kind Digital Auto Art images. We readily agreed and turned up at the venue with all of our display gear. After we had set up our display, we kicked back a little and spent some time with the DIIR club members and their families.

Around 60 cars and bikes turned out for a relaxing evening. Among those attending were Tom Santos and Sergio Ortiz (and families), from the Hard Hittn’ Lowz club, in their Impala lowriders. Tom is another of Cruisin’s Star Car owners. We featured his car in June after the E.J.K. show in Middletown.

Sam and Laura Vega from the Connecticut’s Finest Auto Club collected their commissioned 20 x 30 Digital Auto Art image of Laura’s beautiful Toyota Camry from us during the evening. We were also paid a visit from the Street Dreamz motorcycle club. It was good to see Robert, Jay and the guys again.

As the cars arrived, we were amazed to see a Saturn driven in by a Na’vi from the Avatar movie… we knew something was afoot when he sounded just like Michael from the Street Terminators club!

Wherever we looked, there seemed to be a friendly face greeting Kathy or me with a handshake or a hug. Situations like these make the shows so enjoyable. We’ve met a lot of good people this season, way too many to mention by name. Kathy and I would like to thank them all for the warm greetings and friendship they have shown to us throughout the year.

At the end of a very informal evening, the awards were given out. Best of cruise went to Sergio’s Impala, best engine went to Carlos’ Ford Mustang and best club went to Street Terminators.

Thanks to Jerry, Maria, Gary, John, Cookie, Slick Willy, Beckie, Dominic, Peter, Kathy, Jeff, Pedro, Tom, DeAnna, Ray and the rest of the DIIR crew for a great afternoon and evening. We thoroughly enjoyed ourselves.