Jere Alhadef....the inventor of our interest

[SOB/RFH]

I found this site with Jere:s story very informative. I remember Hot VW:s "Meet the staff" series in the 70's and for me, not living in So-Cal, this was great info. Anyway this is a more overviewing story on Jere:s work at the dragstrips including the famous shot of the Topoliino dropping the whole bottomend of the engine on the ground!! Read and enjoy. Maybe some off you knowing Jere can fill in with some good stories from back in the day too. I was sadden by Keith S stating that there will be no more Cal-look book as the pixs were all over the internet.......Jere:s story to ever photo in this feature shows that it is the combination of a photo and the story that makes it enjoyable and something to learn from.....and just a photo and no story is nothing....a story and no photo goes a long way thou! Just my 2 cents!! Here is the link for you to enjoy: http://hotrodnostalgia.com/Categories/Features/hrn04/jere04bw1.html

[ESH]

Good thread! 

There was a site with quite a few of his pictures I stumbled accross a while back, not sure if it was that one but he shot some really good stuff. The front end failure pictured in that article's a pretty sobering image but an awsome shot all the same but more so with the story. I'm sure there's more of a story to the VW stuff he did than we know of?

[Fastbrit]

Well, let's not say "never" but I was a little disappointed at the response to my request for period – not contemporary – pics of Lookers and drag racers. At first I thought that was it – I'd seen all that was around (some chance of that!) yet, within a short time, there were new pics everywhere as people raided their attics. My concern is that once they've been distributed all over the 'net, these images lose their impact. I much prefer to see any photo in book or magazine form, rather than as a low-res image on a computer screen, but that's just me!

Half the fun of the original book was digging out photos that had never been seen before. Now I even get people posting pictures which I know for a fact have been scanned out of the book, without the owner's permission – the copyright remains with the photographer unless permission has been given for re-use, don't forget. I don't have a problem with these images being used from my point of view, but I'm not the one who can give permission.

I love photo research and digging out the stories to go with the images. I'd love to be able to do a second volume and am prepared to finance its publication if necessary – as long as I could be sure there were enough potential customers (and I don't mean a few hundred forum people).

By the way, Jere's work is the best! Sadly his VW stuff is also the least well organised of all! I do have another photographer in mind who shot a lot of period race cars in colour whose work has not been seen for years, but using his images is going to cost big time... And we all know how much stuff Glenn Miller also has to hand. Producing the book which everyone tells me they want to see is something of a two-way deal. You need the book, I would need your help... 

[SOB/RFH]

I look at this as a positive sign!! So when can I order my copy and drool over freshly printed dreams of yesterday and read breathtaking outrageous stories from parking lots outside abounded Malls where youth is developing and Punk is king .....................wishing I was living in So Cal 

 KS for president!!!!

[Frank LUX]

Keith,

I'm preordering a Copy of the California Look Book II right Know, start making a waiting List!!!

Frank

[LuftsickTero]

I much prefer to see any photo in book or magazine form, rather than as a low-res image on a computer screen, but that's just me!

Me too, even though I had one of the earliest VW-related websites.. I do nick every cool photo I see to my personal stash (no public use) on external disk drive, but still subscribe bunch of magazines and keep them, even hunt back issues. Nothing beats the feeling coming home from shitty day at work and finding new Ultra VW, Volksworld, SuperVW or Hot VWs.

Problem with internet sites is that the stuff is distributed all over the world, there are photos but not stories along them. The book would have all in one place and in consistent format. The old book came out at the right time and since it created certain following the second one would sell too. At least I would be buying..

[deano]

I can easily say that it was watching Jere from the grandstands, and see his photos published, that got me into shooting VW drag racing back in the mid-'70s. Although he wouldn't give me the time of day for years up to going to work for HVWs, it took me years afterwards to figure out one of his combinations of a Pentax 6x7 camera and rare leaf-shutter 90mm lense.... Over the years of digging through the old files at Hot VWs, I have pulled out every Jere photo I could find, and store them separately in my office. His black & white photos of early VW drag racing are simply the best.

[Fastbrit]

His black & white photos of early VW drag racing are simply the best.

Amen to that!

[Russell]

Keith

What about about a big glossy book with a limited run of say 1000 copies and charge for the priviliage, we are all prepared to spend money on our cars and i for one thing £10 is way too cheap for your book, Im sure we would pay £ 100 for the book as it is a bible.

Look at the konradsheim, Das RS Buch only 3000 made at a cost of 196 euros, you couls also sign them for another 50pence !

[Lids]

Hold your horses ritchie, £100 is  a lot of cash especially for a new book.  Most people would be prepared to spend £20-£30 but after that it starts to become something you have to keep from the missus.

Even with all the pictures that have been posted on the web, its not the same as having them all in one place.

Do the book Keith.

[Russell]

Lids, if your worried about a book ! try hiding a car its worse......

I was only trying to make the point that this is likely to be a very special product and as we know will be of limited sales value, the increased price would be required in order to make it happen such as the RS book i mentioned, but this has now became the Gospil for RS's a similar think for the book may be worth while and im sure the current clubs of today could pay for a club page or 2, some of the more special suppliers such as flat 4, BBT, KC may also support with some advertising or sponership details.........

Only making suggestions, to make it happen.

[Lids]

Not having a dig ritchie, ideas to get another vw book on the market are cool by me.

The best way to hide stuff from the girlfriend is to turn your front room into a storage facility for the DIY projects you have going on, you can then smuggle goods into the room without her noticing.  After two years of nagging though it starts to grind you down.

[deano]

One other thing I tried to learn from Jere, is instead of shooting a million so-so shots, make only a few really count. With a medium format camera, like the Pentax 6x7, you only get 10 shots on a roll of film (120). You soon learn to plan your shots, and try to imagine what they will look like done, and in the magazine. What this does is force you to slow down, look for crap in the background, reflections in the paint, and concentrate on focus/depth of field issues. With the leaf-shutter lense, you have to cock the lense once, AND then advance the film... (using two separate levers), every frame! I got pretty good changing a roll of film on the starting line, between races! But Jere was/is still the benchmark for drag racing photos, especially black & white.

[Fastbrit]

I hear you Deano. The one big problem with digital photography is that you hear people saying time and again that "it doesn't matter – if i don't like the image I can just delete it". Because you can get 500 "free" images on a compact flash card in your Nikon/Canon digi SLR means that it is way too easy to get trigger-happy and shoot anything safe in the knowledge you're not wasting film. I bet Jere would still shoot one frame for everyone else's 20 if he was using digital at the track...

PS – if you speak to Jere and Linda, tell them I said Hi!

[Sarge]

I feel fortunate to count Jere as an old friend.  One of my favorite days at the track was spent a few years back at the Rodder's Reunion held at Bakersfield.  Jere had a small booth where he was busy selling pictures to old racers that passed by.  Just sitting there that day and listening to all the old stories was incredible!  KS, you were there that day, too...along with Darrell Vittone who had towed his 37 Ford down for the event and Dave Andrews; what a weekend!

[Fastbrit]

I feel fortunate to count Jere as an old friend.  One of my favorite days at the track was spent a few years back at the Rodder's Reunion held at Bakersfield.  Jere had a small booth where he was busy selling pictures to old racers that passed by.  Just sitting there that day and listening to all the old stories was incredible!  KS, you were there that day, too...along with Darrell Vittone who had towed his 37 Ford down for the event and Dave Andrews; what a weekend!

I remember it well! Being crushed in the back of Darrell's street rod, with Mr Vittone at the wheel, Sarge riding shotgun and Dave Andrews alongside made for a memorable day. I shall always treasure memories like that.