Carmel Jaguars

Jaguars in front of Mission

These two were on a static display in front of the mission. The other herd arrived en mass a bit later and entered the courtyard.

I find this next picture interesting for a couple of reasons. First off, of all the photographers there, I was the only one skirting the edges of the group and photographing the actual event including them. (I wasn’t there the whole time, so perhaps later someone else did the same, but ‘in the moment’ it was only me being of ‘the Martian view’…) But beyond that, the newer Jag being ignored has a certain charm to it…

Younger Jaguar being ignored by the photographers

Also not in the group of Jaguars being staged was a set of 3 ‘other types’ off to the side. One from Florida but painted with Ecuador. I’m sure there is a story there.

Three Caballeros Jaguars

Wonder what the story might be…

Jaguar from Ecuador

Frontal View:

Three Caballeros Jaguars from the front

Clearly they were still popular with the “folks” even if the photographers were all set up for the herd…

I don’t know why, but I’m particularly fond of this next picture. Something about the cypress in the background (being ignored) and the one foreground Jaguar being the center of attention of the photographers, but with the ‘odd’ cross framing the ‘background Jaguars”… and the lunch tables off to the side, waiting their turn. And with the mission school building in the background, reminding us of vows of poverty and chastity… Somehow a lot of what I like to call “strain” in the picture. Things pulling in different directions…

The Jaguar, The Cypress, and The Cross

We’ve already seen that set from this mirror image side; in the Mission at Carmel posting:

Jaguar media event at the Mission at Carmel

I also like this next picture of the Jaguars and the Bell.

The Jaguars and The Bell

Has a certain “charm” about it. I also like the bit of tree framing one side and the foreground flowers. We can then contrast this ‘cars and nature’ with an ‘all car’ picture… though I couldn’t resist having some Mission in the picture for ‘strain’.

The ‘new one’ of the Three Caballeros Jaguars is clearly fond of showing off the engine…

Jaguar Engine Under Glass

But I like the instrument panel too…

Jaguar Engine with Instrument Panel

And through it all, the Photographer Pack stays focused on the set stage of the Jaguar Herd:

Photographers at Carmel Jaguar Event

A minor administrative note: I presume that since this was a public place and a media event, that the folks there expected to be captured on film and via their presence gave consent. These pictures may be downloaded by anyone in them and used for any non-commercial purpose they might like, even promoting any non-profit venture they might have and to promote their own professional activities if they are one of the photographers in the picture or a car owner. (Basically, self promotion by folks in the picture is fine with me, even if commercial (it IS their likeness and image after all), but sell it to Wheaties for the box cover and I get a cut of the action.) Folks not in the pictures may use them for any non-commercial use they like (i.e. if you make money on it, I ought to get a piece of the action, but promoting your kids high school track meet or putting it in a field trip report about what your Dad did on the weekend is fine with me.) If anyone does not want to be recognizable in the image, send me an email and I’ll smudge out the face and put up a smudged copy. (Though I’m expecting folks would rather have a clean copy for their scrap book rather than smudge it all up…) If you use a picture, attribution is expected (the link to this web page is sufficient). You can click on any of these images to get a much larger version ( JPEG Basic, in Nikon jargon) but I also have the RAW ( NEF in Nikoneese ) should anyone want a higher quality version of an image. 6 Megapixels of RAW is a large file, though. Just be glad I haven’t bought that Sony Alpha, 25 MP+ with full frame sensor, to go with all my old Minolta lenses ;-) something about not having a spare couple of grand… So NEF can be provided, but be sure you really want it first.

(Sidebar: Sony bought out the Minolta line and made a new body, named the Alpha, that works with all the old Minolta lenses. I have a fairly full ‘suite’ of Minolta lenses and 3 or 4 high end film bodies; but had given up on waiting and bought the Nikon (with a decent set of lenses) to get moving with digital. My son was graduating High School and it just could not wait. THEN the Alpha became available. Maybe someday when I’m suddenly rich, or if the Nikon ever dies, I’ll pony up the bucks for one, but for now I can’t justify spending that much for ‘yet another toy’. The ‘low end’ ones have the same APS sized sensor and almost the same pixels as the Nikon, so just duplicate it. I can’t justify the money, even the relatively low $400 or so (for the now discontinued A330 used), for a duplicate, even if it would let me use the Minolta lenses again. The ones with loads of extra pixels and a full sized sensor run a couple of grand, so while they would certainly be a major upgrade, they are also a major cost item and I just don’t have $2000 for toys with a kid in college and no ‘day job’. I can almost justify the midrange A390 that replaced the A330 as it’s double the pixels, though at $550 – $600 just for “pixel envy” I’ve just not been able to make that emotional leap. But at the present rate of change, I figure in about another 5 years I can get a used A900 for a couple of hundred. It’s not THAT long to wait 8-} Until then, the 6 MP Nikon seems to do just fine. )

OK just as a bit of ‘change of pace’ here is a non-Jaguar picture. I really like this tree, located next to the lunch area:

Mission San Carlos at Carmel Courtyard Tree and Stone Marker

Also already seen in the Mission at Carmel posting is this alternative arrangement with Red Out Front:

Gaggle of Jags at Carmel

This next one was taken during the staging and set up time, as folks where pushing cars around and deciding how to set them up for the group pictures.

Positioning Jaguars for the photo shoot

Here we have the newer Jaguar with the mission garden in the background. This is where they demonstrate growing corn, tomato, squash, beans, grapes on the arbor, and other aspects of mission gardening.

Jaguar In The Garden

I waited a long time for the guy leaning on the tail of the car to leave or move, but he didn’t, so I just ‘framed him out’, and that’s why it is a bit ‘cut off’ from what I’d have rather had. I still think it works OK though. If I had photoshop, I’d have taken the picture entire and then just erased him later…

The garden itself:

Mission Carmel Vegetable Garden

Here are the Jaguars that were put in the back row as backup singers. Thought it only fair to give them a solo of their own:

Back Row Boys with a Priest and Cross

The Back Row Boys from Behind (for folks who want to see the rear car detail) framed in ‘pokey things’… A rose by any other name would still have thorns… :

Jaguar Back Row Boys Rears & Roses

And from the other end of the row, with the Padre and Cactus:

Jaguars Back Row Boys with Flowers and Cactus

Probably could use a tiny bit of foreground trim and a left edge cut off at the cross wood. Maybe someday I’ll try that.

The entire group is up next, framed with a Mission Post on the right and a tree on the left:

Jaguars Under Grape Leaves

I like that picture. The grape leaves add something. I would have liked to have tried it without the photographers in it, as well, but folks don’t move much once set up.

And then from a quartering angle, with Citrus and Roses:

Yellow Jaguar Leads, Citrus and Roses

I know, “Way Overkill” on the pictures. (And I’ve left out lots…) This was from one slow stroll around them. Just imagine what I do when I’m spending a whole day on something 8-)

Here we are from a bit further back, including the Mission and some foreground texture:

Jaguars from the corner, with Mission

And with that, we fade back for a last long shot before “moving on”… and away.

Jaguars, Courtyard, Mission from a distance

Despite being very important and the center of much of the early life of California and the Missions, Fr. Serra stayed with his vow of poverty. For contrast, here is his room at the mission. The events in the courtyard contrasted strongly with what this room had to say:

Fr. Juniper Serra room

Fr. Juniper Serra room2