Gordon Calder Indian engine
Photoshop is often abused, ever see one of those supermodels before the computer magic? Yikes! On the other hand, sometimes photos just need a cleaner background or a few blemishes removed to bring out what's hidden in plain sight and that's where Gordon Calder's talent lies. He finds motorcycle engines the perfect subject, wrapped as they are in the surrounding frame and viewed in front of busy backgrounds, it's hard to focus your eyes on the engine alone, so, to paraphrase a famous sculptor, Gordon takes a photo, opens it in Photoshop and removes everything that isn't engine, ... and he's good, ... very good.
Gordon Calder Confederate Hellcat engine
Some time back I reviewed a book, The Fine Art of the Motorcycle Engine, which did very similar work and the images looked good, but, to be honest, Calder's work, in my opinion, looks even better because the motorcycle has been totally excised, it's all engine. He has a growing online gallery of engines that is absolutely stunning. His subjects include the usual suspects, for instance, numerous Harley V-Twins from the earliest to current models, but he has lots of other engines from many manufacturers including a few rare examples like a Moto Guzzi Dondolino. It's hard to believe, when looking at the photos that these engines are "in situ," they're still in the bike. Viewed after Gordon's work, they seem to be mounted and on display in a studio of mechanical objects d' art.
Gordon does superb work and these engines look better for having his attention and skill lavished upon them. I see posters or a book in his future.
Link: Gordon Calder on flickr
Gordon Calder Harley Davidson XR1200 engine
Kickboxer Subaru WRX Powered Motorcycle Concept
{ 5 comments… add yours below ... }
Love the way that you can see the mirror of the origanal shot in the chrome and polished aluminum and steel.
But damn that AJS 7r looks hot!
Certainly adds to the statement that the motorcycle engine is a work of art as well as a propulsion devise. I do wish the K model HD was amongst the collection…
True beauty. Sometimes misunderstood by many of todays riders that buy motorcycles with the engines covered by plastic. Hmmm, many of those engines should be covered in plastic because they were never designed to be viewed by the eye. What a shame.
engines behind perimeter frames need not apply no matter how beautiful they may be.
-todd
Riders have always known their engines were engineering marvels. Now they’re works of art in themselves.Awesome!
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