I met Silvina a few years ago and I instantly adored her. She has this infectious smile, is a great woman to talk about any topic to and overall is awesome. She was showing her VW Bus at our local car show here in Bordentown back in 2016. This is how long I’ve been working on getting this project off the ground for. I knew that she was one of the women I wanted for this, and I’m so happy that it’s worked out.
The day I photographed her, the weather was hot, humid, and sticky, and a huge thunderstorm was on the horizon. She was working on prepping a 1973 VW Super Beetle to be painted. Friends came by later to help out and offer advice. The car is going to be gorgeous once it’s done!
If you haven’t read my last post about Jen and her 1973 Dodge Charger SE 440, I’ve been working on getting this personal photo project about women mechanics, and I’ve decided to call it, Women Who Turn Wrenches.
“What I’m interested in is the women who own their vehicles and work on them as well. Or work at a shop, race, anything. There are too many images of guys working on cars, and not enough showing women. Yeah, we’ve seen the pin-ups, and don’t get me wrong, I love that, however, it’s high time to show the world the beauty of real women, doing what they love. Basically, I want this to as a woman empowerment in what’s been a “Boys Club”.”
Everyone who agreed to this project I asked them to answer the same set of questions, here Silvina’s answers:
Why did you decide to be a part of this project?
I spoke with Deirdre during the Bordentown car show couple years back.
What drew you into cars?
I can’t pinpoint an exact instance, but my first car was a 67 beetle and then it progressed from there.
How did you learn how to work on cars?
Books and Manuals
What is the most rewarding part of what you do with vehicles?
The most rewarding part is fixing something and it actually works! And also fixing things on the old cars and leaving them better than I found them.
How many hours do you spend in the garage or driveway working on your vehicle?
As much as I can, I would estimate about 10 hours a week.
How much money do you think you’ve spent? Loaded question I know.
oh, brother…..my garage alone was 25k, I have probably 5k in tools and 50k in cars and parts! ouch.
What would be your dream vehicle if money wasn’t an issue? Details, please!
1964 VW bus-21 Window
Would you have your own garage as well? C’mon, the sky’s the limit here.
Absolutely! I would love to!
If you race cars, what’s your favorite and why did you choose it?
I’m not really into speed, I am more of a cruiser
If you have another type of full-time job, do you wish that you could do this full time instead?
I don’t know because I wouldn’t want to lose the excitement and urge to actually go out to the garage and work on something.
Are you good at fixing other things as well? Have you always tinkered?
Yes, I am very handy, I learned this from my dad. When I was little I used to take things apart just for fun and put them back together. Now there is nothing out there that I won’t do…from fixing my cars to redoing the bathrooms in my house.
What was your first “project” or “baby”?
1967 Beetle- my first car. I would wash that thing and polish it every other day LOL from there I went onto fixing things that broke on the car and the rest is history…
What was or is your most favorite car that you’ve owned? Mine was my 2001 Volvo V70 T5, she roared and purred….the photo below was taken on the day she died.
1978 VW Bus, I still own him.
Do you remember each car that you’ve ever owned like they were your “babies”? I still have a soft spot in my heart for my very first, an ’81 Olds Omega.
For sure, I name all my cars as well. They all have a special place in my heart.
Which do you prefer?
Other: German cars are my favorite
Why?
I love German engineering. I actually went to Germany and visit the VW factory and museum. It was amazing!!!
Favorite brand of car? Fair warning: there are cars in here from all around the world, like the Ukraine, India, and Australia. I just added everything for the fun of it. To find out more on them here’s the link
Volkswagen
How many cars do you own?
4
How many cars have you owned?
More than 10.
Do other members of your family work on cars too?
No
If no, do you work on your family and friends vehicles?
I help all my friends and family with their vehicles when time permits. They certainly call me with questions and I am always happy to help. I also rely on some of my friends who are more experienced and knowledgeable. This hobby is really a community of people that like to help each other (The old school VW community)
Is fixing your car or racing something you do with family or friends?
Yes, I have a lot of friends in the VW community. We do a lot of things together like cruising, camping, work on cars and car shows.
Do you see more women doing this now than before? If yes, why?
No, there is still very few girls out there who work on their cars.
Years ago, high schools offered auto mechanic classes, home ec, and other trades and now they don’t. Why do you think they don’t and do you think they should still offer them instead of going to a separate vo-tech school?
Totally, I took Home ec and shop class. We didn’t have an auto mechanic in Bordentown back in the 90s but I would have totally taken that! I think its imperative for young people to learn basic life skills that these classes offered. It is really a shame that they don’t anymore.
Are there any nicknames for women who fix cars? How does it differ from the nicknames for guys?
Not that I know of….people sometimes ask me “do you wrench?” but that about it.
Are there nicknames for women who race cars? How does it differ from the nicknames for guys?
Being a woman who loves cars and knows how to work on them, do you find that you have any problems with the “boys” at first or even now? Like when you go car shopping, if a guy is helping you do you see any differences in how you’re treated when you start telling them more facts about vehicles than they were expecting? When test driving?
I haven’t had any “problems” per say but I do surprise some of the boys with my knowledge. Most of my friends who I work on cars with are “boys” so we are cool! We learn from each other.
Do guys respect you in your field? If yes explain? If no, why not?
Sure! The people that I surround myself with are all positive and respectful people. I guess this is because it is a hobby and not a job. I get to choose 🙂
Do you prefer older classic cars or the newer ones out today? Can you explain?
The older the better. I love how simple cars were back then. We are getting to the point where we may not even have to “Drive” our cars anymore, that is just too much.
My favorite cars since I was in grade school was the 1954 silver Mercedes BenzGull Wing with red leather interior and the Duesenbergs from the 1920s. Are there any vehicles that still stand out in your mind from when you were a kid?
My dads’ car when I was little and we lived in Argentina. 1975 Citroen 2CV. It was so ugly it was cute!
Why do you think there aren’t as many women mechanics or race car drivers as men?
Because it is a very physical job, believe it or not, you need to lift parts, get under the car, crawl on the floor and much more. Also, you have to be willing to get dirty, not many girls like that.
Do you feel that as a woman, you feel very much more in control when you are able to work on your own vehicle? That there’s a satisfaction in knowing you are accomplishing what is typically a “guys job” or do you not feel that way at all?
Not really, gender roles were never a huge topic in my family. We all did what we liked, even if was outside social norms.
Last question, what would you tell young ladies and girls today who might be interested in a career that involved cars?
Its just nuts and bolts….go for it! Get dirty and don’t be afraid to fail.
Thanks again for letting me into your home and sharing not just your passion, but your family and love for photography.
Are you a woman who works on her own vehicle and is interested in being a part of my project? Contact me and let’s have some fun!
Stephen and I connected via an online networking group on Facebook and together we collaborated with an idea that he needed very quickly that represented how he wanted his clients to see him and his business online. You see Stephen is a contractor and a man of many talents and also a father and husband. He works very hard like all businesses do and expects the very best for his clients. I was really impressed with his website and the work his company has done.
We met on a Sunday at the building where his office is located. It has so many incredible areas to photograph inside and out because it used to be an old leather factory right here in the Trenton area of New Jersey. Now it’s being converted to gorgeous loft and studio style office spaces. Honestly I could’ve stayed and shot there all day long. But the important thing was that he looked great and the location matched how he wanted to have his company represented with their branding.
As always, I overpacked, but I wasn’t sure what to expect. I brought my Dynalites but we were moving around a lot so I decided to use my Canon RX ET 600 wireless flashes with Westcott and Photek light modifiers. Normally I shoot tethered as well, but I didn’t want to be hindered with more cables than necessary. I did have my husband/business partner assisting me, but once I got there and Stephen started to show me around, I knew that having my camera tether to my Macbook wasn’t going to work that day. I used my Canon Mark 5D III and just 2 lenses, the Canon 70-200mm f2.8 non-IS L and the Canon 24-70mm f2.8 L. Stephen put on some music with his cell phone because mine was having a hard time getting a signal and then the fun began.
Stephen was a natural in front of my camera, while I did give him direction and coaching, these favorites of mine and his, are all him. We started off in the orange and white striped hallway, then the stairwell, and after that, we wanted to get one more area. We walked into an unfinished area, he turned a corner inside of it and this amazing room appeared. Raw, still under construction like the rest, but just beautiful and perfect to represent him and what he does.
His brother came by and wanted a quick shot so I did one for him too.
We had a lot of fun and I’m very happy with what we were able to accomplish. Thanks again Stephen!
I would love to hear what you have to say, leave a comment below. Stay up to date by signing up for my newsletters, if you’re interested in what I do, please contact me for your next project. Thanks!
https://www.deirdreryanphotography.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/IMG_0623-1DESHomeRenovations.jpg538900Deirdre Ryanhttp://deirdreryanphotography.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/Logo.pngDeirdre Ryan2017-07-10 21:19:272020-09-14 16:15:42Environmental Portraits With DES Home Renovations-NJ Environmental Portrait Photographer
My friend and neighbor Julianna is an amazing woman, mother, artist and now a tattoo apprentice at Ceremony Tattoo Society in Philadelphia, PA. She already has a name for herself in the art world for her amazing paintings and drawings. She was also a featured artist with Grumbacher, a famous maker of art supplies such as paint brushes, oil and acrylic paints and more. And now she is about to take on the tattooing world as well.
As Julianna was preparing her needles, ink and machine, we caught up on what’s been going on. Our children go to the same school, I’m friends with one of her daughters and her husband Joe, also a well known artist. These two were taken with the iPhone SE as she works on a client 😉
Photo by Julianna Menna
The above image is the freshly completed black and white tattoo with a hint of white ink in places. I believe that this was her fourth tattoo that she’s ever done(?). This is why I know that she is going to become very well known very soon, and she is in the right place for it.
After Julianna completed the gorgeous tattoo, she proceeded to clean up the work area. Everyone in the shop left for the day, so it was just us, chatting while I was taking pictures. And then she let her beautiful red hair down….However this wasn’t working for me. I wanted to see more of her neck tattoo that she had done by Raph Cemo, so I had her put her hair back up again. She moves like a dancer….
We moved to the work station, and I preferred this better.
A HUGE thank you to my good friend! You are going to go so far in this natural transition of your art and medium as you continue to grow in your creativity. I can’t wait to get together soon.
As we begin 2017, I want to acknowledge all of my clients who helped make 2016 a success. First, thank you for your business and for the opportunity to help in creating and presenting your business brand. Here’s to your continued success. For my future clients I look forward to working with you and doing the same.
Happy 2017!
These are in no particular order, just my favorites from 2016.
This was for a husband and wife team, they needed images for their website and branding for their new business. One is a personal trainer and the other is a therapist and life coach. Working with them beforehand, they knew what they wanted, and it ended up being an amazing environmental photoshoot!
Christine who is a sleep consultant, photographed in her home office and in her yard. In her home office, her true personality shone with her witty sense of humor. Click here to see the full session.
My dear friend, Roseanne, let me photograph her one day, trying out some new techniques that I wanted to try. They show off the two sides of her, both are strong women, but in different ways.
A real estate salesman needed his headshot like “yesterday”. This is his second career after many years doing something else. I didn’t have time to get set up in my studio, so I did this in my living room/foyer. He loved it, and so did I, it shows his true awesome personality.
Our daughter ran her first 5K with Girls on the Run(GOTR), when she was in the 4th grade. They work with the girls each week to empower, embrace, and create a positive place for the girls to achieve something that they may have never done before. Here you see my husband spraying her hair purple, and then later they had facial paint and accessories to have fun with before the race. She finished, even beat her practice run time, we were so proud of her!
My friend Dr. Sarah Meanor is a Chiropractor and hired me to photographer her and the office for her website. I love this image as she is working on a patient’s back and shoulders.
The day before the 2016 Presidential Election, I was fortunate to drive down to Philadelphia, PA with some friends to see and hear President Barack Obama, First Lady Michelle Obama and Madame Secretary Hillary Clinton speak in front of Independance Hall with roughly over 30K people. We couldn’t get very close, but I did capture this image of a child singing how we were all going to Hell as sinners, etc., with an extreme “Christian” group. You see plain clothed PPD officers guarding them. I can only assume the man with her is her father. And I say it like that because as a liberal Catholic, I don’t believe God would like this at all.
Every morning in Ocean City, NJ I woke up early, got my coffee at OC Coffee Roasters on the boardwalk and read my book on the beach. This one morning, the sun and the clouds made it look “almost” like the afternoon golden hour sunset.
Another collaboration for marketing and branding. I love this because she is sitting in a bronze statue on Princeton University campus, the colours, her expression, she is such a free spirit! Click here to see the full session.
We went canoeing on the Delaware River and Crosswicks Creek with our daughter’s 2nd grade teacher. I love how the light hits them both, so peaceful as we were rowing back.
I shot these headshots during a workshop and I just love how they turned out. All natural lighting, indoors, and working with these gentleman turned into great images, and I can work anywhere.
New Jersey Governor Chris Christie came to my hometown and did his town hall meeting. He was there to discuss his Fairness Formula to NJEA teachers, staff, residents of Bordentown, and those from other towns. I love this because it shows how he sometimes talks to people, there was another person who asked hard questions that he didn’t seem to like either. But when he talks, he asks for no interruptions.
The day after the Presidential Election, I was really feeling down and depressed. I’m still not okay, but that day I went for a walk shot some images…. The woman just happened to be jogging right past me and I found it perfect. Reminding me that we need to move, and make a difference in our own ways to get things done. I was bored one day, and needed to get out of the house. I did a model call on Facebook, and my clients gave me a call to photograph their new puppy. I had done their portraits before with all three of their Great Danes when they had their oldest, but unfortunately he passed away. They knew that his day was coming, but that doesn’t make it any easier…I used two kinds of lighting with each image. The first, I adore the look George was giving his owner in the golden sunset light. In the second, I used 2 lights and in post I Photoshopped the leash out of the image, it gives him a regal look.
My dear friend Randy brought one of the Ghostbuster’s ECTO – 1 that was used in the new movie that came out over the summer. I love the look of the these headshots that I did in the park for my fellow networking business colleagues. They are bright, pleasing and make my clients look amazing. Click here to see the full post! Our daughter is a Junior Girl Scout and every year, she and many other troops as well as Boy Scouts from all over, come together to place flags on the graves of veterans at the Brigadier General William C. Doyle Veterans Memorial Cemetery in Wrightstown, NJ. The image below is with my father, her grandfather, a Ret. Lt. Col. Army.
My clients, NJPAC, invited me to photograph their Martin Luther King event. I had been there before for their Kwanzaa event, and each time I’m there, I have such a good time! The energy of the choir director for the children’s choir is amazing.Randy Now brings a lot of great acts and musicians to our area. This was the Killer Triple Bill Concert at the Performing Arts Center in Bordentown, NJ. Here you see The Doughboys, Jet Weston and His Atomic Ranch Hands and The Sharkskins. I get my rock photo influences from the 60’s and 70’s and I like to work this into my work.
These in yellow I had the wonderful opportunity to photograph these beautiful women in pin up genre, it was full of playing dress up with the clothes, makeup and hair. This was in a local store in my town and I hope to do this again as it was a lot of fun and the women all enjoyed themselves.
This is my dear and one of my best friends, Lisa. We have known each other since HS, she was a Freshman, I was a Sophomore and now lives in Austin, TX. She was in town for barely 2 days, but made time to see friends. We took a few moments for a fun shoot, this was right before a bikini body competition, and I had to spray her with a lot of bug spray LOL!
The Bordentown Board Of Education asked me to photograph their Annual St. Patrick’s 5K Run. I love this because it shows my friend helping his daughter with her shoelaces right before the race is about to begin.
I was invited to photograph the NAWBO-NYC Chapter’s 3 Hour Boot-Camp-Full Morning To Grow Your Business at the Microsoft Building in NYC and they had a fabulous guest speaker, Stephanie Breedlove. She had just sold her company care.com and hearing her speak as a woman entrepenuer was inspiring.
https://www.deirdreryanphotography.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/GOTRDeirdre-Ryan-Photography08.jpg748500Deirdre Ryanhttp://deirdreryanphotography.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/Logo.pngDeirdre Ryan2017-01-05 16:44:032019-10-17 18:16:39My Personal Favorite Images of 2016
Jen and Joe came to me needed photos to go with their new business that would not only go well with their marketing, but show everyone what they’re about.
The business is called JKORINTEGRATIVE FITNESS & WELLNESS and are located in Bordentown City, NJ. What they are and I quote from their website,” a grassroots husband and wife team seeking to make a difference in people’s lives through our commitment to integrative fitness and wellness.” They are a husband and wife local business that compliment each other. Jen is a licensed therapist MS, LPC, BCC (Eligible) has been in the field of Behavioral Health for 19 years. What she does is focus on the well being of the mind. Joe is a licensed NASM CPT, TRX Qualified Personal Trainer (STC, FTC ,GTC, RTC), and he focuses on the physical side of things in terms of your body.
They have a tremendous space for everything that you could think of. A calm, relaxing area where Jen meets her clients to get them mentally fit. And for Joe, he has an awesome space for working out with his clients using all sorts of what I call workout “toys” to help them get in the best physically shape of their life.
I think that they have found the perfect niche market for a huge need, a place where you can find everything in one place for this type of training and coaching.
Below are some behind the scenes look that my husband/assistant/business partner took for me. I decided to use wireless flash for this shoot. Combining them with a Photek, a Westcott reflector and a homemade beauty dish(made out of an Ikea metal light fixture and a mixing bowl) for some additional “punch”. Normally that dish is on my Dynalite 4040 flash head(now replaced by the SH2000). However I was already using the one with the umbrella and love the freedom of no wires for once.
Thank you both so very much for letting me photograph you. You guys were a lot of fun and I can’t wait to see you again!
https://www.deirdreryanphotography.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/JKORL_IMG_8778Deirdre-Ryan-Photography-e1479497591733.jpg900601Deirdre Ryanhttp://deirdreryanphotography.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/Logo.pngDeirdre Ryan2016-11-18 17:13:002019-10-17 18:16:55Husband and Wife Grassroots Business For Wellness
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