1912 Stutz Bearcat Steering Wheel Black and White Photography
Polished Spokes and Curved Controls Inside an Early Motorcar
The dark rim of the steering wheel draws a broad circle around a much smaller arrangement of polished controls. That relationship is what holds my attention in this interior view of a 1912 Stutz Bearcat. I photographed it in 2015, bringing the wheel close while allowing the dashboard behind it to soften. In black and white, the bright metal spokes stand out clearly against the rim and the deep shadow beyond.
A curved, slotted control assembly crosses the centre of the wheel. Its smaller arc follows a different path from the outer circle, giving the composition a second rhythm. Rounded knobs, narrow rods and the angled steering column bring several lines together at the hub. I like how the reflections change across those surfaces: a broad pale highlight on a spoke becomes a sharp glint on a small fitting. The worn texture of the rim adds another quality beside the smooth metal.
I kept enough of the surrounding interior to make this a photograph of a car rather than an isolated study of shapes. A round gauge remains visible to the right, and the pale dashboard gives the wheel a lighter backdrop along that edge. The shallow focus keeps those details secondary. My eye returns to the steering wheel and the controls clustered around its centre, where the image feels most precise. For me, this close view is an appealing way to look at an antique automobile: through the surfaces and mechanisms immediately in front of its driver, with the larger car suggested beyond the frame.
© Dan Kosmayer, 2015
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About My Fine Art Photography
Every photograph in my collection comes from my own travels, explorations, and years behind the camera.
I create my work as photographic art rather than mass-produced decoration. From street portraits and abandoned places to landscapes, architecture, and the unusual subjects I discover along the way, each image begins with something that made me stop and look.
My photographs are available in multiple sizes so the same image can work in anything from an intimate wall space to a large statement installation.
