Rick Sammon - The Route 66 Photo Road Trip: How to Eat, Stay, Play, and Shoot Like a Pro

Standing on a corner in Winslow, AZ

THE ROUTE 66 PHOTO ROAD TRIP

HOW TO EAT, PLAY, STAY, AND SHOOT LIKE A PRO

RICK AND SUSAN SAMMON

THE COUNTRYMAN PRESS

A division of W. W. Norton & Company

Independent Publishers Since 1923

Copyright 2018 by Rick and Susan Sammon

Map on 2018 by The Countryman Press

All rights reserved

For information about permission to reproduce selections from this book, write to Permissions, The Countryman Press, 500 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10110

For information about special discounts for bulk purchases, please contact W. W. Norton Special Sales at specialsales@wwnorton.com or 800-233-4830

Book design by Anna Reich

Production manager: Devon Zahn

The Countryman Press

www.countrymanpress.com

ISBN 978-1-68268-060-5 (e-book)

A division of W. W. Norton & Company, Inc.

500 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10110

www.wwnorton.com

978-1-68268-059-9 (pbk.)

This book is dedicated to Angel Delgadillo, the angel of Route 66 and founder of the Historic Route 66 Association of Arizona.

Our first acknowledgment is to you, the reader. Thank you for purchasing our book. We wrote it with you in mind, and took the pictures to inspire you to make an awesome road trip.

Wed like to thank Bob Sammon, Ricks brother, for taking a look at our manuscript before it went to the publisher. Bob is an excellent proofreader/editor, and a good friend.

A big thank you goes to our friend Glenn Taylor, whose wonderful Route 66 photographs inspired us to make this road triptwice.

John and Jo Vant Land also get our thanksfor their hospitality in Gallup, New Mexico... and for letting me stand on the roof of their SUV for my train photograph.

Wed also like to thank Hertz, who rented us an awesome Dodge Charger. Those hot wheels made our first Route 66 trip truly memorableand a ton of fun!

As a Canon Explorer of Light, Rick would like to thank Canon USAs Dan Neri, Len Musmeci, Rob Altman, Rudy Winston, Chuck Westfall, and all his friends at Canon CPS for supporting his photographic endeavors since 2003.

And, of course, wed like to thank all the folks at The Countryman Press for their help with this book.

Photographers will take long trips by land, sea, or air just to capture good images. Of all the road trips in all the world, why travel the Historic Route 66?

Heres why:

1. Driving in your car on Route 66 is like riding in a time machine. With some imagination, you can transport yourself to the 1950s and 1960s, when cars and buildings, had unique personalities.
2. Photo opportunities are everywhere if you seek them out. The vintage cars, neon-lighted buildings, and happy people make wonderful subjects.
3. Historic Route 66 is very accessible from I-40. Just follow the brown Historic Route 66 signs. Pull off the interstate and drive into town and youll feel as though you are miles away from the hustle and bustle of modern everyday life.
4. You will meet some wonderful people in the restaurants, at the hotels and motels, and in the shops. Everyone we met was exceptionally friendly and happy to pose for photographs.
5. Drive time can be thinking time. Driving from city to city gives you time to reflect on what you have seen and photographed.
6. Once you arrive on-site, you dont have to get a plane to go from location to location until your trip is over. Being self-contained and in total control of your schedule is a wonderful and freeing feeling.
7. Your road trip will not break the bank if you plan wisely. Its a vacation just about everyone can manage.
8. You will be challenged (which is a good thing for a photographer) to make pictures that dont look like the same old Route 66 images you have seen countless times.
9. You will have a ton of fun on the road trip of a lifetime. We can say that with some authority because we have been to about 100 countries, and we think that traveling on Route 66 is still one of the best photo trips a photographer can make.

Seligman, AZ

Using This Book

We wrote this book with two main goals in mind. First, you can use it as a planner to make the most of your road trip. Second, it can be your on-site companion to help you have the most fun and make the best photographs during your time on our favorite part of Route 66.

In planning your trip, we suggest that you read the chapters in order. They were written in the order in which we visited each location and in the order you will most likely be visiting each location on your one-way road trip. That way, you will be able to plan your trip from start to finish, getting a good idea of the locations that lie ahead. And when it comes to discussing photographic processes, such as HDR (High Dynamic Range photography), we will start with a detailed explanation, and then briefly mention the technique as we motor along, so to speak.

Wigwam Motel, Holbrook, AZ Rick at work on Route 66

If you are new to making road trips, our Road Trip Tips section () will get you prepared for spending time in the car, in hotels, in cities, and in the great outdoors.

We also recommend that you read our photo tips in the Jump-Start Your Route 66 Photography chapter () before you take a trip. We will discuss techniques, such as HDR and smartphone processing that are briefly mentioned in each chapter.

Cant wait to see all exciting stops you will make? Check out our Drivers Log on . It includes all the places we visited, including their addresses.

We hope you enjoy the ride!

Rick & Susan Sammon

Cant wait to get on the road? We understand. However, before you put your car into drive, we suggest you check out these road trip tips, which will make your trip more enjoyable, productive, and safe.

Planning: This is an essential part of any road trip. Sure, its good to be flexible, but planning your route and calculating the drive times between your destinations, hotels, and dining spots will help ensure a smooth ride.

We booked all our hotels well in advance of our departure, and stuck pretty much to our planned schedule.