Coming out of the fog of Covid in 2021, an SFBA member tagged us in one of Julie Gebhardt’s Instagram photos featuring an Early Model Corvair.
We followed the account right away and eagerly anticipated each post to see if one of our San Francisco Corvairs would be featured in her next street shot.
Following Julie’s account is like eating a box of See’s chocolates. Every one is unique and they’re all excellent. But, when you get lucky and see a Corvair one, you feel like you’ve luckily bit into your favorite one of all.
Do I know the car? Do I know the owner? Do I know the location?
Julie’s eye for structure, color & balance really shows itself in her photography. She also has a keen eye for detail often overlooked in street photography. Her images of the City are beautiful snapshots in time. This is especially true in her photos that feature Classic cars.
Gebhardt states that her photographs are about being in the moment and noticing the beauty around us.
As she explains to SF Gate,
“I’m interested in capturing the beauty of the ordinary, the places and details we tend to glide past as we move through life. I want to spotlight how, if we are attentive, we can find interest even in the mundane.”
In 2011, as Instagram started to gain popularity, Gebhardt installed the app and took photographs with her iPhone.
“I was attracted to the portability of the iPhone camera, the ease of its accessibility,” Gebhardt noted. “I began the practice of capturing my daily observation as I moved through the city and, fairly quickly, I found my subject matter.”
“Presenting my subject straight on allows the viewer to engage it directly,” she explains.
“Vintage cars are exciting because there’s a big element of luck to finding them,” she said. “Of course, it requires a willingness to jump out of the car, but I drive a tiny electric Smartcar, so I can quickly park when I spot something photo-worthy.”
“The urge to photograph unfolds as I go. I love looking at everything,” Gebhardt said. “I think looking is the main thing, and the photo extends that pleasure by capturing the experience.”
We hope you’ve enjoyed this little peek into Julie Gebhardt’s San Francisco featuring our Corvairs! If you’re interested in learning more about her art, you can follow her on Instagram. Maybe your Corvair will catch her eye!
We thank SFGate’s Douglas Zimmerman for his piece on Julie which we have sourced for our daily digital newsletter. The article can be read in its entirety here
Learn more about Julie’s fine art here
SFBA CORSA 
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