Most of us can't even remember what we had for breakfast last week but, if you ask someone to describe a day during the most influential decade of their youth, they still remember Saturday mornings as a kid. Closing my eyes right now, I see the morning sun, dancing through the trees as it passed through the front screen door and onto the worn, brown, living room carpet. I remember how mushy my Captain Crunch had already become just three bites in, which only made it easier to hear all about "the world's most fearsome, fighting teens."
While many might disagree, especially those who experienced adolescence in the 80's and 90's, there was no secret sauce that made these two particular decades any better than those that surround them. Or is there..? To be honest, nothing compares to a trip down memory lane. After all, nostalgia is the go-to Instagram filter of our memories.. and who doesn't want to see those beautiful days again?
This past weekend I had the opportunity to check out RADwood in Austin, Texas. If you haven't heard of it, you will. RADwood is the celebration of 80's and 90's culture, focused mostly around the cars and fashion of the era. In that spirit, several RADwood shows exist across the globe, all featuring cars that were built during this time period. Some of them are the cars you remember, like the Volkswagen GTI, the Chevrolet Corvette and the Ferrari F40. Other cars present at the show seem to exist as cult classics, lesser known to the average Joe but equally impressive in their respective circles.
As a child of the 80's myself, it's easy to understand how a show like this probably made me feel. It was like hopping into a time machine and traveling back to a place where magic still existed and the future was unclear- and, of course, Doc, Marty and the Delorean(s) were there. Spectators are, after all, encouraged to participate in rad culture however they possibly can. Whether that's neon windbreakers, dressing as an 80's/90's pop culture icon, or bringing out a rad ride, the choice is entirely up to you.
And that's really what cultural movements like this are all about, right? It's not about a political stance. (It's actually not about stance at all- did you even look at the photos?). This subculture, dressed like a box of highlighters and rocking out to synthesizers and hair bands, is focused on celebrating two of the greatest decades the world will ever know. Then again, I might be biased.
Gear: Sony A7RIII, Sigma MC-11, Canon 24-70 2.8L, Tiffen CPL, Manfrotto Tripod
Post Processing: Adobe Camera Raw, Adobe Lightroom & Adobe Photoshop