The Auburn Cord Duesenberg Automobile Museum stands as a cathedral of American automotive ingenuity, housed within the original Art Deco headquarters of the Auburn Automobile Company in Auburn, Indiana. For photographers and history enthusiasts alike, the building itself is as much a subject as the pristine machines it shelters. Capturing the essence of this National Historic Landmark requires an understanding of light, architecture, and the stories etched into the chrome and leather of the Golden Age of motoring. This guide explores how to approach photography at this iconic destination, ensuring your images reflect the elegance and engineering prowess of the Auburn, Cord, and Duesenberg marques.
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The Architectural Canvas: Art Deco as a Backdrop
Before focusing on the vehicles, the photographer must appreciate the stage. The museum occupies the company’s former administration building, a masterpiece of Art Moderne design completed in 1930. The showroom features terrazzo floors, original light fixtures, and sweeping curved walls that create a distinct geometric rhythm.
When photographing the interior architecture, look for repeating patterns. So the vertical lines of the showroom columns, the horizontal banding of the windows, and the circular motifs of the original Auburn logos offer strong compositional elements. Which means a wide-angle lens (16-35mm on full frame) is essential here to encompass the grandeur of the main showroom without excessive distortion. Keep the camera level to maintain the integrity of the vertical lines; correcting keystone distortion in post-processing can degrade image quality at the edges It's one of those things that adds up..
The executive offices on the second floor provide a contrasting texture. Wood paneling, frosted glass doors, and period-correct furniture allow for intimate, detail-oriented shots. These spaces tell the human side of the corporate history—where E.That said, l. Even so, cord made decisions that shaped an empire. And use a moderate aperture (f/4 to f/5. 6) to isolate door handles, desk inlays, or the grain of the walnut paneling while keeping the context of the room readable But it adds up..
Mastering Light in the Main Showroom
The main showroom is the crown jewel for Auburn Cord Duesenberg Automobile Museum photos. Massive windows line two walls, flooding the space with directional natural light that changes dramatically throughout the day. This is a double-edged sword: it creates beautiful modeling on the car bodies but introduces high dynamic range challenges That's the part that actually makes a difference. Less friction, more output..
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Morning Light (East-facing windows): The light is cooler and softer. It rakes across the flanks of the cars parked perpendicular to the windows, highlighting the sculptural "Coke bottle" fenders of the Auburn 851 Speedster or the long, low hood of a Duesenberg Model J. This is the ideal time for three-quarter front shots where the grille badges catch the sparkle.
Afternoon Light (West-facing windows): As the sun moves, the light warms up and deepens. It backlights the vehicles facing the opposite direction, creating dramatic silhouettes and rim lighting on the chrome bumpers and wire wheels. This is the moment for contre-jour photography—exposing for the highlights on the chrome and letting the interiors fall into deep, mysterious shadow It's one of those things that adds up..
Overcast Days: Do not despair if the sky is gray. The cloud cover acts as a giant softbox, eliminating harsh reflections on the dark paint jobs (common on Duesenbergs) and revealing the true color saturation of the two-tone Auburn color schemes. This is the best condition for capturing the subtle "Duco" paint finishes without blown-out highlights.
Because tripods are generally restricted in high-traffic museum areas to protect the terrazzo floors and visitor flow, mastering handheld technique is vital. put to use in-body image stabilization (IBIS) or lens stabilization (VR/IS/OSS). Push your ISO to 400-800 on modern full-frame sensors (higher on APS-C or Micro Four Thirds) to maintain a shutter speed of at least 1/125s. Brace yourself against a column or use the "elbows in" technique for maximum stability And that's really what it comes down to..
The Holy Trinity: Shooting Auburn, Cord, and Duesenberg
Each of the three marques possesses a distinct visual language. A successful portfolio from the museum captures these differences.
Auburn: The Sporting Elegance
Auburns are defined by their two-tone color schemes and the famous "Auburn Speedster" silhouette. The 1935-36 851 Supercharged Speedster is the icon here But it adds up..
- Focus on the Dashboard: The "Auburn" script on the dash, the engine-turned panels, and the unique "boattail" rear deck are signature details.
- The Supercharger Badge: The "Supercharged" plaque on the external exhaust pipes (side pipes) is a small but critical detail shot. Get low—worm’s eye view—to make the side pipes look imposing against the running board.
Cord: The Avant-Garde Vision
The Cord L-29 (front-wheel drive) and the legendary 810/812 represent a leap into the future. Their styling—hidden headlights, lack of running boards, coffin nose, and "coffin" nose—demands a different compositional approach.
- The "Coffin Nose" Grille: Shoot straight on, centered perfectly. The horizontal louvers create leading lines that draw the eye to the center. A polarizing filter is mandatory here to cut glare off the aluminum grille and reveal the mesh texture behind it.
- Hidden Headlights: The crank-out headlights on the 810/812 are a mechanical marvel. If the museum staff demonstrates them (or if a car is displayed with them deployed), capture the mechanism. It tells the story of innovation.
- Interior Minimalism: Cord interiors are sparse, aircraft-inspired. Focus on the toggle switches on the dashboard and the unique instrument cluster layout.
Duesenberg: The Ultimate Statement
The Duesenberg Model J and SJ are the heavyweights. They are large, imposing, and dripping with hand-finished detail. They demand respect in the frame.
- The Grille: The vertical tubes of the radiator shell are the brand’s fingerprint. Shoot tight abstracts of the grille intersecting the hood louvers.
- The "Walking Beam" Engine: If the hood is open (check museum policy or special events), the double-overhead-cam straight-eight is a masterpiece of mechanical art. Use a macro lens or close-focusing capability to capture the safety-wired bolts, the nickel plating, and the "Duesenberg" script on the cam covers.
- Coachwork Diversity: Unlike Auburn and Cord, Duesenberg sold rolling chassis. The museum displays a variety of bodies by LeBaron, Murphy, Bohman & Schwartz, and Rollston. Compare the formal lines of a Berline sedan against the rakish sweep of a Dual Cowl Phaeton. Step back and use a 70-200mm lens to compress the perspective and isolate the coachwork lines against a clean background.
Detail Shots: The Jewelry of the Machine
Wide shots establish the car; detail shots sell the craftsmanship. Allocate significant time to "macro" work (even if using a standard zoom at close focus).
- Hood Ornaments: The Auburn "Greyhound," the Cord "Frontenac" (or lack thereof on the 810), and the Duesenberg "Bird in Flight" are sculptural masterpieces. Shoot them against the sky through the showroom windows for a clean background, or use a wide aperture (f/2.8) to blur the hood paint into a wash of color.
- Instrumentation: The gauges are works of art. Nickel bezels, distinct typefaces, and the "Miles Per Hour" script. Use a polarizer to see through the glass into the dial faces.
- Hardware: Door latches, window cranks, pedal clusters, and the famous "D" shaped Duesenberg steering wheels. These tactile elements connect the viewer to the driving experience.
