Mobil Gas Station - Anaheim, CA

Smith & Williams Architects

1956

 
 

This Mobil station once graced the intersection of Harbor Bl. and Katella Ave in Anaheim, not far from then new Disneyland. Shulman reported that his architect friends Whitney Smith and Wayne Williams were commissioned by Mobil Gas to do a mockup for a new type of design for the Mobil Gas image, including the flying horse. In the background of this photograph there is a story. “The architect’s wife was there, ” Shulman said.  ”She was driving an Alfa Romeo convertible, with white gloves. I had her pull her car up just far enough that the bumper would not come inside that shadow line. And then her arms would show. She’s just coming in to get gas, to that station. It’s a story-telling picture.” In fact, it was her own car along with a customer’s red convertible. The moment the customer pulled in, Shulman ran over and asked, ‘Would you mind? I have a young lady with a car waiting for me, with a convertible.’ Shulman asked, ‘Would you stay in your car while I photograph it? I’ll have the attendant talking to you, ‘How many gallons do you want?’ ” Shulman staged this image in such a natural way.

 

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