Monday 14 May 2007

THE FUN OF DRIVE BY PHOTOGRAPHY


Most of us spend a lot of time in our cars.
Driving from A to B is not that simple anymore, it is fraught with obstacles which can cause us a lot of stress and frustration.
We have to plan journeys ahead, add lots of time to the 'actual' time, because, as you hear or see on your screen, you are going to face delays, from forever going on roadworks, to accidents, to traffic- jams, to freak weather conditions. The tarmac is melting, the gritting is not done, the road is flooded... You're smiling, it happened to you too he?
Another thing I tried to turn around for me, instead of fretting, now I take advantage of it.
When we're out together, Paul does most of the driving.
Me, I look around and love the challenge of shooting images from the car... hit and miss, but I have a whole series of 'hits' now and even more 'misses'... hihi, and I had a lot of fun.
What I have now noticed is how 'cluttered' the roadsides are with barriers, fences, lamp poles, cables and roadsigns and how parceled the land is with hedges, stonewalls and trees.
You get other cars and lorries blocking a fleeting stunning view.

At 70 miles/hour, there's bound to be something in your shot, or when the fraction in time and space is just perfect, yes, you guessed it, a bump or a pothole, grrr... only another type of frustration? Hihi.

Now I can't wait for the slow down or the complete stop. We pass so many places that you couldn't get to and see any other way!

I get a kick out of this type of challenge, only ONE chance, you either got it spot on, that is mainly the comp, or it's a complete flop.
Think: windows are mostly tinted now! No, not a natural filter.
Beware of glare and reflection, there is a knack and, ahem, 'logic' to this.

How positive can you get????? LOL.
DRIVE CAREFULLY! Thanx, M, (*_*)

1. Liverpool. By myself, waiting at the traffic lights... the corner building had a rounded mirror-glass facade, I loved what I saw, grabbed my camera... the lights changed to green... onto the next...

2. Always have a CLEAN windscreen, look up, blue sky and... power cables.

3. Through town you stand a better chance as they are all congested and there's lots to see, keep your eyes peeled!

4. This is what I mean about the land being parceled!

5. Almost in Cornwall, quite a landmark , this copse, I love the movement in the fg.

6. Use mirrors, they can add a creative aspect.

7. A HIT!!!
"Second Severn Crossing"-Ail Groesfan Hafren

The most southerly bridge over the river Severn is the viaduct and cable-stayed bridge which carries the motorway M4 between Wales and England. This was taken with the Nikkor 70-300.
You need a steady hand, a good driver and a smooth, 'whisper tarmacked' road.

8. A MISS!!!
I thought it was only fair to include one of my 'misses' or is it? Over to you.




5 comments:

tropicalrips said...

i like the framing in the 3rd photo M :)
it looks like a poster in a window :)

nice curve and colors in the 5th landscape photo, lovely green

sir henry said...

nice to see you here
great blog
i had never a car
but i was travel all over europe
your car pics are fun
henry

ElsHattink said...

Nice this blog, I have the same , each time that my husband and drive to Amsterdam (from Grimbergen) and when we are in a traffic jam I take pics! I will post some on 500px!

ElsHattink said...

Nice this blog, I have the same , each time that my husband and drive to Amsterdam (from Grimbergen) and when we are in a traffic jam I take pics! I will post some on 500px!

ElsHattink said...

I like your blog and pictures. Every time that my husband I drive from Grimbergen tot Amsterdam (which we do regularly) I take pictures when we are in a traffic jam, I will post some pics on 500px!
I like to see your work each time when I 'arrive' on the site!
Els