When I am out driving I will often see something interesting that I think would make a nice photo. Sadly, though, I have to admit that it tends to occur when I am in a goal oriented situation....have to get to work, have to be on time etc.....and, in these situations, I rarely stop to take the shot, even if I happen to have a camera available.
On one particular occasion a few months ago, it was a foggy morning and I was driving my son to a fencing competition in Harrisburg, PA, which is a fairly rural community. As we were looking for the high school where the competition was to be held, we passed a farmhouse with a large old tree in a field out in front of it. As we were driving by I remember thinking that the tree would really make a nice image in the fog. I did have my camera with me, as I was planning to take some pictures of my son fencing, but I was, again, being very goal oriented and wasn't planning to stop for fear of being late to the competition.
The scene looked eerie enough that it even attracted my son's attention, who, as a teen-ager, is not typically excited by scenery. He said "Dad, that looks really cool, you should get a picture of it". With that said, who could resist? I asked him if he would mind if I dropped him off at the venue, which was about a half-mile away, and let him check in by himself while I came back to take some photographs. "No problem."
So I went back. I didn't have a tripod, so I just took the pictures handheld. As I took the shots, I had in my mind the idea of trying to give the images an 'old fashioned' feel.
Farmhouse TreeCopyright Howard Grill
I guess this teaches me that there is something satisfying about stopping to take a shot of something that grabs your attention, even if it does sidetrack you for a few minutes. It isn't necessarily always easy....but I am going to try to do it more often.
One thing that often keeps me from being spontaneous is that I frequently notice scenes that would make interesting photographs while driving on the highway, where it would be dangerous to stop to take pctures. In addition, it is often difficult to be certain about out how to get off the main highway and back to the location on smaller roads.
I am curious as to how people that may be reading this deal with seeing something that they feel is worth photographing when they are on the road. Do you typically stop or not? If you do, do you get off the main road or shoot from the shoulder? How much time will you spend when stopping? If the scene would make a better shot closer up do you ever knock on someone's door to ask permission to go on their property? Do these type of unplanned shots that grabbed your attention tend to become 'keepers', or were they just interesting for the moment?
12 comments:
I certainly can recall many situations like this, and quite often they are when I am on the highway, and there is nowhere to stop except to pull off on the shoulder. And more often than not, my camera isn't with me. I just haven't subjected myself to the 'bring the camera with me everywhere' habit yet. It makes perfect sense for situations like this.
This is a great tree. It isn't too often you find them like this - I am sure this could make for a lot of great images.
Thanks Mark. Like you I don't often have my camera in these situations but I happen to have it for this one. I often see 'things' that I wish I had my camera with me to take shots of.
In regards to this image, I have been toying with processing it three different ways and perhaps assembling a tryptich.
Nice tree picture, Howard !, when I'm taking pictures from the road sometimes they work out and other times they don't, it depends on where there is a place to stop, in BC here, many of the roads are winding and steep with little or no shoulder to pull off, sometimes if its really special, I will pull off somewhere down the road if its not too far and walk back to see if the image has potential, traffic whizzing by is another concern, which can cause camera shake if I'm shooting at a slow shutter speed on a tripod, my camera being a 4 x 5 view camera. One thing that I have noticed is that what I "see" speeding along at 60 mph is not the same when I stop, back track and look at the scene standing still !
Gary
I always have camera and tripod in the trunk, just in case. It's not something I have to remember, that's just where the camera lives; I seldom make photographs that don't involve a drive, anyway. I don't often stop for a photo if otherwise engaged, but the preparation makes it easy to go off for a short wander (by foot or car) or to a known location if there is promising light and/or weather. Or to take advantage of an opportunity as Howard did.
The worst thing is when you miss an opportunity due to not having a camera, then go back only to find the opportunity is gone.
Stopping on impulse to shot from the road;
I always find the outcome to be disappointing. I think it is inspiring and educational for me to “practice the art of seeing” when these drive by photo moments hits us. Save the memory for when you have time and a tripod.
With that said… cool tree photo….
That's a great shot. There's a lot of satisfaction in expending a little effort to gett a picture like that.
I've learned my lesson about being caught unprepared so I almost always have a camera of some kind with me, even if it's just my little point-and-shoot. Unfortunately, between highways and curvy country roads stopping on the shoulder can be downright hazardous. Sometimes I'll pull into a nearby parking lot or a level grassy spot and walk back to the scene that caught my eye.
I often see things on my way to work or taking the kids to school that I would love to stop and photograph. But, like you, I have somewhere to be (and I hate being late!). I have taken to using a notebook that I will jot down places I see on my way to work/school/family and the time of the day. Often I'll have the kids scrambling in the car for a stub of pencil and an old shopping docket! I'll also look for safe places to pull over on the shoulder on the way past again and make a note of that too.
For me it's almost always the late afternoon light that's caught my eye - when I'm cooking dinner, running my daughter to dancing, etc. So when I have had the chance to go back to the "scene" I didn't get the shot I was after. Oh well, my kids will grow up one day....
Oooh and I've just bought a point and shoot to go everywhere with me in my handbag!
hi howard, love the moodiness of this shot. as for photographing from the road, i always try to have a camera of some kind with me, even if it's only a little point and shoot. i've actually brought home some pretty cool stuff that way. sometimes i'll just take a 'mental click' if it's unsafe to stop, or if i'm just too darn tired or lazy. i've had to learn to be okay with not getting the shot sometimes. peace....
Like the writers above i've taken to carrying a tripod in the back of the car and my camera i put in the back seat. Still, getting myself to stop or turn around when on the way to an event, 'tis not so easy. Returning later, well, that's later and i usually don't feel moved by the memory-image i have so it all slips away into the "almost land."
On the other hand, your tree image is wonderful to look at and very encouraging to me and i wonder about stopping the next time i come across such a possible photograph.
I am really intrigued by the variety of responses and want to thank everyone for taking the time to share their thoughts. I by no means want to put an end to the comments, so folks that may be reading this for the first time are encouraged to add to it as well.
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