On the Road is a weekday feature spotlighting reader photo submissions.
From the exotic to the familiar, whether you’re traveling or in your own backyard, we would love to see the world through your eyes.
JanieM
When I get in the doldrums about my picture-taking – stuck on a plateau, or feeling like I’ve exhausted the possibilities for interesting pictures in my corner of the world – Steve from Mendocino comes up with learning exercises to keep me busy until the mood passes.
My “Weeds” post was the outcome of one of those phases. The “shack” pictures were another. Over the past couple of years I’ve also been shooting pictures of cars, the focus of this post.
Steve’s exercises help me see things in unexpected ways and pay better attention to the geometry of the images I’m trying to fit into the frame. They remind me that there are still pictures everywhere, even or especially in scenes and objects that I walk by every day without thinking of them as subject matter.
The topic of “cars” is extra fun because it lets me indulge my love of reflections.
Click here for a bigger version.
Click here for a bigger version.
Click here for a bigger version.
Click here for a bigger version.
Click here for a bigger version.
Click here for a bigger version.
Click here for a bigger version.
Click here for a bigger version.
Click here for a bigger version.
Click here for a bigger version.
GB in the HC
Absolutely fantastic, what an eye you have. Thank you for capturing and sharing your vision.
Gloria DryGarden
The sunset one, and the trees on a sea foam green windshield, were my favorites. Pretty special
donatellonerd
Gloria’s two plus the yellow leaf autumn reflection. but really all of them Janie. You’re great.
BretH
I love these! Part of the joy of photography for me is training the eyes and mind to see patterns in ordinary things – perfectly illustrated here.
stinger
Oh, these are really wonderful! Thank you so much for sharing — and to Steve from Mendocino for mentoring. Creativity increases when it is shared.
JeanneT
Nice! I especially liked the shot of the side of a car that looked covered in clapboard siding – such a fine juxtaposition of metal and wood.
Steve in the ATL
You are really good! Your comments remind me of a conversation I had regarding William Eggleston’s photos with someone who didn’t understand them (probably found them banal and boring, if you get that reference). I explained that the subject matter was secondary at best; his art was all about the lines. Mr. Eggleston, who was sitting with us, said, “You’re exactly right.” Well, duh, Bill, everyone knows that, other than my wife and kids and the B-J commentariat….
Mike in Oly
Absolutely wonderful! I’ll be looking at cars entirely differently from now on. On another art note: I saw the Ai Wei Wei exhibit at Seattle Art Museum the other day and it was amazing. A perfect show for our current times. Highly recommend it to everyone that enjoys art and resistance.
Steve in the ATL
I have this book Cars, New York City 1974-1976 by Langdon Clay | Steidl, 2016 which is a less artsy but still fun essay on cars. Lang and his wife are both talented photographers.
Steve in the ATL
@Steve in the ATL: in fact, this book of his wife’s might be of interest to posters here: Delta Dogs by Maude Schuyler Clay,
J.
Very cool!
arrieve
These are amazing! I would love to see more.
I am also addicted to reflections and take a lot of pictures of cars in Manhattan as a result. Here’s one recent example.
Torrey
@arrieve:
That’s an amazing picture! I’d have probably walked right by the cars without noticing those patterns or the possibilities for capturing them as you did.
And JanieM’s pictures throughout this post are wonderful, as always.
I wonder if Steve from Mendocino, or others among us who have some skill with photography, might consider providing a few exercises for those of us who are extreme amateurs, to help us hone our (in my case essentially non-existent) skills.
JanieM
Thanks, everyone — i’m glad you like the pics.
@Steve in the ATL: Thanks for the book references. I will check them out, and also Eggleston.
@arrieve: That’s a great shot — it fits right in! It’s fun that once you start noticing opportunities like that, it turns out that they’re all over the place. At least — that’s how it has worked for me.
Speaking of which — thanks as always to Steve from Mendocino for doing the post-processing, not to mention the mentoring.
SOinCO
Glad to see this series of photos. They would fit in my portfolio of CSPT (Color, Shape, Pattern and Texture).
pieceofpeace
@arrieve: Wow! V. nice…form a post?!
pieceofpeace
What enjoyment to gaze over these dynamic photographs. I used to do some photography-for-fun and am still amazed at how ‘seeing’ has changed my general way of looking at things, which is likely a small fraction of my conscious visual field, making mundane into pretty cool most days, in fleeting and fun moments.
Thanks for these. Post more?
BigJimSlade
Fun!
PJ
These are great photos, you have a good eye!
Tehanu
Terrific pictures, thanks.
munira
These are fantastic. The sunset and the tree branches – wow.
Odis
Nice work Janie, some very fine images, thank you.