Project 365 - Day 28 (Down a Lonely Road)

It's becoming increasingly clear to me that one of the most important aspects of photography is time.  While getting a good or great shot is often being in the right place at the right time, a planned subject, like rural landscape and still life, is about finding a spot and exploring it to get the right perspective, lines, light, etc.

For this post, I had decided to find a scene depicting the natural process of rural decay.  I set out, once again, to just go somewhere to find something before heading in to work.  I explored several back country roads, scaring stray chickens and a couple of feral meth cooks along the way, generally driving around like the reindeer looking for gramma at Christmas.  *Tic-toc*  To my dismay, I found a LOT of trash that had thoughtfully been returned to the Wild, but not much of actual interest.  Then just before I had to abandon the effort to get to work on time (damn you, Gainful Employment!), I passed an old cattle ramp in an overgrown *Tic-Toc*Tic-Toc* clump of woods...but I kept going.  I couldn't find a safe place to park, wasn't sure if the light was right, yet all the while thinking, "Just turn around and get that!"  *Tic-Toc*Tic-TOC* 

But I kept going.....

Then, I spotted an old cattle gate blocking a long, somewhat overgrown road-like substance.  A Road(ish) to Nowhere and a locked gate without a fence. *Tic-Toc*TIC-TOC*  Brain says, "So there's a picture everywhere, huh?"

I think what I was able to get is OK, but I didn't have time to observe the scene long enough to find the exact perspective that conveys how odd and lonesome this clearly abandoned scene actually is.  However, I think if I had a ladder and was able to shoot down across the gate with the gate still in the foreground, it might better convey the eeriness of the path and seeming ridiculousness of the electric and telephone lines.

I love the way B&W makes a scene feel, and yet....  At least the weather made for a pretty sky.

 

 

 

In short, the lesson is while rushin' might make a good salad dressing or mail order bride...it ain't a good photography tool.

And I'm not even a little sorry.