Weekly Challenge 191: Roadside Discovery

What did you see alongside or near a road, and what choices did you make about presenting what you saw?

If you're a city person who hasn't had time to get into the country, you may submit a streetside discovery.

For safety's sake, don't photograph while operating a motor vehicle, bicycling, skating, etc.

Information about your photographic and processing techniques would be welcome.

Post your photograph no later than 11:59 p.m. (Eastern Standard Time, U.S.A.) January 16, 2012.

Have fun!


The fine print....
1. Post ONE photo (max 1024x1024).
2. The photo must portray an interpretation of the theme.
3. Post your single picture in this thread, and explain what motivated you to take the picture and/or how you feel it represents the weekly theme (especially if it's not obvious).
4. The challenge is interactive. Any response is welcome.
5. The judge will pick the WINNERS and choose 1 of them to be the judge for the next week.
6. This challenge runs for 7 days plus a day for the judge to choose the winners.
7. Any Pentax (or Samsung DSLR) camera will do.
8. Pictures can be from any time frame, not just within the week of the current theme.
9. In case the winner of a challenge is unable to become the judge for the next challenge, they will PM the #2 winner for that person to be the judge.

Previous Challenge Subjects:
1-Statues, 2-Wheels, 3-Speed, 4-Peace, 5-Survival, 6-Macro, 7-Mountains, 8-Children, 9-Post Processing, 10- Windows & Doors, 11-Sport, 12-Urban Landscape, 13-Wisdom, 14-Power, 15-Music, 16-Pathways, 17-Lines, 18-Storm, 19-Boats, 20-Water, 21 - Golden Hour, 22 - Natural Lighting, Portraits, 23-Motion Blur, 24-Simplicity, 25-Color, 26-Cars, 27-Repetition, 28-Wildlife, 29-Epiphany, 30-Contrast, 31-Pets, 32-Landscapes, 33-Coastal, 34-Churches, 35-Bridges, 36-Creation, 37-Still Life: Food, 38-At the Zoo, 39-Wide Aperture, 40-Merry Christmas, 41- Sunsets, 42-Action, 43-Fireworks, 44-Manipulated Light Portraits, 45- Advertising/Product Shot, 46- B&W Street Shooting, people/buildings, 47-Vanishing Point, 48-Reflection, 49-Tranquility, 50-Expressions, 51-S Curve, 52-Hands, 53-Shadows, 54-Your Favorite Beverage, 55-Barriers, 56-Perspective, 57-Night Scenes, 58-Zen-like...Water and Stone 59-Modern architecture, 60-Sunrises, 61-Red, 62-Action on water, 63-Bodies in Motion, 64-Ruins, 65-Blue and green, 66-Iridescence, 67-Anthropomorpha, 68-Sound, 69-Backlight, 70-Group Shot, 71-Railway Scenes, 72-Technology, 73-Color on Color, 74-History, 75-Autumn/Harvest 76-working men and women, 77-Silhouettes, 78 Stranger Portrait, 79-Transportation, 80 - Lonely, 81 - Holidays, 82 - Toys 'n Games, 83 - Machines, 84 - Ice, 85 - Cats, 86 - Stories, 87 - Cultures, 88 - Absence, 89 - Weather, 90 - Old roads, 91 - The River, 92 - The Seventies, 93 - Beautiful Bokeh, 94 - Balance, 95 - Crop a miniature landscape, 96 - Opposing gravity, 97- Feet, 98 - Sacred Grounds, 99 - Extraordinarily Ordinary, 100-added textures, 101-still life, 102-bicycles, 103 - Broken, 104- Flowers (B&W), 105 Backlighting, 106-Water. 107-Wind, 108-Parent/Child candids, 109-Passion, 110-Events, 111-Streets, 112-The Aged, 113-Fire and Heat, 114-Nature vs. Culture, 115 - Letters or Numbers, 116 - Self-Portrait, 117 - The Tree, 118 - Minimalism, 119 - Rust, 120 - Before & After, 121 - Negative Space, 122 - Decay & Dereliction, 123 - Cold, 124 - Melancholy, 125 - The Element of Time, 126 - Public Transportation, 127 - Yin Yang, 128 - Sepia or Dual Tone, 129 - Hand Coloring, 130 - Light Trails, 131-Once in a lifetime, 132 - Moms & Motherhood, 133 - Beautiful Blur, 134 - B&W Abstract, 135 - History, 136 - In and around the kitchen, 137 - Habit, 138 - Perspective: From the Ground Up, 139- Mist/fog, 140 No faces, 141-Bubbly, 142- The 'hood, 143-Green, 144-Garbage, 145-Emotion, 146 - Events, 147-Seasons. 148-Building and/or Construction 149-Chiarouscuro, 150-A Day In The Life, 151 - Religion, 152 - Home, 153 - The Decisive Moment, 154 - People in uniform, 155 - Sound, 156 - Hope, 157 - Weather, 158 - Cliches, 159 - Colorful Landscapes, 160 - Schrooms, 161 - Weathered, 162 - Where Angels Fear to Tread.., 163 - Incongruity, 164 The Monochrome Landscape, 165-Trick Photography, 166-Alleyways, 167-Monuments, 168-A View From Above, 169-The Moon, 170-Logo, 171-Thorns, 172-Tree Study 173-Tools, 174 - Cornucopia, 175 - Steps, 176 - Night streetshots, 177 - Tropical Paradise, 178 - Ceremonies, 179 - Takeoff/Landing, 180 - Street Corner, 181- Let's Get Wide, 182 - Boundaries, 183 - Distant, 184 - A life on the Edge, 185-Photos suggesting song titles, 186-Passion, 187-Engine, 188-Center Composition, 189-Long Exposure, 190-Holes

[PJGPix]

This is a rural road I take frequently because the "scenery" is varied and always changing. This was taken after a light dusting of snow and I "saw" this section in a new way. I've been challenging myself with "line(s) of sight" and saw several "lines" which draw the eye beyond the limit of the image. The effect, I think, is more dramatic in B. and W. I used "Auto Enhance" PP and selected B/W from color presets. Adjusted exposure and Darkened sky upper right.

Shot with K5, 18-55 WR lens, ISO 400, FL 20, f4, 1/4000 Aperture priority

[Tamia]

What an interesting challenge, SMF. Lovely scene, Pat!

For years I drove past and parked next to an auto graveyard hidden in the woods, but didn't realize it. Then one day I decided to step into the woods next to what seemed to be only a couple abandoned cars in a small field next to the woods. Row after row of old cars were arrayed in the trees. Some trees had grown right up through the vehicles. I shot lots of photos, but this one is a favorite. I call it...

Rooted



It was an exciting discovery, in large measure because I never realized just what was in this forest. When the trees are in leaf, you can't even see this truck from the parking area beyond. I shot this photo with a Pentax K200d and a Sigma 10-20mm 4-5.6 EX DC lens. I desaturated in PP to try and make it look like a faded photo.

[atupdate]

Went on a short hike at one of the state parks near us and saw this on the drive home. I actually had to turn around first, as I had passed it just as I saw it.



Tim

[PJGPix]

What an interesting challenge, SMF. Lovely scene, Pat!

For years I drove past and parked next to an auto graveyard hidden in the woods, but didn't realize it. Then one day I decided to step into the woods next to what seemed to be only a couple abandoned cars in a small field next to the woods. Row after row of old cars were arrayed in the trees. Some trees had grown right up through the vehicles. I shot lots of photos, but this one is a favorite. I call it...

Rooted



It was an exciting discovery, in large measure because I never realized just what was in this forest. When the trees are in leaf, you can't even see this truck from the parking area beyond. I shot this photo with a Pentax K200d and a Sigma 10-20mm 4-5.6 EX DC lens. I desaturated in PP to try and make it look like a faded photo.

I love things like this. My kind of picture.

[Gerbermiester]

Here's a shot of a discovery I made whilst on a well worn dirt road in a rural Chinese village.

I've made the shot a split tone image, and dropped the saturation down to next to nothing. I also adjusted the black level as well as increased contrast. Other than that, I simply rotated and cropped the photo so the horizon was straight. The shot was taken with a SMC-M 135mm 1:3.5 lens mounted on a Pentax K-x.

During a break from my 'lucrative' career (HA!) teaching English in China, I visited a tiny farming village in Henan province. I spotted this rusty (though not really all that old) bicycle sitting by the side of the road while its peasant owner weeded his acreage by hand. The field seemed to stretch out to a smoggy infinity, and I thought that a close focus shot with a wide open aperture would really make the bike pop from the ground image behind it. I'd like to think that the bokeh helps accomplish that vision.

[SpecialK]

I've made a couple trips on the western end of Route 66. This is Peach Springs, AZ.

[mde1970]

great theme and some cracking pics already! PJGPix, nice B&W shot, great angle.
Tamia, also liking this a log (nice 'beautiful decay' which I always like).

Have to try and find time to shoot my entry as I dont have anything suitable!

[PJGPix]

great theme and some cracking pics already! PJGPix, nice B&W shot, great angle.
Tamia, also liking this a log (nice 'beautiful decay' which I always like).

Have to try and find time to shoot my entry as I dont have anything suitable!

Had 30 minutes between appointments and always have my camera. This is a favorite road of mine. Appreciate your comments. Trying to be more active on the forum. Always learn a lot looking at what others post.
PJPPix

[tessfully]

oh my, these are all spectacular! So storied and interesting.... Wonderful theme... I have my thinking cap on.

[bluestringer]

Country church along side of a country road in South Georgia........

[jheu02]

A Final Sunset

Auto Chinon MC 1:1.4 50mm 1/60", f/4.8, ISO 100

I discovered this deer skeleton while on an evening bike ride for the Single in March challenge last year. Pulled off the road and set the bike there and looked at some angles for the shot. The ride turned into a walk because while taking this shot, the rear tire blew...quite the sound, so glad I found something to shoot as that was the end of the photo ride.

[PJGPix]

Country church along side of a country road in South Georgia........

I know it is, but it looks as if it could be a diorama. Like the use of color.

[PJGPix]

A Final Sunset

Auto Chinon MC 1:1.4 50mm 1/60", f/4.8, ISO 100

I discovered this deer skeleton while on an evening bike ride for the Single in March challenge last year. Pulled off the road and set the bike there and looked at some angles for the shot. The ride turned into a walk because while taking this shot, the rear tire blew...quite the sound, so glad I found something to shoot as that was the end of the photo ride.

Looks like some critter had the "Last Supper" - and your image immediately follows a church image. Just struck me. (I can have an odd sense of humor). It is a very poignant shot.
PJGPix

[tessfully]

This fall driving into Bancroft, Ontario to shop. I was overwhelmed with the colours and had to stop in the Canadian Tire parking lot to take photos. This one is my favourite although I ended up with many I quite like. It had been pouring rain all day which made the colours rich and vibrant. I used my favourite lens, the Tamron AF 90mm, 0 ev f/4.