Sunday, November 14, 2010

Drive By Shootings

A couple of weeks ago, we enjoyed a few day trips to nearby towns. I took some photos here and there which I'm sure I'll post at some point, but today I'd like to show you some snaps of scenes which caught my eye while we were on the road. All were taken through the passenger window of the car while on the move. I hope you enjoy my drive by shootings.



Though many trees were already bare, some still had brilliant colour like this golden beauty. It was late afternoon and the sun bathed the countryside in warm, autumn tones as it showed off some long, lazy shadows.



This might have been a pretty impressive barn at one time but it doesn't appear that it's been in use for a long time. I desaturated some of the colour from this photo - just for fun.



Here's one that's in better shape. Have you figured out by now that I quite like barns?



The gold-drenched fields kept persuading me to keep snapping photos. Every now and then a stark, leafless tree popped up along the landscape for contrast.



Just a couple bales of hay, hanging out together in a farmer's field.



I just loved the brilliant shades of orange and the red door on this shed. You can't beat late-day sunlight.

Thanks for coming along for the ride.

75 comments:

Dawn said...

Late day sunlight IS magical!
My favorite "drive-by" is that old (once magnificent yet still is in its own way and time) barn.

Thanks for shooting:)

Dawning Inspiration said...

I'm adoring that open field.... so "free"... great drive by's!

Anonymous said...

Fabulous shots - can't believe you were in a car at the time! The old barn is gorgeous!

Zuzana said...

Loved this, loved the title, the sentiments and the images.:)
I did something similar once while we drove along the coast to Portofino in Italy a few years back and those were by far the best pictures I took that day.
Your autumn is mesmerizing dear Hilary, have a lovely Sunday,
xoxo

ethelmaepotter! said...

I love barns, too, and the desaturated color on the dilapidated one is perfect! Gives it a very depression-era feel.

Grayquill said...

Barns ARE the best - YES! Good drive bys. I hope all is well with you and yours. Thanks for always sharing the beauty. BTW - your windows must be much cleaner than mine. :)

Loz said...

What strikes me is that the light is far different from that which we enjoy down here...Love the barns and the colour in the trees

Andrey Dorokhov said...

Excellent autumn shots!

Sueann said...

What stunning photos!! Love the red door pic! Well, I love them all!!!
Thanks for your help with my photos...I will have to ask April for help.
Hugs
SueAnn

Cricket said...

Yep. Can't get enough Autumn. I like the "tweaked" barn shot too. And you're absolutely (absy-luty?) right about the light. It can be similar light in the early a.m., I think, but somehow the afternoon seems warmer.

There was an odd trick of golden light the other day here, almost pouring down the street, and only catching certain parts of the houses. It even occurred to me to take a photo, but it seemed like the sort of thing that wouldn't "capture." You kind of needed to be able to turn your head and see the whole panorama.

One of those things I decided was better to just watch and remember. I'm sure I wouldn't have captured the glow as you do, in any case. My (rare) photographs always seem a bit flat, light-wise, though sometimes the composition is ok.

I'm sort of decaffeinated right now. Let me suggest either Wheatfield Lady by John Stewart or Ringo's Photograph. We'll call it Ladies' Choice today ;-)

Brian Miller said...

nice. the first barn pic is my fav...makes me want to pull the car over and go play in the hay loft...

Nick said...

Geez, you had me worried there for a moment with that title. Guess you have a licence to carry a concealed camera.

Moannie said...

I'm riding along with you and feel the stress of 'living with a Frog' just draining away.

Hilary said...

Another Hilary who loves BARNS ....just another thing we have in common. The list goes on. :)

Anonymous said...

I think it's up to us, now, to capture photos of all the barns we can. One day they will all be gone and our great grandchildren will say, "Grandma, what is a barn?"

Di

AC said...

You certainly did well to take such fine pictures from a moving car. I understand your fascination because I'm quite attached to barns too.

Bonnie Zieman, M.Ed. said...

You are a criminal with a camera, Hilary!!

Anonymous said...

Beautiful photos Hilary! The old barn reminded me of the area where I lived last winter near Summerside. There are so many areas there where people have simply abandoned, it's kind of sad really. The brochures don't show that side of the province.

Sarah Knight said...

Lovely shots : )

Maggie May said...

That barn made a good photo but I doubt whether it would withstand a bad storm. Pity that it has been left like that as I'm sure it would renovate to a beautiful building. Probably at cost!
Maggie X

Nuts in May

solarity said...

I love all the color. As usual, the old barn had me thinking "It's not in such bad shape, really. I'm sure I could fix it up. What could I put in it?" (Goats, to be sure.)

Mary Anne in Kentucky

DJan said...

You convince me more than ever that your drive-by shootings are more elegant than almost anything I take when I ponder and fuss over the best angle. At least the driver of the vehicle must have slowed down a little, nothing is blurred!

Elizabeth Grimes said...

Great title! :) Beautiful pictures. Nothing like a relaxing drive with beautiful scenery. I really enjoyed the photos.

Dianne said...

you're a drive by shooting queen!!

I love the stark tree in the golden light

What Karen Sees said...

Stumbled onto your blog from another favorite blog and have enjoyed my visit. Pictures are worth a thousand words, and I love your pictures. I will 'follow' you and visit again, and I hope you will come visit me!

Lori said...

I love love your drive by shootings! I too love barns...love that first one that you tweeked a bit...how I've missed visiting you here...so nice to have this chance to stop by and be blessed. Happy Sunday to you and yours Hilary. XX

Out on the prairie said...

I often wonder what the owners think when I stand along the road shooting different angles on the barns. I have been invited in a few times and have gotten to hear some great history about these well placed beasts. Many were bought through a catalog which you notice when seeing similarity in an area,or built by the same crew.

Nessa said...

I love barns, too. Any old building will usually do. Beautiful shots.

Tabor said...

Your weather looks almost like that here.

Scott Law said...

You put the "Golden Hours" to very good use here Hillary. I enjoyed each one of these.

Linda at To Behold The Beauty said...

All wonderful, as usual, Hilary; but I can't help wondering what the photo of the old barn looked like before the desaturation. Care to share? :)

Friko said...

Good photos, as always.
I'd never catch the subjects quickly enough before the car would pass them.

Bob Bushell said...

Beautiful set of photos.

Cheryl Kohan said...

They are all really great shots, Hilary. I love old barns, too. It's just amazing what you can see (and capture) on a road trip. Nice Work!

Anonymous said...

I, too, am very taken with the autumn gold and softened light this year. I can't seem to get enough of it!
I should go on a barn hunt around here and post photos for you. We have some wonderful models around here.

Karen said...

Hilary, I like your barns. The one with the red door is a great composition. I can't believe those are "drive-by" pics. Great!

Steve Gravano said...

Thanks for the ride. I love the photo of the bails of hay. You don't find that here on Long Island.

messymimi said...

Barns are so fascinating, aren't they? They speak of the possibilities of the life that may be inside.

Frank Baron said...

Very nice shots. Are you parked for them?

No?

Wow! Your driver must be REALLY good. :)

Mage said...

Magic, thank you. I love barns just as much as you do.

Reb said...

Those are lovely. I like the desaturation on the first barn.

MaggieGem said...

Thank you for sharing that wonderfully golden afternoon drive! Love the barn.

Pauline said...

don't you just love late afternoon? it's such a quiet, thoughtful time. thanks for taking us along on your ride :)

the Bag Lady said...

Love your drive by shootings!
Barns are a favourite of mine, too, and you captured some wonderful examples.

VM Sehy Photography said...

Nice photos. Reminds me of the drive home from Montana to Iowa. Lots of fields, barns and haystacks. Especially the year we drove back by scenic route after visiting friends in Minnesota.

Slamdunk said...

Wow, you are talented.

I would try a photo from the passenger seat, but the kids keep me too busy operating the DVD player, passing drink boxes back, distributing snacks, etc.

Joanna Jenkins said...

Through your car window!?!?!?!?! Wow-- These are amazing pictures with gorgeous colors!

Thanks for sharing. xo jj

Taradharma said...

splendid colors, shapes and sky. Especially since it was all captured via a moving car. Well done.

Maria said...

Lovely autumn shades!

Kerri Farley said...

Lovely autumnal scenes!

Sandra said...

Love these, Hilary. Does Frank at least slow down a little for you to get a shot? Hubby is always in a hurry, so when I take pictures out of the moving car, if they were "drive-by shootings", I think they would have to be with an Uzi!

Hubby does patiently explain to me that if he slowed down every time I wanted to take a picture, we'd never get anywhere. When I get started taking them, it becomes rather addictive. So when I get home, I have hundreds of barns, fields, cows and trees to sort through. But I'm certainly not complaining -- it's all worth it when I find the ones I really like.

These are beautiful, as usual, my friend. Your wonderful photography and clever way with words are just two of the many ways God has blessed me through you.

Leah J. Utas said...

Barns, especially older ones, have such wonderful texture and character. You've captured them well.
Your late day light pics are so rich.

Mental P Mama said...

Just as beautiful as always;)

Mother Theresa said...

Now those are some drive by shootings that I can love! Fabulous shots, all of them. I think I like the barns the best. :)

Daryl said...

Old barn and hayroll are my favs but they are all so so so SO!

~JarieLyn~ said...

I think some of the best photos come from drive-by's and yours are excellent. I love barns too and hay rolls. So very nice.

Phyllis E said...

Hey Cuzzie! Are you sure you didn't "snap" that broken down barn in Vermont? There are a few around here that look exactly like it.

Hugs from your Cuzzie P

Wendy said...

My goodness, all of our leaves are long gone! It's nice to see some colourful ones. You do have a talent for turning ordinary scenes into gold!

Hilary said...

• Thanks for stopping by, Dawn. I'm glad you enjoyed the barn photo. :)

• Stacey Dawn, thanks. It was a fun trip. :)

• LadyFi, thank you. I take lots of drive by shots. Not all of them turn out. ;)

• Zuzana, thank you kindly, my friend. Somehow many of these photos turn out fairly well. They're a brief glimpse inside a passing moment. :)

• EthelMae, thanks. It did have that effect, didn't it?

• Grayquill, I'm glad you like it. Those are Frank's windows and sometimes they're just open. ;) Thanks for the kind words. :)

• Loz, it's the time of day that I love best. I'm glad you enjoyed the pics. Thank you. :)

• Thank you, Andrey. :)

• SueAnn, thank you kindly. I hope that works out for you. :)

• Cricket, I know you're as fond of the morning light as I am of the late-day sunshine. There is a warmth from both which seems to generate from absy-luty everywhere. Too bad you weren't able to get a shot of that sunlight on the street. I know what you mean though.. sometimes it just doesn't translate. That's when those mental snapshots are the best. Thanks for sending the music for the Stewart songs. I especially loved the unrelated, but beautiful Pirates of Stone County Road. :)

• Brian was that your giggles I heard coming from the loft? ;) Thanks for the visit. :)

• Nick, you know a play on words when you hear one. Thanks for stopping by. :)

• Merci, Moannie. But methinks that your Frog is usually a prince. ;) Thanks for the visit. :)

• Hilary, will the madness never end? ;) Thanks for stopping by. :)

• Di, I hope you're wrong about that, but there sure are fewer than there used to be. Thanks for the visit. :)

• AC, thanks kindly. I'm glad you enjoyed them. :)

• Bonnie, oh shoot! ;)

• Rainy, it is kind of sad but kind of beautiful at the same time. I thought of you today - I saw many trees which were looking right back at me. :)

• Thank you, Sarah. :)

• Maggie May, you're probably right. It doesn't look very strong but it sure would be beautiful restored. Maybe someone will take pity. As for me, I don't think I could even find it again. Thanks for the visit. :)

• Solarity, goats? No kidding! ;) I'm sure you could do a fine job of fixing this old beauty up. :)

Hilary said...

• DJan, thank you kindly. There were no real slowdowns because I hardly knew that I was about to snap most of those shots so I gave no warnings. I did have it set to a quick shutter speed though. :)

• Elizabeth, thank you. I'm so glad you enjoyed them. :)

• Thanks so much, Dianne. I get lucky once in a while. :)

• Welcome, Karen I'm glad you stumbled in. Thanks for the kind words. You can be sure I'll return the visit shortly. :)

• Lori, so good to see you. Thank so much for stopping by with your always-kind words. They're so appreciated. Please take good care of your and your Littles. :)

• OOTPrairie, you have the good sense to stop and stand by taking photos. I'm sure it results in some wonderful experiences. Good for you! What a great way to learn about your area. Thanks so much for stopping by. :)

• Nessa, I agree. Old buildings sure make for some great photos. Thanks for the kind words. :)

• Tabor, it's probably similar. Cool, getting colder.. but lovely. :)

• Thanks very kindly, Scott. Much appreciated. :)

• Linda, thanks very much. Sure, I'll share. The original is here. http://s180.photobucket.com/albums/x2/thesmittenimage/Main%20Album%202/?action=view&current=drivebydisrepair.jpg Thanks always for stopping by. :)

• Friko, I miss far more than I get but I do have fun trying. Thanks for the visit. :)

• Bob, thanks very much. :)

• Cheryl, thanks kindly. There's always a lot to see and photograph. Thanks for stopping by. :)

• KC, I know what you mean. I've still got lots more to come, too. I'd love to see the barns in your area. If you post some, I'll be sure to see them. Thanks always for the kind words. :)

• Thank you, Karen. I had fun with the camera. The passenger seat is a great spot. ;)

• Steve, no farm country in Long Island, eh? I'm glad to share. Thanks for the visit. :)

• MessyMimi, they are. I'm glad you like them too. :)

• Thanks, Frank. Yeah, it was all the driver. The totally oblivious driver. ;)

• Thanks, Maggie. I'm glad you do. :)

• Thanks very much, Reb. :)

• MaggieGem, thank you. Glad to hear it. :)

Hilary said...

• Pauline, you're most welcome. Yes, it's my favourite time of day. Thanks. :)

• Baggie, thanks very kindly. Much appreciated. :)

• VM, thank you. I'm glad the photos brought back some fond memories for you. :)

• Slamdunk, I remember those days well. They're long behind me now though. Thanks for the kind words. :)

• Joanna, thanks so much. I'm glad you enjoyed them. :)

• TaraDharma, thanks kindly. Much appreciated. :)

• Gaelikaa, thank you. :)

• Thank you, Kerri. :)

• Sandra, occasionally if we know a nice spot is coming up, we'll just stop and I'll get out to take the shot. But the drive by shots are generally without slowdown because I don't have enough warning, myself. It can indeed be addicting to just keep snapping. There's always the delete button for those which don't turn out though, so keep on snapping. Thanks so very much for your warm words, my friend. They mean so much to me. :)

• Thanks so much, Leah. The old ones sure do have character and I'm glad you see that in my photos. Thanks for the kind words. :)

• Thanks, MPM. :)

• Thanks very much, Mother Theresa. I'm glad you enjoyed them. Thanks for the visit. :)

• Thanks, Daryl. I can appreciate a good hayroll too. ;)

• JarieLyn, thanks so much for such kind words. They're very much appreciated. :)

• Cuzzie Phyllis, I'm pretty sure but you never know. Thanks for stopping by and hugs right back at you! :)

• Wendy, ours are gone too. These photos go back a few weeks. Thanks so much for such kind words. :)

Linda at To Behold The Beauty said...

Thanks for sharing the original photo of the barn. I usually prefer originals to edits; but, in this case, I think the desaturated one was a good choice. I should never have doubted you. :)

sage said...

Beautiful photos!

Expat From Hell said...

I jumped over here when I saw that you commented just before me on Bonnie's blog. This is beautiful stuff; and, your creativity is refreshing. I will be back! EFH

david mcmahon said...

You're so right about the qualitu of light, Hilary.

That first image would look so great on a calendar.

Debbie said...

It's not fair that your drive-by photos are so much better than any I can take standing still!

Anonymous said...

That golden tree is stunning! Great shots even though they are drive by! :-)

SandyCarlson said...

Gorgeous color and light. Hilary, your world is beautiful.

photowannabe said...

I am in love with the late afternoon Fall sunlight. It makes everything glow. Stunning pictures, especially from the car. I do love the desaturated picture. It fits the barn.
You asked about the pyramid photo. Yes its an office, called the Ziggurat Building which houses the office of the State Department of General Services for California. That's the group that is in charge of Real Estate for Calif. Frankly, I don't think they or any of the State offices are doing a good job. Calif. is going way down a slippery slope.

abb said...

I just love round hay bales. Beautiful!

Hilary said...

• My pleasure, Linda. I'm glad you agree. ;)

• Thank you, Sage. :)

• Welcome, EFH and thanks for the kind words. Very much appreciated. I hope you'll return soon. :)

• Thanks kindly, David. Always a pleasure to see you drop by. :)

• Debbie, I suspect you're exaggerating - a lot. But thanks for the kind words. :)

• Jillsy, thanks very much. I'm glad you like them. :)

• Sandy, thank you so much. You never fail to make me smile. :)

• Thanks very much, Sue. Much appreciated. And thank you also for the information about the pyramid. :)

• Thanks very much, TSannie. :)

Indrani said...

Terrific captures Hilary.
Lighting does make a difference.

steviewren said...

Drive-by shootings are my favorites! And my favorites of yours are 1,2 and the last one. The colors are absolutely gorgeous!!

Hilary said...

• Thanks very much, Indrani. It does indeed. :)

• Thank you kindly, Steviewren. Your kind words are always very much appreciated. :)

Anonymous said...

You have some beautiful scenery around you. I'm partial to barns myself - my first post on my photography blog was all barns. Love these!