[Chinney]

There is something about the sight of an open roadway that makes people respond on an emotional level. It can represent a path to the future, a representation of where you have been, or just an indication different possibilities, even if they are of paths not taken. The challenge is to take a picture of a roadway that brings out one or more of these feelings. The picture can include cars (or indeed other forms of transport) and/or of a sense of motion in the frame, but it absolutely does not have to do so (we have had a transportation theme and a motion theme before, so they are not the focus this time), but does have to include a substantial sense of the road itself. The picture could simply be of an empty road, if you so choose.

The other rules are like always. The photo has to be taken during the contest period, which is Jan. 24 up to and including March 1, 2012 at 12PM North American Pacific Time. No heavy photoshopping or other heavy editing. Entries from any and all 'Novians welcome and encouraged.

[turtle]

I'm in on this one. Not sure how or what exactly yet, but I do have ideas already. Like the idea for this challenge too.

[billybobsky]

1 week?

[PB PM]

Yeah 1 week is a little short...

[Chinney]

Whoops. I meant March 1. Now corrected above.

[Xaqtly]

I'm really going to try to do this one. I have a lot of good open roads available to me out here in the desert.

[GSpotter]

I took the theme literally: This road leads to the town where I currently live. Though this road is now open, this wasn't always the case: 25 years ago, I probably would have been shot if I would have tried to reach this position.
The sign says "Here was Germany and Europe divided until November 18, 1989, 6am."
Before that time, this was one part of the iron curtain dividing eastern and western Europe.



I just found a picture on flickr taken a few months before the border was opened. (Shot in the opposite direction. I was standing for my picture about next to the bush in the middle of the picture. The memorial sign is roughly standing on the place of the turnpike).

[GSpotter]

I cannot change the previous post anymore. As this shot is more a documentary picture and not that interesting from a photographic point of view, I'd like to replace my entry with the following shot (it's a reverse shot to the picture above):



It's the original color version of the picture in the black & white thread.

[El Gallo]

I'm saving these shots for the ride this Sat.

[Chinney]

Just a reminder....

[PB PM]

I have some ideas, but the weather has been less than ideal for the type of shot I want. Hopefully tomorrow!

[Chinney]

Reminder

[AWR]

I'll play (and apologies for the delay). This is a snap from a recent weekend escape. To add six hours to the precious "escape time" we take the train to the destination and back. We both die for this: the chance to chat, to read, to have a cup of coffee or share a few hot pretzels from the station, all without the loving and unending affection of our three boys.

Another big plus is the chance to just stare out the window and watch the world go silently by, the road as it were. Open roads, spaces and possibilities that need no explanation, just to see.

[billybobsky]

She looks awfully familiar... Unfortunately, I am going to have to sit this one out: I've just moved to England, there are no roads here, surprisingly, and I don't even know if my cameras work after the trip...

[turtle]

I never did get out and take shots. Had a job change and a few other majors that didn't lend to me doing the shoot. Sorry.

[Dorian Gray]

I took my camera with me on a car trip last weekend, and got two lousy shots the whole trip. I'm planning to go out of Paris this weekend, and I can take another crack at it then if you extend the deadline. (I know that might be unfair to the two people who made the deadline so far. But I've talked my way out of strict deadlines before. )

Is "12PM North American Pacific Time" noon or midnight? I can never remember. And if midnight, which midnight? (Beginning or end of the 1st day of March?)

[Chinney]

One week extension granted.....to March 8 at midnight (Pacific NA time). Get snapping.

[PB PM]

Oh good, I was going to go out tonight and try for a night shot in the rain, now I don't have too!

[Dorian Gray]

Cheers, Chinney!

And let that be a lesson to you, GSpotter and AWR: following the rules gets you nowhere. Nowhere!

[AWR]

Originally Posted by billybobsky She looks awfully familiar... Unfortunately, I am going to have to sit this one out: I've just moved to England, there are no roads here, surprisingly, and I don't even know if my cameras work after the trip...

I hope no one takes that the wrong way!!

Unpack your shit already; no excuses next time.

Originally Posted by Dorian Gray And let that be a lesson to you, GSpotter and AWR: following the rules gets you nowhere. Nowhere!

Kaaaahhhhnnnn! (Bloody lenient Canadians!)



The more the merrier.

[El Gallo]

I've got three tries.





This one isn't an entry. It wasn't taken in the last month. It is just sharing because it was out on a ride and turned our pretty well in my opinion.

[Chinney]

Reminder (again)

[turtle]

Ok, I took a different approach to "The Open Road":


I wanted to do a long shutter night shot but it just never worked out. Then I started thinking about "open road" and this came to mind!

[PB PM]

Last minute entry. err maybe too late, you did say march 8th.

[turtle]

Yeah, I know I was late but I really wanted to at least post something. I've not been very good about it lately so I had to do something!

[Chinney]

I will be making my call tomorrow night (no time until then) so all entries up to that point accepted.

[Chinney]

Some strong pictures this month - even if there were fewer total entries than I had hoped, especially given the pretty-open ended and accessible topic. Even among the limited entries though, I had trouble deciding on a winner.

I like AWR's picture very much. It captures a moment (well-explained in the accompanying story, and one that I can relate to - as also being the father of three ). And it captures an expression, a mood, and beauty, especially in those eyes. Wow. All that said, while it is perhaps my favourite photo from an absolute perspective among the entries, I have to keep the parameters of the challenge in mind. AWR's entry fits within the challenge, but not easily. It is more of a character study than a portrayal of the underlying sense of the open road. Honourable mention.

I love the framing of GSpotter's shot, the way it captures the hard, barren, beauty of a winter's day along the road, and the punctuation provided by the road sign. And the subject does fit well within the challenge. A bit more visual interest in the shot would have brought it over the top as a winner. Honourable mention.

P.B.'s shot best captures the sense of the open road for me. The perspective, the light and the colours, create a sense of mystery and possibility. I am drawn to go around the curve. And l love the little bit of water along the road. The shot would have been better still without the farm buildings in the background, but I keep in mind the rules: this is not a contest about necessarily realizing perfection in photography (and certainly not through p'shopping) but about capturing the day-to-day as honestly as you can. As a result, P.B. captures this month's prize. Congrats.

[PB PM]

Wow, thanks. I though GSpotter's image would win. I'll come up with something shortly and get the ball rolling on the next subject.

[Dorian Gray]

Sorry for getting the deadline postponed and then not entering, all. In my defence, I had a migraine and did not make my planned trip.

And congrats, PB PM.

[AWR]

Congrats, PB PM. Nice shot. Like the other entries too. And thanks for the kind words, Chinney. I know you know!