Twenty-One Miles Per Hour

I was out storm chasing a few days ago and was trying to position myself (and my camera) in front of a storm cell which had a history of sharp lightening, high winds, and hail. (No, I never claimed to be the smartest guy out there, but I really wanted some good photos!) I headed east, running parallel to the main part of the storm. As my luck would have it, I meet up with a friendly farmer. My sixty miles per hour speeds were quickly reduced to twenty-one. I began to get frustrated, muttering not-so-nice phrases as if someone somewhere could hear me. The opportunity to get the good storm chasing photos was quickly fading as my time and gas were about depleted.

I didn’t want to return home without something to show for my time and effort. That’s when it hit me. I could steal some of Bryon’s creativity! I had wanted to try something similar to a photo Bryon posted back in September. It is a scene all to familiar to those of us living in rural areas.

I took several shots, experimenting with different compositions and settings. I didn’t want an ‘exact’ replica of Bryon’s shot, so I decided to not include the steering wheel. I also wanted to play with the placement and focus of the speedometer. I would get a good frame setup, and then realize several raindrops had accumulated on my windshield. After clearing the window, I would have to recompose the shot. It was much more difficult than I thought it would be.

Overall I like the way my version turn out. I am kind of torn on the softness of the speedometer. I like it blurry, but wonder if it would have been strong if it were sharp. I also could have done without the raindrops in the photo, but I figured since I was out trying to catch a storm maybe a few water spots were appropriate.

Bryon- I hope you don’t mind that I used your idea. If so, I apologize.

To all - Be sure to check out Bryon's photo