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03/20/2008 01:27:13 PM · #1 |
Post your Spring (March) Walkabout Pictures here!
Looking for extraordinary photos in ordinary places. Complete details on the challenge here. Don't worry if you didn't sign up already ... everyone is free to join us, post and comment in the challenge.
Here’s the place to post your pictures.
A few reminders:
1. Your picture must be taken between 12:00 a.m. and 11:59 p.m. (local time) on a single day during the challenge period, March 21-24.
2. Post up to five images here. All images should be uploaded in a single post.
3. Try to include a little narrative in your post, telling us how/why you chose your starting spot, where you went, what you did, and how or why you found the images you did.
4. Please try to comment on as many images you can during the coming week (March 24-29, 2008). Commenting on this challenge is as much fun as participating.
5. After the entries are in, post your favorites to The Walkabout Hall of Fame.
Treasure Hunt – Sign of the Times
Take a photo of some kind of sign, commercial, road, notice, or whatever in a completely useless or overdone situation. As suggested by  hajeka, the winner of the January Walkabout. He'll pick the winner of this month's Treasure Hunt, who then gets to pick the treasure for the next walkabout.
November’s Personal Challenge – Put Your Camera Away
Frequently when I'm out shooting, I've got my camera in hand and am constantly scanning the horizon for pictures to take. Sometimes, our focus on photography can be too single-minded, and we miss out on the experience of where we are and, paradoxically, the images we may find there. This month, take some time to walk with your camera packed away in your bag. Listen to the sounds around you. Breathe in the air. Be part of the scene, rather than just a recorder of it. Let the picture come to you. When it does -- and it will, probably when you least expect it -- take your camera out of your bag and share what you find in your posts!
Have fun, and thanks for playing!
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03/22/2008 10:10:05 AM · #2 |
Had no special ideas about where to go, so I stepped out of the front door to see where my feet would bring me. Became a 2 1/2 hour walk from Zaandam to Krommenie. Made a lot of photos. Difficult to choose. Selected 5 photos with water. Here's a short travel story.
Near our house is some beautiful nature (only accessible with a boat, too cold for now), but there's a nice path on the side where you can see a lot of things.
Blue sky
It was nice to see some blue sky. The sun was shining and the temperature was not too bad.
Fence
This is a fence to prevent cars using the path. I liked the colors and the reflection in the water.
Geese
You can here find many birds and with all the water there are always geese.
Reflection
Saw this nice reflection in a small village further on.
View behind me
It was getting a lot colder now and it started to rain. Turned around for one moment
Luckily I was not far from a station, so I took the train back home.
Didn't post my treasure hunt photo. Seems I'll have to pick a winner for this month.
Looking forward to see all the other submissions. |
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03/23/2008 12:08:58 AM · #3 |
For past walkabouts I stayed in my subdivision. This time, I headed out the entrance and turned East. Because NE Indiana is so flat, and the way it was homesteaded, it was laid out in square miles - roads literally were one mile North / South and East / West of each other. Each square mile plot of land was divided into "quarter sections" - 1/2 mile on each side. The near quarter section has some houses on it, and a "creek" that provides drainage for the surrounding land. At the near edge of the far quarter section's field is this huge white tree. The base of it has rotted out so you can see clear through it - how the tree doesn't fall, I haven't a clue, but its white bark against the beautiful blue sky was very nice.
On the opposite side of the road from the field is one of the original farm houses. Built of brick in 1885, it is quite old for Indiana. Its upper floor's corner window peeps through the trees. (The house is difficult to shoot because the trees around it are so old and large.)
Turning back towards home, the creek on the near quarter section makes a pretty picture. There is lots of trash along the edge of the creek, making it difficult to get a good shot. About a week ago, this creek was near flooding.
A thistle near the creek caught my eye, and I shot one framed by the muddy water.
Coming back to the corner near my subdivision, my eye was caught by the reflected sunlight on the telephone and power lines. Guess this could qualify for the redundant sign (two STOP signs facing the same direction).
Again, more shots than I could submit, and the weather here has been too cold for any spring flowers. It was rather brisk - probably in the mid- to high-30's, but the sun was out and made for a pleasant walk. Thanks for another opportunity to explore the area around my home.
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03/23/2008 01:58:16 AM · #4 |
I had a nice walkabout and took quite a few pictures, but didn't come back with anything spectacular. I started out at the oil change place and walked North towards the lake.
I looked up and saw this Mexican Love Triangle.
I kept walked and noticed a huge billboard that I didn't even see earlier that day. Looking up it looked like a spaceship, which I enhanced with the Fractalius filter.
I walked a bit of a side street to get an old railroad station but it looked really boring and then the cafe next door caught my eye. They are serving the fresh taste of freedom, but I have no idea what that tastes like.
Back North and I saw this building that I saw in a photography book. The book looked better so I'll have to return to reshoot.
I turned around started back. I crossed the street to capture and old church and these doors caught my eye. I was thinking B&W square crop when I took the pictures, so here it is.
Thanks EstimatedEyes for putting this together again!
Comments will come over the next few days.
Message edited by author 2008-03-23 01:58:40. |
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03/23/2008 12:05:01 PM · #5 |
First of all thank you so much to EstimatedEyes for all the hard work that you do with these side challenges it helps me get out with my camera and with my family and leave work behind. YOU ROCK BIG TIME in my book.
Second thank you to hajeka for the sign treasure hunt our town is full of them and I had fun doing the walkabout as a result. I took things a little further and made the whole walkabout about signs just for fun.
As some of you know up here in Canada we get snow in the winter:) Well Orillia is in the snow belt and this year the snow has done just that, belted us as often as it could. Some of the snow banks around the area are 20' high. This guys front lawn is just under two feet from the roof line of his house and that's only because we had some sun to melt it a little. It was level with the roof line which is 14'8" from the ground. My friend has the same house two doors down so I measured it there.
I like the shovel on the bank it shows that he's finally given up on the snow.
There was an article on the amount of snow we had this year and this house was the feature picture.
This office space has been for rent for a long long time. In fact I used to work in said offices when I sold Insurance 21 years ago and the office closes down about 19 years ago and this sign has been in the window ever since from what I remember. I may have missed someone being in that space but I don't think so. Besides which the old sign has no numbers to reach someone even if you were interested in the space.
This is actually part of a list for what shops are in one of the downtown malls but the list is much better for the purposes of this challenge looking at just these two. It made me and my wife laugh and I thought I would share this one with you.
OK so this is a franchise and their whole schtick is that when you buy one pizza you get another one FREE, but not here in our town you get what you pay for and nothing more. You buy one, you get one and if you want another you'd better dig into your pocket and produce the cash.
This is a sign located at our local RONA lumber yard. I buy some materials form here for my business and as I was going into get some materials I drove pass this advertisement on their sign and laughed and at the time wished I had my camera. I went in and asked why it said Full Rental LIE on the sign and they told me they ran out of N's and that people would get what they were saying from the other side anyway so they weren't concerned. When I say that the Treasure hunt was looking for signs that didn't make sense and were ridiculous I had to get this one and in fact I made the entire walkabout about signs just for fun.
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03/23/2008 12:22:55 PM · #6 |
Did something a little different this month. My sister and her family were spending a few days in San Francisco over her kids spring break, the weather was beautiful (a sunny day in San Francisco!), so we decided to head over to the City and meet up with them for dinner in North Beach. Put the Tamron 18-250 on and brought the camera along, determined to follow my personal challenge for this month and let the pictures find me, rather than the other way around. So as we wandered through Chinatown and then over to North Beach I tried to just enjoy the day rather than scouting for photographs. I was only partly successful -- its hard to avoid *looking* for photographs when you're camera is by your side! But here is a selection of photos that I think really did find me, more than the other way around.
We started out wandering through Chinatown, lots of people, crowds, energy, narrow sidewalks ... lots to photograph, especially while my wife and two of my daughters were peeking in the shops. But as we wandered down one of the streets, a couple small grocery shops caught my eye, particularly the bunches of ripe bananas hanging from the rafters. 
We continued winding our way through the City, ending up at Washington Square in the heart of North Beach, crowded with people sitting on the grass and soaking up the sun. Such a nice day, I convinced my youngest daughter to walk up the steep hill to Coit Tower with me, where we rode the elevator to the top -- something I've never done before despite living around here for 30+ years. You wait in a long line to get the elevator to the top, where you spend a few minutes admiring the view then wait in an even longer line down a spiral staircase to catch the elevator back down. As we waited for the return trip, I caught my daughter peering out the round window with the skyline behind, and was struck by the way the light was striking her face. Shot three quick jpgs in burst mode, then tonemapped them to see how it turned out  (The line was moving and didn't think to reset camera to RAW before I shot these!).
Thankfully free from the queues, we walked back down the hill and caught up with my wife and oldest daughter (back from college on spring break) at one of the shops on Grant Street. As I walked out the shop door, I was struck full in the face with the cleaner across the street, just as this guy was walking by. Raised the camera for one quick snap before he passed. 
A little further down Grant Street, my past caught up to me. When I was a kid, my family used to go to this family style Italian place in North Beach called La Pantera ... they would sit you at communal tables with strangers, and serve plates of steaming pasta, salad, and bread, to share. Long before Buca di Bepo and other chains sprung up. Well this place closed 20+ years ago I think, but the sign remained and always gave me a little lift when I would spy it as I passed by. Until yesterday. As I walked by on Grant Street, I saw three guys up on a lift working on the sign. I yelled up to ask whether they were taking it down, and they ignored me, but a couple guys on the ground confirmed yep they were. Made me inexplicably sad to see it go. After talking with a few folks on the ground about memories of that place, I raised the camera and snapped a couple quick pics, including this one, for the Treasure Hunt.  . Not much of a photograph, but will have some meaning to me for years to come, and makes me glad I picked this day and this spot to do my walkabout.
The wife and kids ducked into another store, and I leaned against a building enjoying the sun and thinking about the past. As I was doing so, I spied this old hotel across the street, and after looking at it for a while, raised my camera for another bit for the Treasure Hunt. 
Apologies for the lengthy post this month, but thought the stories might help explain the images. Had another fine walkabout, and I'll be back later to comment on the other pics.
Thanks for looking and thanks again for joining our little walkabout! |
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03/23/2008 08:06:08 PM · #7 |
Had a fun time taking some pictures in Cambridge where I've been many times before and seemed a good choice for this. Wanted to try looking for more people shots and got a couple I like. Managed to find one for the treasure hunt too.
As I have no interesting story for these shots (wandered round town with my parents and girlfriend) I decided to make up some really bad hard-boiled-PI trashy fiction to go with them.
Enjoy.
It was a day like any other; any other day in the cold lonely wilderness my profession demands. She had walked into my office yesterday like a gust of spring air, delicate and fragile but strong enough to know what she wanted. I'd seen it so many times, suspicions about her husband and I'm the first PI they come calling on. Maybe I'm too good at what I do, maybe I'm cursed to do it now forever; trapped by my reputation to a lifetime of suspicion and deceit.
But here I was, following the scraps I had to go on. He had to be meeting her today, I knew it in my gut, but who was it?
We stepped into the warm embrace of the cafe, seeking comfort in hot food and bitter coffee. What was that look in the waitress's eye? Recognition? Tenderness?
No, just another lost soul trying to scrape an extra few coins flashing a poor sap a hopeful glance. We moved on, the coffee still burning in my throat but it kept me sharp. We wandered to the market and passed stall after stall. So easy to follow in these crowds. We passed a sweet stall. I wondered perhaps, if the sweet innocence of the childhood treats would quell the depression inside.
But no, not for me. He didn't stop, I had to move on. The city was so paranoid now, every last concern must be signposted and warned against. We passed sign after sign telling all who cared to read them of every danger there was; telling all of forgotten evacuation plans never to be used. I admired them, with perhaps a longing for the promise of leaving this place.
But I couldn't escape. I know that and so did this city, mocking me as we walked.
But there it was, a spring in his step, that light piece of hope that quickened his pace and lightened his heart. We were there. I saw her before she even saw him and I know I had what I needed.
So I would leave them to there stolen moments together and go back to my office. Go back and make another call that breaks a heart, and hardens mine just that little bit more.
Message edited by author 2008-03-23 20:17:47. |
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03/24/2008 02:57:16 AM · #8 |
Thanks for my late inclusion.
Took my daughter for a walk this morning along the road we travel to school went up 1 kilometre using my Canon 10-22mm and came back 1km using my Canon 100mm 2.8.
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03/24/2008 03:02:35 AM · #9 |
Well
i didnt have much time to get this in and as my wife needed another couple Easter Eggs i had an emergency trip to the shops
so i started with a lower carpark image shot from low down
then i thought about the treasure hunt and the only thing i found to be obvious was the trolley bay with its guide rails and huge signs
hmmmmmmmmmm but then again how often do you see trolleys miles from where they are spose to be
funny how it was empty tho
then i has seen this skate park many times while up there at the shopping centre and i went and asked the two kids if they minded me taking some pics
and they were both pretty good at their tricks too
so i shot off a few of each and heres two each that i liked best
first the inline skater
and no he didnt fall this time
and the boarder
and finally he was doing spinning tricks that were pretty kewl to watch 9/10 times he landed back on the board
then it was get the eggs home before they melted :)
hope you enjoyed my quick walkabout
sorry i will have my membership soon so i wont have to post so large in here again
just add me for the next one now
its a blast doing them
thanks in advance for any C&C
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03/24/2008 09:32:19 AM · #10 |
Strictly speaking, I failed the Walkabout rules again, but the good news is my new computer arrived today and I can do photo editing again. Not sure of how the colour looks, though, as I doubt the monitor is very well calibrated.
My walkabout plan was to take some pics around my school area - but Friday was very windy and today (Monday) was wet and I went home early. So all I have are some photos I took on Saturday morning, a few minutes on the bike from my home.
 It was very nice weather for once, so an early morning bike ride to one of the many little orchards was in order. Blossom time, you see.
 A back lit close up.
 The orchard is at the far end of the bamboo grove where I've taken several challenge photos; I never realised there was a stream there. |
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03/24/2008 06:19:21 PM · #11 |
| I love the stories for these walkabouts! I've got pictures uploaded but it's way past my bedtime so I'll post tomorrow. And I'll get to comments tomorrow as well. Keep 'em coming! |
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03/24/2008 07:55:15 PM · #12 |
Well Pug-H, you will not be alone breaking the rules. I won't be able to shoot during the dates allowed. Had too many family activities on Saturday and Sunday and today, the weather turned against me as it is bitterly cold and windy.
Let me know what I should do: either get an extension - this feels like high school again ;) - or just drop it and comment on others' pictures. Not a formal vote or survey, just let me know if it is acceptable to do this as I feel it is strongly against the whole walkabout idea. |
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03/24/2008 08:02:33 PM · #13 |
Originally posted by Caroline69:
Well Pug-H, you will not be alone breaking the rules. I won't be able to shoot during the dates allowed. Had too many family activities on Saturday and Sunday and today, the weather turned against me as it is bitterly cold and windy.
Let me know what I should do: either get an extension - this feels like high school again ;) - or just drop it and comment on others' pictures. Not a formal vote or survey, just let me know if it is acceptable to do this as I feel it is strongly against the whole walkabout idea. |
My thought on this is that the date of walkabout is the least important aspect of it. |
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03/24/2008 08:47:33 PM · #14 |
Johnny come lately, as usual. At least I'll get them posted during the walkabout dates (though I agree with mad_brewer that time is the least important factor...)
I decided to walk on the bike path today for my walkabout - a nature path with few individuals or signs. Great for squirrels and birds (though I didn't include any of those).
I'm not sure what kind of tree this is, but these seed pods looked ready to burst. Levels was the only adjustment I used on this.
Paradise is dotted with little cabins tucked away in the woods. This was very popular as a vacation getaway in years past, and most of these cabins were built as summer vacation spots. Now, many of these old cabins have become rentals and mother in law units.
Vinca a very common here. There are several varieties and I couldn't tell you which this is. It seems that everyone has some in their yard.
A few years ago PG&E replaced older power poles with these massive metal ones. They're rest red on the exterior to match the red dirt in our area. However, they really don't disappear all that well.
I didn't have much luck finding signs on my walk, but these are the most interesting of the day. T.O.P. stands for Town of Paradise.
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03/24/2008 10:18:13 PM · #15 |
Winter has won. I am ready to collapse into a screaming temper tantrum. It is still (or again) 20 degrees F below average. It started snowing Thursday night and didn't stop until Sunday night. I sulked inside all day Sunday, wouldn't have left the house today but I had to teach a class.
I found these signs in the parking ramp at the YWCA across the street from work. Unfortunately the camera was set at 1600 ISO and I needed the person to make the shot.
Across the street is the old library building. It has the classic "Temple Of Learning" architecture. Beautiful pillars  and arched passages  under the stairs. I am always delighted by the display of single salvaged gloves. They wait for their owners to return and claim them.
The snow in the courtyard at the library is new and fluffy and has been dripped on in wonderful patterns .
I seem to have neglected to shoot the whole library. The sky was boringly overcast. Not a natural light-box, and not a contribution to moody atmosphere. Just grey. I might cheat one in tomorrow to show haw this building fits together. I am ready to crawl under a rock or hold my breath until the weather starts cooperating. |
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03/25/2008 01:31:42 AM · #16 |
I did my walkabout in Frankfurt am Main. I've been going there on weekends of late - it's a nice easy train ride, not very expensive (especially considering the price of gas and adding on parking!) and I quite enjoy just walking around there. My walkabout included a self-imposed restriction - primes only. I used the 100mm for the first half of the day, then switched to the 50mm after lunch. I did, however, completely forget about the treasure hunt part - I promise I'll pay closer attention the next time!
First stop was the train station. Though it often requires high ISO, I enjoy shooting there - and the people watching. Sometimes I combine the two activities.
From there I walked up toward the shopping center of town - lots of people there on Saturdays. Passed these guys taking advantage of a fountain (though I thought it rather cold for a bath):
[thumb]661699[/thumb]
I thought this display of cut flowers quite pretty - signs of spring arriving despite the chilly weather. The day's weather would go from cloudy and raining to sunny, then back again.
I stopped for lunch (had schnitzel!) at the big department store. The restaurant is on the top floor and there's an area outdoors you can sit in and sip your coffee with a view of the city. I liked the contrast of the old and the new - most of Frankfurt is really quite new and spiffy, by the way.
But there is an older section and I wandered over that way to shoot for patterns before heading home. In the square there's a statue that is a favorite for tourists to take pictures of. So I took one, too. I wonder how many of us have the same shot? :-)
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03/25/2008 08:56:39 AM · #17 |
Here are two from today to make my 5 (;-Ʋ) I had to go into school for a meeting (otherwise, I'm really on vacation), so afterwards I took a little walk...
 Mystery Egg
 Stop Sign from Nowhere
Message edited by author 2008-03-25 08:58:07. |
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03/28/2008 03:50:57 PM · #18 |
| Anyone else have walkabouts to share?? |
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03/30/2008 12:45:32 AM · #19 |
Finally I have a minute (a week late) to post these pictures!
I went to a local shopping complex to take these and walked across the highway to get these.
These looked like a falling still life or something.
My friend versus the sun.
I really hate shopping carts after having to push them around at a crap job I used to have, so I had to take a picture of this.
My friend, on top of donation boxes.
Sorry these aren't on dpchallenge, but I'm not a member. Being a college student has its drawbacks
Message edited by author 2008-03-30 00:49:45. |
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03/31/2008 06:13:17 PM · #20 |
Ter,
It's difficult to comment this way. Hope you be a member soon.
I do like your photos of the skating kids! Hope the eggs are ok! |
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03/31/2008 06:17:20 PM · #21 |
brownguy,
Same comment as for Ter, but I like the shopping carts subject. |
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03/31/2008 07:07:39 PM · #22 |
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04/02/2008 08:17:44 AM · #23 |
Originally posted by hajeka:
Ter,
Hope the eggs are ok! |
they survived for ummmmmmmmmmmm 3 mins after i got home
thanks for your comments Hajeka |
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04/02/2008 07:30:15 PM · #24 |
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