Skeleton Lake through the trees drive-by by Gordon B

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Drive by shooting sure has gotten more popular these days…..

In fact, motion blur seems pretty common in general, whether it is this sort of drive by type or camera shake. I think it is fun and can create a lot of fun imagery and certainly something to try if one hasn't.

What I haven't found too much with this sort of photography is something more to it than just the application of technique to create an interesting visual. Sometimes that is enough and sometimes the images end up lacking any depth. Because it is technique dependent, the imagery made by various practitioners can end up looking quite similar and hard to differentiate without an underlying conceptual rationale or some tweak in the technique that is unique. This isn't really too different than we see in other genre's either, I suppose.

Gordon's image here has a bit of a different feel than much of what I have seen and maybe it has to do with his technique being a bit unique as compared to what others use. The longer lens on a crop sensor can certainly expand the difference between the subject and the foreground, which I see happening here. This gives us a different effect than much of the work that is out there created in an otherwise similar manner. That is what caught my eye initially. After looking awhile, I do see some similarities in the result with the popular texturing of images done in post. I am not suggesting it is the same, but has some similar properties to it although it is far less controllable creating the visual this way.

Like I said, I think these sorts of images are fun to look at and fun to create. They aren't much more for me than that but I did find a lot of attractive images using blur in Gordon's portfolio, including this one.

There is a painterly quality to the image that I like. An impressionistic effect like I'm looking at a landscape through layers of clouds or fog. I wish the colors were pushed up more, selectively or generally, as I think the effect would be enhanced. Overall a compelling image and worthwhile experiment. Also worthwhile is the lesson it demonstrates that not everything in photography need be straight, locked down pictures with lens sharpness as the all important element. Sometimes creative ideas and serendipity can be as important as "IQ". I'm glad to see such an image make POW.

I like Gordon's work as I like his experiments with his different cameras.
This technic of motion blur while driving adds many times something very primal /pristine to the artistic touch.As is written in the bible( free translation)...the chaos is shaped and water and sky are separeted .

In this one the trees are the separating line between the diagonal wavelets of the FG and the winding lines of the sky ,the softness of the whole with the green touch has a painting quality. I know that it is not the first time Gordon's work is chosen for POTW..So my congratulation Gordon, I hope to see you more active at PN.

Usually I hate stuff like this. For some reason I rather like this shot. Not love it. But like it. I suppose I would put it on the wall if someone gave me a print. If this appeared on the cover of a book, however, I might just glance at it.

Okay. What I like.

First and very importantly I like the title. It tells you where, what and how. Titles are important. They really influence how a viewer will approach an image.

Next I like the consistency of form. There is a really beautiful weave throughout the image. It all hangs together very well. This creates the all important single effect that an image should have to be successful. There are no loose ends in this image.

Then I really like the overall structure of the image. It is very well balanced. This is particularly remarkable considering the expanse of sky. The weaves in the sky are especially richly textured and this nicely counterpoints the other elements of the image.

It's a drive-by shot. One has to admit that sometimes drive-by shots work.

There is an overall feeling of speed in this image (not surprisingly). It is not a breakneck gotta reach the finish line feeling of speed. Rather it is a speed that is lacy, jazzy and elegant.

What this image delivers is modest. I am not wild with enthusiasm over it. My applause are moderate and polite. But they are steady.

I've been following Gordon's work almost from when he first appeared on this site. I've watched his work evolve into what it is today. And through his work and his comments and critiques of my own work, he has often helped my work evolve a bit.

For me, in addition to the initial impression of this shot, there's a message here...and that's that a photographer should never stop learning, never get locked into one style or genre.

Regarding this photograph, as someone else mentions, it's impressionistic. It's a glimpse out of a vehicle window, but at a speed the human eye doesn't see. It flows freely in either direction. I like it that Gordon lets the viewers know that this is not some effect he's created in Photoshop, too. I like the photograph initially, but it isn't one I'd return to for further study. I can appreciate the technique, but it's a technique used by lots of people...Gordon just happens to do it a bit better than others.

There's something about it I like. I think it's the fact that what appears to be PS work was all captured naturally. At first I thought a fractalius plug-in may have been used. In a time where so much of the PS affects are used & many times overdone, this natural capture is refreshing

I normally don't like this effect, either, but in this instance, it has a very artistic feel to it. The rest of the folder has some hits and very few "misses," so this idea served well. I've tried shooting from the car window on occasion, but strive for a decent image that is sharp - it will make me rethink trying so hard to get a "normal" image and instead go for an artistic rendering.

Congratulations, Gordon. Well deserved. Anyone who wanted to could point a camera out of a moving vehicle and take a fuzzy "drive by" shot. Very few capture crisp focus on a particular area - THE area that helps tell the story. Without the sharp focus on a few trees and their reflection (toward the right), this would be another fuzzy drive by. It isn't. It's a work of art, as are all the photos in your portfolio.

And I greatly I admire your ability to identify interesting niches where you can stretch your capabilities and make your work stand out from the rest. Drive By's and Dogs in Cars are probably my 2 favorites.

Cheers ~
Alberta