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Monochrome Road Photos

Started by Max Rockatansky, February 04, 2017, 08:32:05 PM

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Max Rockatansky

I haven't seen anything like this on the forum and I thought it would make for an interesting photo topic.  I've been experimenting with Monochrome versions of some of my pictures and I've found that several things tend to pop in them.  Namely I've found that stuff like old buildings, roadways, signs, and really anything that has a lifeless feel with the absence of people tend come out really well.  So with that in mind here are the three photos that kind of had me thinking this might be a decent idea that I did:

Old US 66 at Cadiz Summit, CA.  Basically the old asphalt rotting away coupled with the 66 sign painted on the road and generally isolated feel of the Mojave was really conveyed well here:



Likewise it seems to work just to the west in Amboy...incidentally where a large chunk of the movie The Hitcher was filmed:



The old building aspect of this conveyed pretty well on Grand Blvd with the Packard Plant.  Too bad the security truck is watching me like a hawk, I really think it detracted from this photo:



US 163 out in Monument during overcast weather in late 2015.  I took this kind of early in the day before the tourist brigade was out in force which really is something surprising if you have only ever seen photos Monument Valley.  Basically this is the same place car magazines take photos of US 163, right at MM 13 on the Utah side:



The Wawona Tunnel on the Wawona Road in Yosemite Valley I thought came out pretty well.  I was able to get up to Yosemite Valley the week after all the heavy storms had ended before there was any real clearing of the roads or snow melt.  Given that there wasn't any tourists at the Tunnel View I tried to replicate Ansel Adam's picture from the 1930s...he was a little further back into the tunnel than me and had a big snow drift at the tunnel entrance:




Signs seem to come out well in monochrome like the first reassurance marker on CA 140 westbound out of Yosemite:



As does bridges like the wooden decked Briceburg bridge over the Merced River:



Or one of the Old CA 198 bridges on Jackson Avenue over a full Kings River:



Really anything dark seems to work pretty well like the overcast conditions on this panoramic from CA 198 on the 7% grade from the Diablos to Peach Tree Valley where the San Andreas Fault is:



I'll probably hit on 10 of these periodically as I feel like it.  Feel free to make your own additions if you happen to have any black and white road photos.


jakeroot

Something about this post is reminding me of a certain version of a certain recent film starring a certain character that I think you're quite fond of, Max.

I think you know what I'm talking about. ;-)

Max Rockatansky

Quote from: jakeroot on February 04, 2017, 08:44:19 PM
Something about this post is reminding me of a certain version of a certain recent film starring a certain character that I think you're quite fond of, Max.

I think you know what I'm talking about. ;-)

Well if you look close at my Challenger there is a certain logo for a certain highway patrol agency on the rear window:



BTW that's on CA 49 just south of Coulterville approaching the Merced River Canyon.  Incidentally I haven't had a chance to watch the black and white version of Fury Road yet, I'll probably save it when I go to Florida considering my brother-in-law is a big car guy and has never seen the movie.  I got to imagine that it really makes that desert backdrop with the rusted out cars really:



Really those clips of the Road Warrior in black and white that have leaked out over the years look awesome:

https://www.yahoo.com/movies/george-miller-explains-why-he-turned-mad-max-fury-road-black-and-white-plus-a-first-look-at-the-blood-and-chrome-edition-exclusive-130136891.html


Max Rockatansky

How about some County Route G16?....with a nice up close signage snag:



Decent industrial look of the bridge over the Arroyo Seco River.  The work truck kind of being static is something I'm neutral on in terms of what it adds or detracts...really I wish he wasn't there:



The stolen G16 and G17 are definitely spiced up with no color:



Ditto for Elm Avenue and G17:



Narrow canyon walls along Carmel Valley Road:



The asphalt seems to to stand out pretty well in the black and whites, especially with the narrowing of the road to one lane:



More asphalt on the one-lanes:



The creek bridge with dark backdrop tends to pop with no color:



Distance shots of the road seem to coming out pretty good so long as there isn't sun in my face:




G20 turned out okay I thought too, I thought that the Laureles Grade Summit sign turned out well along with the pano looking southbound:





Interestingly I think that I figured out Photobucket's formula.  It seems to be putting everything in order by file date on the photo itself....weird.  Anyways, I'll probably add more commentary on this stuff when I'm not multitasking watching the Super Bowl next time.

jwolfer

Its interesting how the b&w evokes a long time ago even though they are current roads and sign standards

LGMS428


Max Rockatansky

Quote from: jwolfer on February 05, 2017, 11:50:23 PM
Its interesting how the b&w evokes a long time ago even though they are current roads and sign standards

LGMS428

Wait until I get back to Route 66 or even Bodie/CA 270, I almost had to do a total secondary copy of those albums with the old buildings  It probably helps I'm sticking mainly to things out in the boons that have some age to them or are substandard as of late.

Stratuscaster

If there was a "like" button or a thread rating capability here I'd be all over it.

Great concept & execution - thanks for sharing, Max.

formulanone

#7
Quote from: Max Rockatansky on February 04, 2017, 08:32:05 PM
I've been experimenting with Monochrome versions of some of my pictures and I've found that several things tend to pop in them.

Not to sound like a snobby hipster, but back when I had my first film camera, I took most of my photos in black-and-white. And that's where a lot of people started out; a B&W lab could be made at home (with varying degrees of success!) and on a budget compared to color processing. If you couldn't do-it-yourself, monochrome film and processing was about half the cost of color film until about 20 years ago. Eventually, most film labs had to "send out" the B&W work, which made the cost benefit disappear.





To be honest with myself, I don't think I was all that good at monochrome, but I took my earliest (1992) road photos with it. Sometimes I'd have a good batch, and other times it was 24 shots of utter crap. Now, you can play around with the the color shots that are quite "blah" and they somehow become more interesting (to me, at least) when converted to B&W. You can play around with the color sliders, levels, and curves in post-production a little more freely and not have distracting color noise.



...or make it a little more unusual to figure out exactly what it is. (US 41 bridge between Kentucky and Indiana)


Here's two from an airplane window; again, sometimes the mixed lighting or heavy clouds mess with color, and de-saturation does the trick.

Ontario Highway 400 and 401 on cloudy afternoon:


I-565, facing the setting sun; normally, this exaggerates contrast, so it's hard to get nuanced color from it:


There's times where I've been somewhere many times before, and shifting to monochrome is a nice change of pace. I don't get too many second-chances to re-shoot, so I opt for color first, and perhaps monochrome later on.

Downtown Decatur (Alabama) rush-hour takes on a different mood when the shadows are just right:


And snow helps accentuate the contrast between road and scenery:


I've had many shots of I-10 in Kenner and the New Orleans area, so tried my hand at something different:


And many fly-bys of Atlanta's skyline and downtown road network:

Max Rockatansky

^^^^

You must have been near Homasassa Springs or Crystal River in that US 19/98 photo, I know the area well from family.

I've tracking my photos seriously for the last 9-10 years or so but only started making monochrome duplicates the past year and a half.  That's what I've noticed is that a lot of generic pictures in color tend to pop for whatever reason once they filtered in black and white.  I've noticed that a lot of over exposed shots seem to come out well without color...especially if you can darken the photo slightly beforehand.  I'll have to try out some shots I have from planes from what I'm seeing on your pictures.

Quote from: Stratuscaster on February 06, 2017, 07:25:17 PM
If there was a "like" button or a thread rating capability here I'd be all over it.

Great concept & execution - thanks for sharing, Max.

Thank you.


Alright here are a couple for today starting with County Route J21.  This was after a bunch of heavy snow storms in the Sierras and low elevation flooding.  The fog seemed to accentuate the old road surface, tiny bridges, and signage:






An early highway bridge on CA 245 made to look it's age:



What is likely an old alignment of CA 63 on Boyd Drive.  The barb wire seems to work well with black and white in addition to the fog cover in the distance:







Max Rockatansky

Aladdin, WY from WY 24 looking at the weird old center piece general store and population 15 road sign:



Abandoned CA 39 on the Islip Saddle junction with CA 2:





Supposed no fun zone with the "Safety Corridor" on CA 2 over Angeles Crest:





Arches Scenic Drive in and US 191 from the Moab Fault in Arches National Park.  For some reason the desert and anything with a red tint really tends to pop in b&w:




One lane steel bridge on AZ 88/Apache Trail and end of the line for the pavement east of Tortilla Flat:




CanesFan27


CanesFan27

Let me add a little sepia to the mix:

IMG_1827 by Adam Prince, on Flickr

A view down Spring St. by Adam Prince, on Flickr

IMG_0110 by Adam Prince, on Flickr

Max Rockatansky

#12
^^^

Nice, love how the old service stations come out in b&w and sepia.   Really I think anything transportation related ought to be fair game, keep them coming if you got more. 

There is a whole bunch of derelict signs that I have from the Mojave that I'll get on this thread eventually.  Speaking of that, I'm a little bored so I'll do 10 more:

Speaking of that, some stuff from AZ 89 starting with Historic US 89A:



Followed by an overlook of Jerome, AZ from AZ 89A:



With the split route converging at Hull Avenue and Main Street:



Downtown Clarkdale on former US 89A:



AZ 89A/Old US 89A through Oak Creek Canyon:



A couple of abandoned buildings in Badger, CA which is essentially a ghost town.  Nice little CA 245 in the second picture kind of hidden in from the home:




SD 240 on an overlook in Badlands National Park:



Benton Hot Springs on CA 120.....nice little old gas pump:



US 40 on Berthoud Pass in Colorado:


Max Rockatansky

Some new stuff, Bitterwater Road in San Luis Obispo and Kern County.  Basically this is a 32 mile road that follows the San Andreas Fault:

z1 by Max Rockatansky, on Flickr

z4 by Max Rockatansky, on Flickr

z5 by Max Rockatansky, on Flickr

z6 by Max Rockatansky, on Flickr

z7 by Max Rockatansky, on Flickr

z8 by Max Rockatansky, on Flickr

z10 by Max Rockatansky, on Flickr

z11 by Max Rockatansky, on Flickr

z12 by Max Rockatansky, on Flickr

z13 by Max Rockatansky, on Flickr

Max Rockatansky

Old SSR 178 on Pozo Road:

z5 by Max Rockatansky, on Flickr

z7 by Max Rockatansky, on Flickr

CA 229 southern terminus

z2 by Max Rockatansky, on Flickr


1914 Salinas River Bridge

z6 by Max Rockatansky, on Flickr

z7 by Max Rockatansky, on Flickr

z9 by Max Rockatansky, on Flickr

z12 by Max Rockatansky, on Flickr

CA 41 from US 101 to CA 46

z2 by Max Rockatansky, on Flickr

z3 by Max Rockatansky, on Flickr

z6 by Max Rockatansky, on Flickr

z7 by Max Rockatansky, on Flickr

CA 229 south

z4 by Max Rockatansky, on Flickr


kphoger

Quote from: Max Rockatansky on February 08, 2017, 08:16:56 PM
z5 by Max Rockatansky, on Flickr

This picture is timeless.  Advances in REA poles aside, that picture could just as easiliy be from 1966 as 2016.
Keep right except to pass.  Yes.  You.
Visit scenic Orleans County, NY!
Male pronouns, please.

Quote from: Philip K. DickIf you can control the meaning of words, you can control the people who must use them.

Max Rockatansky

Quote from: kphoger on February 10, 2017, 04:20:18 PM
Quote from: Max Rockatansky on February 08, 2017, 08:16:56 PM
z5 by Max Rockatansky, on Flickr

This picture is timeless.  Advances in REA poles aside, that picture could just as easiliy be from 1966 as 2016.

Yeah that was probably the best picture from Bitterwater Road in color and in monochrome.  I'm still trying to pin down when Bitterwater Road was constructed but it was probably mid-20th century and I would venture that asphalt is original.  I like that little snarled tree, the fence line, and the fog since they add just that endless looking stretch of asphalt.

Max Rockatansky

Probably the most bad ass paved road I've ever encountered and I'd say was my favorite from last year; Blackrock Road from the Kings River, to Balch Camp, up the single lane grade, and back down:

Metal bridge over the Kings River:

1 by Max Rockatansky, on Flickr

7 by Max Rockatansky, on Flickr

The brown Forest Service sourced signs really tend to pop in b&w on the other side of the bridge.  The sign directs you to Balch Camp, one of the last company towns in California:

8 by Max Rockatansky, on Flickr

Balch Camp is run by PG&E to service the Blackrock Reservoir (yes it is one word) which was built in the 1960s.  Even Balch Camp has only one-lane bridges and roads:

9 by Max Rockatansky, on Flickr

10 by Max Rockatansky, on Flickr

The end of the line for civilization and Balch Camp as Blackrock Road goes under a pipeline:

11 by Max Rockatansky, on Flickr

Q&A on why there is "no shooting" signs at Balch Camp:

12 by Max Rockatansky, on Flickr

13 by Max Rockatansky, on Flickr

Even the gentle curves are narrow as all hell:

2 by Max Rockatansky, on Flickr

The first of two wooden deck bridges above Balch Camp:

14 by Max Rockatansky, on Flickr

15 by Max Rockatansky, on Flickr

Look from the top at the second wooden deck bridge:

3 by Max Rockatansky, on Flickr

4 by Max Rockatansky, on Flickr

5 by Max Rockatansky, on Flickr

Heading back down to Balch Camp at the bottom of the Canyon:

6 by Max Rockatansky, on Flickr


kphoger

Funny how "metal road" and "metal bridge" can mean such different things.

I love those old wooden bridges with treads on the deck.
Keep right except to pass.  Yes.  You.
Visit scenic Orleans County, NY!
Male pronouns, please.

Quote from: Philip K. DickIf you can control the meaning of words, you can control the people who must use them.

Max Rockatansky

Quote from: kphoger on February 10, 2017, 10:35:29 PM
Funny how "metal road" and "metal bridge" can mean such different things.

I love those old wooden bridges with treads on the deck.

Surprisingly they are both stamped "1968."  The actual metal support structure was far more modern than I was expecting.  Really it was very difficult to find any information on the area and the reservoir before I visited.  Funny how sometimes you more by actually going to a place than you possibly can digging around online.

Max Rockatansky

#20
Bodfish-Calienete Road between CA 178 and CA 58

3 by Max Rockatansky, on Flickr

4 by Max Rockatansky, on Flickr

5 by Max Rockatansky, on Flickr

Some Bodie stuff, my second album is a lot better and has a lot of CA 270/Bodie Road.

Union Avenue looking west:

40 by Max Rockatansky, on Flickr

Main Street looking south:

35 by Max Rockatansky, on Flickr

Gas station at Main and Greet Streets:

33 by Max Rockatansky, on Flickr

Main Street looking north:

30 by Max Rockatansky, on Flickr

The street blades...

22 by Max Rockatansky, on Flickr

Green Street looking east:

19 by Max Rockatansky, on Flickr

Long forgotten car and engine:

7 by Max Rockatansky, on Flickr

Max Rockatansky

#21
CA 88 over Carson Pass:

1 by Max Rockatansky, on Flickr

CA 155 over Greenhorn Summit:

IMG_9253 by Max Rockatansky, on Flickr

BTW if anyone is wondering why there seems to be one of these a day.  I'm taking 3 of my albums (which aren't all road photos) and uploading them onto my new Flickr account....which ought to take me over half the year to complete at this rate.

CA 158 June Lake Loop

Z2 by Max Rockatansky, on Flickr

Z1 by Max Rockatansky, on Flickr

Truvelo

Some of the monochrome photos posted really give a false impression that they are old. Having older vehicles helps in this respect such as this one of Tombstone, AZ.

Speed limits limit life

formulanone

#23
Quote from: Max Rockatansky on February 12, 2017, 09:41:56 AM[...]uploading them onto my new Flickr account....which ought to take me over half the year to complete at this rate.

I'm about 4 years behind on my own stuff, so don't sweat it. And then there's about 1000-2000 film photos that's never made it to the scanner, so that backs things up.

Play, work, life. important things...

Max Rockatansky

#24
^^^^^

I'm after the free full size photo back-up.  I use my computer and flash drives right now, Facebook doesn't cut it due to the photo compression it does.  Plus it gives me an opportunity to go back and clean up older photos that didn't turn out quite how I wanted.  Only trouble is e more recent stuff has absolutely massive file sizes which is going to take a long time but should be a faster burn the further back I go.  I already got the 2017 stuff up so far, basically I'm backtracking from here.  I have gotten to the point where I ought to get a Terrabyte drive since the number of flash drives I have has gotten out of hand.

Trouble is that all my older film family photos are back in Florida and I would need to get buy-in from a sibling to help get those scanned.  They are all in laminate at the very least, I'd say there is maybe 500-600 from the late 1970s to about 2000. 

Quote from: Truvelo on February 12, 2017, 09:50:49 AM
Some of the monochrome photos posted really give a false impression that they are old. Having older vehicles helps in this respect such as this one of Tombstone, AZ.



Looks like Allen Street?  I haven't been out that way in so long, I want to say 2012?   It probably helps the city frequently covers that street in dirt to make it look like it did in the old west. 



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