sunday selections - fence posts

Some photos for Sunday Selections over at Frogpondsrock's blog.

I recently blogged about how I like to get where I’m going as quickly as possible and not get held up on the way.

This isn’t always true. Sometimes I think it’s fun to take a different road just to see where it goes and what’s there along the way.

Like the day my former boss and I, on the way back from a meeting in another town, saw a turnoff and wondered if it would end up somewhere near my house – which it would have if we’d stuck on that road and made a right turn instead of a left turn, which took us right back to the highway.

But it was fun seeing a place we’d never seen before, and Slabs and I went back a couple of weeks later to explore the way that former boss and I should have gone.

When Slabs and I lived in NSW, we were surrounded by miles and miles of countryside, lined by fences of all varieties.

Inspired by the panoramic photographs (especially this one) of Michael Scott Lees , who had a gallery nearby, I embarked on a mission to photograph fence posts in our area. 

Of necessity, this involved taking journeys for the sake of the journey, not the destination. I really enjoyed it. I got up close and personal with fence posts that, before I started getting interested in fences, I’d barely glanced at as we drove past.

On one occasion I was heartened as someone stopped to check that I was OK. Broken down cars were often seen on the side of our road, indeed it happened to me once, and as most of the road was out of mobile range, getting help was difficult until someone stopped. I appreciated his concern, but noticed his expression of bewilderment as I explained I was just taking photos. Obviously taking photos of fence posts doesn’t appeal to everyone.

I loved the texture of the old wood on the posts and the rusty wire. I loved the earthy colours and the contrast with the blue sky (I didn’t always get that). I loved the fences emerging out of the mists and the long dry grass that grew along them. It was a fence photographer’s paradise.

Some of the photos were terrible. Some were passable. None aspired to the heights of Michael Scott Lees. I have a lot to learn about composition and lighting, but as a first attempt, I was happy.

These two are from the same session. They aren't fence posts, but I really like them.

Living in regional Tasmania, there are LOTS of fence posts to photograph not too far from where I am. All I have to do is get out there and take a picture or two