driver’s seat photography

In the spirit of windowseat photography, I bring you the much more dangerous, driver’s seat photography.

I left Carrboro, NC and started driving towards Santa Rosa, California during nine days in May 2005. Though I had several intermediate destinations in mind (Grand Canyon, Zion), the journey itself was really the destination. As such I treated it like any tourist/explorer would. I took lots of pictures (through my windshield).

on the road in tennessee, heading towards clarksville
on the road in tennessee, heading towards clarksville

driving through the tennessee countryside towards i-40 and memphis
driving through the tennessee countryside towards i-40 and memphis
a view of i-40 from the texas panhandle
a view of i-40 from the texas panhandle
landscape changes as i leave texas and enter new mexico
landscape changes as i leave texas and enter new mexico
entertaining myself at 75mph
entertaining myself at 75mph
a neat looking mountain outside tucumcari, new mexico
a neat looking mountain outside tucumcari, new mexico
leaving santa fe to the north, the overpasses were spectacularly decorated
leaving santa fe to the north, the overpasses were spectacularly decorated
another painted overpass north of santa fe (possibly on a reservation)
another painted overpass north of santa fe (possibly on a reservation)
the beautiful and lush new mexico countryside
the beautiful and lush new mexico countryside
first glimpse of the red rocks of new mexico
first glimpse of the red rocks of new mexico
the drive between santa fe and chama, new mexico may have been my favorite part of the trip
the drive between santa fe and chama, new mexico may have been my favorite part of the trip
more stunning red rocks
more stunning red rocks
notice how green everything is, i wonder how it normally looks
notice how green everything is, i wonder how it normally looks
hilly highway vista in northern new mexico
hilly highway vista in northern new mexico
snow-capped mountains north of chama new mexico, probably in colorado
snow-capped mountains north of chama new mexico, probably in colorado
long flat stretch, probably in arizona,  with bug guts on windshield
long flat stretch, probably in arizona, with bug guts on windshield
looking back at some craggy red rocks
looking back at some craggy red rocks
getting closer to the grand canyon
getting closer to the grand canyon
entering nevada
entering nevada
green nevada desert
green nevada desert
flat nevada desert
flat nevada desert
beautiful nevada mountains
beautiful nevada mountains
dust from a dirt road blowing across the highway
dust from a dirt road blowing across the highway
a lovely side view mirror shot
a lovely side view mirror shot
the approaching storm front, my first weather experience
the approaching storm front, my first weather experience
after the storm, long stretches of road
after the storm, long stretches of road

Note: These photos originally appeared in my photo galleries.

6 Comments

Golfy

Wow, amazing perspective. Love this rear view mirror reflection photo :)

thanks. i especially like the way it frames the picture.

Tammy

Thanks! I’m planning on driving this route this summer and your shots are great!

Tammy, good luck. I hope you have as good weather as I did. Also be prepared. I traveled in May, and the temperature was pretty nice. But it gets really hot out west in the summer months.

I see the spirit of adventure is alive and well. Good for you man! Domestic life has slowed me down…way down. But I’ll get back at it full swing someday; and I’ll take my family along. I Googled images of the Southwest looking for specific things to carve onto a neat project. A friend showed me how to hand craft a traditional Indian peace pipe. It has turned out to be quite fun. I found your site by accident. Hope you never slow down! Peace! Those white lines are calling again. Go have another adventure…and, at some nonspecific mile marker along the way…think of an old fart who’s wishing for that same stretch of road.
-E.

Eric, I’ve learned that you definitely don’t have to travel across country to reacquaint yourself with the road. I’ve managed to squeeze hundreds of miles of blacktop into an odd three day weekend, and still get out of the car to do some hiking, exploring.

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