Taking pictures behind the wheel

[VinceC]

So I had a long drive last week and half a roll of film left over, so it occurred to me that, with the Nikon rangefinder's 1:1 finder, it's really quite safe to take photographs while driving because you continue to have a lifesize view and can keep both eyes open. I shot about 10 frames with 85mm and 25mm lenses.

It wasn't distracting at all, though I don't think I accomplished anything memorable either. Still, it's nice to know for future reference.

 

[NIKON KIU]

I have got a bunch of these!!!

Kiu

 

[wlewisiii]

I've been doing _way_ too much of this of late. Scary part is that a couple of them even worked... :bang:

William

 

[jonmanjiro]

😱😱😱 Driving on the righthand side of the road??? What a strange feeling!!!

Here (and back home) the righthand side is the wrong side, and the lefthand side is the right side i.e. right is wrong, and left is right. Got it? 😉

 

[kestas]

Drive-By Shootings

Drive-By Shootings

i'm sure most of RFFers know this NY cab driver and photographer.
for those who doesn't:
http://drivebyshootings.com/index.asp

 

[css9450]

I've done that several times. I shoot railroad action, and sometimes just for variety I'll pace alongside a train on a paralleling highway and shoot with a 28mm - the goal being to frame the locomotive with the side window of the car. A low shutter speed such as 1/30 imparts blur. I've gotten a few favorites this way.

This gets dicey, however, on a busy highway! Some years ago I got a number of nice shots along old Route 66 in central Illinois, and everytime I took my eyes off the road I had a habit of drifting over the center line. Some years later, I was following trains along US14 in Minnesota, which saw a lot more traffic! I got just a couple pan shots before reverting to the more conventional (and MUCH safer) tripod shots.

 

[Xmas]

Dont the local Deputy dogs chase after howling like a siren?

Noel

 

[rogue_designer]

Never taken any at speed, even with the 1:1 on the Canon P. But more than my fair share waiting in traffic, or at lights.

This was grabbed while driving downtown last fall.

 

[charjohncarter]

Here is one taken by me the driver at 80 mph. I was using a Canon P&S. The window was rolled up, and I am sorry about the noise.

 

[Sparrow]

That would be just so dangerous at speed on a wet M62

I’m not driving incidentally

 

[pesphoto]

This is a series I recently shot, sometimes driving to and from work is the only time available to do some shooting

 

[Biggles]

Shots like this one remind me why I occasionally do this, as well. Diamond snap, Mr. C. Gorgeous light, and damn nicely framed.

I started taking these because of David Vestal. He's got a couple of through-the-windshield shots out there in books and magazines. I'll mimic anyone, once, but Vestal... I've gone out and tried lots of what I've seen him do.

 

[rpsawin]

It's just too much to handle along with the cell phone, latte and reading material....

Bob

 

[css9450]

Not a great picture, but its the only "window-pan" shot I ever bothered to scan.

Far western Kansas, 1999.

 

[mwooten]

It's just too much to handle along with the cell phone, latte and reading material....

Bob

Thank you, I really needed a chuckle 🙂

 

[VinceC]

>>It's just too much to handle along with the cell phone, latte and reading material....<<

With the 1:1 finder on a Nikon (and Canon P), I found almost zero distraction while taking pictures. (I was, you'll notice, facing forward). Drive one-handed while setting the controls and focus with the other hand, then bring the camera to your eye and drive for an indefinite time with both eyes open while waiting for an appropriate moment to shoot.

 

[Eryximachos]

pesphoto: I like your shots framed by the passenger side window. Reminds me of an exhibit I saw at the Sackler Museum in DC by an Indian photographer. "Auto*Focus: Raghubir Singh's Way into India" His color photos from all over India had some part of his car in every shot. Mirrors, chrome parts and especially car windows as frames. I've got a few attempts at this genre on my Flickr site, taken out of frustration in traffic jams moving at 3 mph. http://www.flickr.com/photos/clarkj/sets/72157600002297298/

 

[zgeeRF]

I mostly do it when waiting for the traffic signs... the Bessa R3 has also 1:1 finder for this use.

 

[dazedgonebye]

I snapped a couple on the way home tonight...practicing my one handed, no looky through the rangefinder technique.

 

[pvdhaar]

I get best results when I place the camera with a wide angle on the dashboard and against the windshield.

This way you don't get to see the squashed bugs and have less reflections in the glass. Because the camera is fixed to the car there's a sense of sharpness to the picture from an unblurred hood.

Best of all: you can keep an eye on traffic without having to spend thought to keeping the camera steady..

Image below is with a CV25/4..